Merlin Bird ID

[tatsblisters 10,925]

17 hours ago, WataWalloper said:

Dales ate full a lapwings an curlews an other waders nesting just now, always nice to sit an watch the lapwings 

Probably why they are doing well up their due to their nesting grounds not getting disturbed unlike low land arable farmland. Seen a tractor this morning plowing some set a side up that will no doubt have a few ground nesting birds in it though i don't blame the farmers as they have got to make a living and with all the shit this government is putting on them i think a few ground nesting birds will be the least of their worries.

[Arry 24,467]

6 hours ago, tatsblisters said:

Had a dream last night about a mate who has a mounted Golden oriole in a domed glass case that he has had for years and was wondering if anyone has seen one in the wild. 

When I was a teenager and on holiday is the chalets on the cliffs at Whitsand bay in Cornwall we watched them. I remember being amazed so bright.

Haven't seen them since.

Also the Lapwings are no longer here when I was young there were great flocks of them sadly no more.

Cheers Arry

[Greyman 31,080]

The tree line in the distance is the m5 and the land between the river and mway is ful of curlews hearing them and seeing them daily 

[pesky1972 5,632]

Interesting that the curlew in particular gets a lot of press as being ‘red list’ endangered.., and the usual culprits of intensive farming and climate change often get the rap for it.
No-one ever really seems to mention increased predation. A lot of animals and birds which might take eggs or chicks from ground or near ground nesting birds, the foxes, badgers, otters, stoats, weasels, buzzards and likely most corvids must be having an easier time of it as hunting…, either directly or in predator control on managed estates etc., falls into decline. Deer will also eat eggs or chicks if they come across them, and the explosion in deer numbers round me is nothing short of biblical. Programmes to ‘re-populate’ areas with pine martens, kites, eagles etc. must also have had an impact. 
A few years ago there was concern for our song and garden birds rapidly ‘disappearing’. I can’t open my curtains without seeing a magpie or carrion crow in the garden, or a herring gull circling over it. And seeing a sparrowhawk in the garden, or finding a tell-tale little pile of feathers, is almost a daily occurrence. That might offer a clue.
I can’t help thinking that things have gotten a bit out of kilter the last couple of decades, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a number of species which have no natural predator other than man have had a free reign, or even a leg up, without any real consideration of the consequences.

Edited May 1 by pesky1972

[WataWalloper 3,261]

10 minutes ago, pesky1972 said:

Interesting that the curlew in particular gets a lot of press as being ‘red list’ endangered.., and the usual culprits of intensive farming and climate change often get the rap for it.
No-one ever really seems to mention increased predation. A lot of animals and birds which might take eggs or chicks from ground or near ground nesting birds, the foxes, badgers, otters, stoats, weasels, buzzards and likely most corvids must be having an easier time of it as hunting…, either directly or in predator control on managed estates etc., falls into decline. Deer will also eat eggs or chicks if they come across them, and the explosion in deer numbers round me is nothing short of biblical. Programmes to ‘re-populate’ areas with pine martens, kites, eagles etc. must also have had an impact. 
A few years ago there was concern for our song and garden birds rapidly ‘disappearing’. I can’t open my curtains without seeing a magpie or carrion crow in the garden, or a herring gull circling over it. And seeing a sparrowhawk in the garden, or finding a tell-tale little pile of feathers, is almost a daily occurrence. That might offer a clue.
I can’t help thinking that things have gotten a bit out of kilter the last couple of decades, and I don’t think it’s a coincidence that a number of species which have no natural predator other than man have had a free reign, or even a leg up, without any real consideration of the consequences.

Not too sure about all the other moorland around us, but the local ones the army train on in catterick had a real good head of curlews mate, an it’s private to a degree you can’t drive it or run dogs on it but more than welcome to walk around it with dogs on lead or yaself, lots a waders doing well up there but it is nice an quiet land most the time. Badgers where out a hand when I got here couple a decades ago an even worse now, starting to see buzzards by the dozen almost am red kites are finally making a m appearance from Leeds so not sure how it will play out on future but they have got the keepers inside they do a lot to help the waders nest. I grew up watching waders on the coast, so it’s nice to see them here in summer 

[tatsblisters 10,925]

First time on a walk out this morning on using the merlin bird app a bird came up on it that definitely was not in the area. 

[wildman 611]

7 minutes ago, tatsblisters said:

First time on a walk out this morning on using the merlin bird app a bird came up on it that definitely was not in the area. 

Been watching and heard  bitterns on the dearn Valley for years , was watching a hobby  this week chasing swallows 

[Pardus 1,609]

14 minutes ago, tatsblisters said:

First time on a walk out this morning on using the merlin bird app a bird came up on it that definitely was not in the area. 

The app is prone to errors especially when it's a fleeting noise.

[tatsblisters 10,925]

28 minutes ago, wildman said:

Been watching and heard  bitterns on the dearn Valley for years , was watching a hobby  this week chasing swallows 

I heard their is bitterns on the Old Moor nature reserve nr Wath keep meaning to visit the place. 

[wildman 611]

1 minute ago, tatsblisters said:

I heard their is bitterns on the Old Moor nature reserve nr Wath keep meaning to visit the place. 

It's great, loads of birds there that you have never seen before free in if you area member of rspb 

[Arry 24,467]

3 hours ago, tatsblisters said:

First time on a walk out this morning on using the merlin bird app a bird came up on it that definitely was not in the area. 

I had it come up with Bittern in my garden. Well of course I don't have Bittern's there but I do have a lot of Starlings and they are known to mimic other birds. The Starlings roost in a reed bed about 2 miles as the crow fly's from my place and I'm wondering if there are Bittern there that they are copying.

Cheers Arry

Edited May 24 by Arry

[pesky1972 5,632]

Apologies if this has been covered.., used the app at a favourite spot this morning and I could hear at least five different calls but the app was only picking up one bird. Use with an iPhone, and I guess the app is only as good as the mic is at listening. Bit of a technophobe (lazy cnut) so my question is, is there any way to make the phone or app more sensitive, or can I buy an external plug in mic to improve…, anyone used one?

[Arry 24,467]

20 minutes ago, pesky1972 said:

Apologies if this has been covered.., used the app at a favourite spot this morning and I could hear at least five different calls but the app was only picking up one bird. Use with an iPhone, and I guess the app is only as good as the mic is at listening. Bit of a technophobe (lazy cnut) so my question is, is there any way to make the phone or app more sensitive, or can I buy an external plug in mic to improve…, anyone used one?

Is your phone in a case mate. Try cleaning mic ports with an old tooth brush.

Although mine iPhone picks up fine with Merlin with the case on but I have taken the phone out of the case when some people say they cant hear me very well. They always say it better without the case.

Cheers Arry