Spring is here!
My garden this week - Blue Tits and Rooks
Tip of the week - Bird Identification: key body regions
Recommendation: Birds on live webcams
Join our team: Sign up for the Global Big Day
Latest episode: #92 Week 5 - Lockdown Birdwatching Diaries
Suzy’s Bird Notes
My garden this week
After a weekend of high winds, the weather has been much calmer this week.
The Dawn Chorus now starts before dawn and, even in residential areas like mine, you can hear layers of calls and songs from a variety of birds. It only lasts about an hour, and then settles down to individual calls and songs of birds as they are prompted by rivals or threats.
Here is a very short recording that I made from my garden this week featuring a Blackbird as the loudest (closest) song.
The Blue Tits are still showing interest in my nestbox, going inside and generally checking it out. But they are also doing the same with my neighbour's box. I am unsure if it is more than one pair checking out these boxes - although I did see three Blue Tits in my garden this morning.
Perhaps both my neighbour and I will both have nests! Fingers crossed!
The Rooks have continued to dominate at the feeding station. I am getting through a block of suet a day! They are also very particular about which suet pellets they will eat - I accidentally got a different brand a while ago and it is definitely not favoured. I have checked that the suet hasn't gone bad and I'm trying to eke out the good stuff and mix it with the other brand, but they just pick it out and leave it for the Wood Pigeons (who will only eat it when everything else is gone)!
Oh, and there were FOUR Hedgehogs in the garden last Friday night! I've moved the trail cam to look at the entrance of the Hedgehog box so I hope I'll have some video to share next week!
Tip of the week:
I spoke with birder Mel Shepherd-Wells this week for an upcoming episode. In our conversation, Mel reminded me of the diagrams printed in most bird books that help you learn the key body regions and general field marks of birds.
It is useful to learn the standard terminology for these regions so that when we describe a bird we have seen or ask questions about identification we are all speaking about the same 'bit' of the bird. The head, tail, wings and back are self-explanatory, but do you know where the mantle, undertail coverts, primaries, secondaries and speculum are?
If you are a beginner, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. But start with the main parts: the bill (or beak), head, throat, breast, back, body, wings, tail and legs. These can be further subdivided but, as a general rule, focussing on these broad areas will help you to consider the colours or plumage markings that distinguish each bird.
Further information can be found here:
Spring!
It is the Spring (Vernal) Equinox on Saturday March 20th and we will have more hours of daylight than nighttime in the Northern Hemisphere, with days getting longer until we reach Midsummer Day.
On Saturday I will be asking people to tell me the first bird they heard / saw - so get ready to send your responses! Look out for my request on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!
Global Big Day - May 8th 2021
The Casual Birder Podcast Team is taking part in the Global Big Day on May 8. We will also be raising funds for BirdLife International.
This is a wonderful way to share your local birds, find out about others around the world and to have fun birding as part of a virtual team. We will all be birding in our own locations, but our lists will be shared to the team account so that we can have a combined total number of species for the team.
You do not have to be an expert to take part, and you can bird from your back garden if you wish.
To join us, you do need to set up an eBird account, and register as an individual birder on the website below. When you register on Global Birding, alongside your name write 'Casual Birder Podcast Team'. Also let me know that you want to be part of the team if you haven't already.
Further instructions can be found on the website.
Recommendation - Live Webcams
This week my recommendation is to watch the following live webcams, especially if it is stormy where you are, or it is night time and you want to see some birds!
Thank you to Natasha Hadfield and Christopher Outlaw for sending me to these sites in the first place!
Big Bear Bald Eagle Cam in California
Two eggs have been laid and are due to hatch in the next few days
Peregrines nesting at the University of Sheffield, in England
And for the following two feeder cams, it's fun to watch and try to identify the birds as they appear (well, the bird families if not the species!):
Live bird and animal cam in South Africa
Panama Fruit Feeder Cam at Canopy Lodge
The Casual Birder Podcast
Current episode:
#92 Week 5 - Lockdown Birdwatching Diaries
Week 5 of Suzy’s audio diaries, including exciting news about a nesting Robin, and Suzy's exasperation at the Wood Pigeons ignoring the fresh water bowls!
Past episode suggestion:
#78 Global Bird Weekend with Tim Appleton MBE
We hear from the organiser of the Global Bird Weekend last October, and from the listeners of The Casual Birder Podcast that took part.
Visit my website for photos, blogs, and episode transcripts
Keep in touch
You can send me a voice or written message here:
Support the show
Thank you all for listening to the show. You can support it further by buying me a virtual coffee or using my Amazon Affiliate link to buy feeders, bird food, and other items.
As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, so if you choose to buy those products through my link, I will get a small payment, at no cost to you. I will be adding products in the coming weeks, and hope to also select products that can be bought in other countries.
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