Off Topic Vote for a National Bird (feathered variety)

I've just come back from taking the grandchildren round to my folks and the nesting pair of blackbirds were very busy. We all stood by the kitchen door whilst they busily collected the raisins my mother had scattered on the doorstep for them, the hen doing the collecting whilst her mate kept a watchful eye on us from the top of the wall less than ten feet away. Even the presence of our labradoodle mutt wasn't enough to deter them from their industry. Quite beautiful.

 

Getting a bit mushy this thread!

 

My deepest apologies, Madrid, it must be horrible for you.

 

Jajaja no at all, just interesting the effect our feathered friends have on the posters. I haven't read a kind word for our friends the pigeons though! LOL

 

They're tasty?

 

I thought you were QPR FC not KFC Uber.

 

Excellent thread this one. I've always been a bit of an ornithologist and that fascination has carried on whilst moving to another country.

I've picked the barn owl, predominantely as it's my 4 year old sons favourite bird, he's totally obsessed with owls!
My own pick would have been the kingfisher, used to watch them a lot as a child.

As to the sparrow question, we have a fair few over here in Melbourne thankfully, they seem to do okay along side the red wattle birds, rainbow lorikeets, collared doves and numerous blackbirds that inhabit the garden.

The wedge tailed eagle which you see further inland is a magnificent creature, we see quite a few up at the wife's families sheep farm, enormous wingspan.
The brother in law has witnessed them pick up a lamb, fly to a couple of hundred feet and drop the poor lamb before feasting on it. A very common tactic. To combat this he's having to shoot a fair few kangaroos and wild pigs to leave lying around as carrion for the eagles to feast on.

We also have a family tawny frogmouths living next to the house, if you're not familiar with this bird it's a cross between an owl and a nightjar, enormous yellow eyes and a big mouth, seem to keep the rodent population down around here.

 

If you've ever been to (at least ) Eastern Canada in the Apr to Oct period you would probably have seeen our Robin - truly.a finch I am told. Not as pretty as the pictured one

 

.

 

I do agree its a perfect choice COL. Well done Robin!

 

One for Col, I think...

Just walking the Mutt through rural Hampshire, just east of Southampton, and disturbed a massive bird of prey. It frightened the life out of me as it took off from a tree overhead.

I didn’t have time to see it’s head, but it had rich brown plumage, with a wingspan at least 3-4 feet, I reckon. Magnificent critter.

What was it?

Note: pretty sure not an owl.

 

Hope it's ok if I hazard a guess before Col gives his expert opinion, Uber. I'd say it's either a buzzard or a red kite.

Buzzards are pretty common, so you may have recognised that. I don't know how familiar you are with them. They are generally dark brown. Red kites are chestnut brown, have around a 6 ft wingspan and a characteristic forked tail.

I'll be interested to hear which Col thinks it is, and any alternative possibilities.

On other ornothological notes, I've heard a lot of cuckoos here in West Sussex (border with Hampshire) this year, and saw one fly over a week ago. Good to see them back. On the negative, what's happened to all the swallows, swifts and martins? Not many around here. Rumour is they're being trapped in Chinese made mist nets in Egypt for the table. Terribly sad if true.

 

Visited my brother & sister-in-law in northern New South Wales here in Oz and during the time we sat out back under the veranda, their was a selection of butcher birds, magpies, lorikeets, a couple of kookaburras, to name but a few.

They invest a bit of time in their garden and abundance of fresh worms and bugs certainly assists the population of bird life there. A very pleasant day indeed.

Happy Mothers Day to all the better halfs out there.

 

I remember seeing a huge number of kites when I was in Queensland. There was a tractor ploughing a field and there must have been twenty or more birds following, taking worms etc thrown up. I thought they were seagulls at first, but clearly kites when I got nearer.

Very fond of kookaburras - love their call!

 

Thanks Goldie. From your helpful descriptions I’m going with a Buzzard as didn’t see a forked tail. Magnificent creature; gave me a somewhat embarrassing jump that thankfully only the dog witnessed. It was very close.

 

Sounds like a buzzard from the size, Uber. They've made a huge recovery over the last 20 years over most of England. One mannerism I've noticed is that a buzzard is a reasonably shy bird and will fly away if it sees you. A kite is an inquisitive bird and will fly over you to see what you're doing and whether you have anything worth eating!

 

Sounds like a Buzzard Ubes.
Although the size you describe and other features suggest that it could of been a Short Eared Owl.
These often hunt by day and have a 40" wingspan.
If you could see it's face and it didn't look like an owl, then Buzzard is the most likely.
Kites have around a 5' wingspan. Buzzards are a bit smaller.
The female Hen Harrier is another that fits the size and description, but unlikely to fly out of a tree like that.

Buzzards are my favourite birds of prey. They look like mini eagles.

 

Thanks Col. Going with Buzzard. Cool critters.