[New shoot]

That is quite a racket! A different scale entirely to the gentle calls I sometimes hear from tawny owls near me.

[Subversive_plot]

For us, the reaction is similar to the woman recording the video. Itis fun to hear the parties when they happen! 
They occasionally happen at 3:00 AM.  , but usually don't last more than a few minutes, and it isn't a nightly thing.  Big parties seem to include multiple groups within earshot of each other, like the video shows.

All in all, we love our barred owls, and we have loads of them. Great rodent control BTW.

[DanielCoffey]

Some of you may know that the Nutchatch is not yet common in Scotland but is spreading Northwards from England. We have seen them sometimes over the past few years in South Ayrshire rummaging in crevices of our mature trees and sneaking round the back of the trunks if they think we have spotted them.

Apparently nobody told this juvenile that they are supposed to be shy birds. It has been searching our decking for sunflower seeds that have fallen between the boards and got wedged. It has a better beak than the small birds and has been helping itself.

This was one juvenile but I placed two images of it side by side. It was only about five feet away from me through the window!

[Goosegirl]

I love nuthatches. I have both a Quail and an old Beswick in my collection of birds. Would love to see one in the flesh so's to speak.

[New shoot]

I just saw a sparrow hawk in my back garden.  Actually down on the ground, but it didn’t seem to have anything in its claws when it flew off.

I guess one of the garden birds just had a lucky escape.

That is the first time I have seen one for any length of time.  Usually they come screaming through after stuff and are gone just as fast.  I didn’t realise they were so colourful. 

[Subversive_plot]

Pileated woodpecker #1

My sister sent me this photo of a pileated woodpecker on her feeder, in Indiana. This one is a male (you can tell because there is some red in the black stripe in it's cheek).

Pileated woodpeckers are as large as a small crow. They are the third largest woodpeckers in the world. We see or hear them frequently in our Georgia neighborhood (but I've never seen one on a feeder!)

[Subversive_plot]

Pileated woodpecker #2 (female)

This one lacks red in the black cheek stripe; that means it is a female. For scale, there ia a sparrow on the feeder to the right. My sister photographed this one a week before the male.

[snowdrops]

Wow, they’re huge

[mrs bouquet]

I have just been watching a buzzard overhead.  He just soars on the thermals.  Only two wing flaps sometimes and then he just carries on.    He was huge and beautiful.    Mrs Bouquet

[greenjay]

Heard the cuckoo for the first time today.

[greenjay]

First pair of swallows arrived today.

[Subversive_plot]

I saw my first-ever rose-breasted grosbeak at our feeder yesterday a male in full splendent breeding plumage. My attempt to take a photo did not go well.  However, please see:https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rose-breasted_grosbeak

[mrs bouquet]

After all that time, and there he is.   We don't have many birds now as new neighbour has three cats an they are evil.      Hope your birds don't get threatened.    Mrs Bouquet

[Glosterboy]

Photo taken today. I did originally count ten eggs. And then six fledglings. One left. Who does appear to be looking fairly healthy. The cold, wet weather certainly not good for raising a successful brood!!! Tens days later than last year and still counting. 

[Subversive_plot]

What type of bird is that GB?