Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Harringay Bird Watch
and I'm not talking about walking along Green Lanes in this hot weather...
I spotted, If you'll excuse the pun, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker in my Gardens garden yesterday morning. he was very interested in the yucca tree, and also the pole that holds our washing line up.
anyone else seen anything weird and wonderful
I spotted, If you'll excuse the pun, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker in my Gardens garden yesterday morning. he was very interested in the yucca tree, and also the pole that holds our washing line up.
anyone else seen anything weird and wonderful
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Cat on
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I spied one of these on my apple tree about a year ago. I assumed it was horribly off-course being on the Ladder (after I'd done a double take), but reading this, maybe not. Though I haven't seen it since.
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Permalink Reply by matt on
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Saw a sparrow hawk years ago in the garden of the house we were living in at Hampden Road at the time. Seen a woodpecker and thrushes this year. Wrens though are my favourite even though they are more common than the others I've just mentioned.
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Saw a sparrow hawk this week .... in our back garden! Huge commotion outside so went to investigate. Starlings going mad as this Sparrowhawk attacked. Very exciting.
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Permalink Reply by Harringay Birder on
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No!
But then I am resolutely the other side of the Lanes and we're lucky to see pigeons in this desolate urban hellhole we call home...
Only joking! We've found the place a trove of wildlife since moving in. We have a fairly interesting mixed patio garden with somewhat exotic (too me) beds laid by the previous owner. Sadly for a keen birder like me we can't seem to get beyond blue tits, blackbirds, robins and the odd wood pigeon (we actually had an injured one crash on our patio not lontg ago. The family ate well that day... only joking again!)
Mind you, we did have a fox by our shed. Probably the same one as everyone else has had..
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Permalink Reply by Mark B on
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a pair of common terns ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Tern ) are cruising up and down New River and feeding. Been here for about a week.
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Permalink Reply by Liz on
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Mark, I saw those terns the other day on Burgoyne Rd, thought I was imagining it as I'm more used to see them on Suffolk beaches.
It says in the article that they will breed on freshwater so could they be using a local reservoir to breed? It was exciting to watch them (sorry, I'm the daughter of a dedicated bird watcher who passed his enthusiasm on to me)
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I agree - I love watching them feed Liz, they fly ... and then just drop vertically into the water. I am not a serious twitcher myself - but follow the rule *real* birds eat fish. And terns are OK 'cause they fall into that category (although if you have the misfortune to find yourself in tern breeding area they are pretty angry for a little bird).
Coots just off Burgoyne hatched a few days ago as well. Strange looking chicks. Wierd isnt it - i never thought I would turn into a birder... Getting old?!
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Yes, I remember being divebombed by a couple of proud parent terns on a beach at Dunwich when out birdwatching with my Dad. We retreated pretty sharpish.
I've been a secret birdwatcher since I was a teenager, the good thing about getting older is that I don't have to hide it anymore. I startled the family the other morning by rushing to the window and loudly whispering 'Look we've got a goldfinch in the garden'. I'm not sure they shared my unbridled enthusiasm.
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Permalink Reply by Old-Age-Emporium(OAE) on
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Thought you Exclusive Twitching Brethren/Sistern might appreciate this more metaphysical glimpse of our home bird of Paradise:
Glimpses of Eden
Every day since February our thrush has sat in the cherry tree and sung. This morning he began about 3.30, and has continued off and on ever since. It's the male who sings, somehow finding the energy and inspiration to tune up despite all the hours of tending his young. Thanks to him our days are saturated with his music; his tune, fluting from the cherry tree, is the still point around which we move.
If I were emperor one of the first laws I would ratify is for everyone to be allowed to live their daily life wrapped in the sound of a song thrush.
Some buildings may have to be dismantled, some roads and cars hoovered up, given our present way of living. But if we dig up some parking lots and plant some copses (?corpses?), lay hedges in place of motorways, we'd soon hear them.
A love of song thrushes lies deep in the national psyche and are an especial favourite of poets. For Thomas Hardy a (darkling) thrush singing on a gate at dusk became a "blessed hope", an act of faith, which even doubters need to survive the dark night of the soul.
Jonathan Tulloch - endpiece in last weekend's issue of The Tablet
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OAE, you know how to bring a tear to a birders eye. The M25 car park replaced by a great big ring of trees and hedges...
but I am not a twitcher, I do not chase rare birds but enjoy what I can see in a garden, park or by a river. A glimpse of a wren in the hedge, a robin on the fence, the swans making their happy way down the New River, the tufted ducks on the pond at Finsbury Park are magic moments.
Keep your eyes open for those terns...
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