Still 25 October 2019 at the bird photo hide in the Gooi region. Not only various tit species were present, as this nuthatch shows.
A magpie on a tree. A male chaffinch.
And this robin …
… which went bathing …
… with a great tit in the background.
There also was this male great spotted woodpecker. A female came as well.
Sometimes, we saw bank voles.
On 25 October 2019, we went once again to the bird photography hide in the Gooi region. Robin sound. We saw a bird species we had not seen there last time: this crested tit on the bank of the pond
Soon, other tit species arrived. Like this marsh tit …
… soon, in the pond.
And blue tits …
… which also started bathing.
Stay tuned, as there will be more from this photo hide!
During our stay on 23 January 2017 in the bird photography hide, at least two marsh tits showed up.
They also went to the pool to drink the little water on the ice.
There were great tits as well. And this blue tit.
This male great spotted woodpecker was present as well.
So was this male chaffinch.
Some fifty meter behind the pool, a buzzard landed on a big tree. It stayed there for a long time, sometimes preening. Finally, the buzzard flew down to the forest floor. We could not see whether it had caught a vole or other prey.
On 23 January 2017, three of us were back at the bird photography hide; where we saw, among other birds, this nuthatch.
On my way there in the morning, I saw a magpie landing on its nest in a tree opposite the church. A few seconds later, its partner joined it.
Circumstances were much different from June last year at the hide. Still some snow on the ground. In the morning, temperature below zero. Later, it rose to a few degrees above zero.
This meant that the pond in front of the hide, where many birds came to drink last year, was frozen now. As temperature rose, a little water formed on the ice; attracting a male blackbird and other drinking birds.
There were female blackbirds as well.
In the frozen pond we now of course did not see any amphibians like in June. We did see mammals: bank voles like in June.
It was a cloudy day, but it did not rain.
Like last year, there were robins again.
Stay tuned, as there will be more on this blog about the birds on that winter day!
This, my last blog post on the various bird species we saw on 10 June 2016 at the bird photography hide is about dunnocks. Like this one at the pond.
We took one last look at the hide, before packing our gear and leaving late in the afternoon.
We left, passing the plants outside the hide.
Probably, we will be back there some time.
Among the various bird species at the bird photography hide on 10 June 2016 were white wagtails as well. Like this one at the pond.
On 10 June 2016, the smallest species of the various birds at the bird photography hide were wrens. Like this one at the pond.
Among the various bird species on 10 June 2016 at the bird photography hide were blackbirds as well. Like these ones, drinking at the pond.
They liked bathing there as well.
A blackbird relative visited the pond as well: this mistle thrush.
One of the various bird species at the bird photography hide on 10 June 2016 were robins. Like this adult at the pond.
And this juvenile on a log.
Contrary to adults, young robins don’t have red breasts.
The robins liked bathing as well.
On 10 June 2016 at the bird photography hide, there were many birds. Including this nuthatch.
That was in the morning. Quite some nuthatches came all day; including this one in the afternoon.
Then, disaster. A nuthatch does not notice the window of the hide, and collides with it. It falls into the pond. Don’t let it drown! We grabbed the bird out of the water and put it on the bank of the pond. Close to us, no predators expected here. Too close for the telephoto lens. Is it dying; is it dead? No, it still breathes. Its eyes move a bit.
Then, it turns it head and looks at us. Again, later. About half an hour passes. Then, it turns it head to look at us again. Then, it flies off! I hope it did not suffer any permanent damage.
From eNatureBlog in the USA:
Do You Know What To Do When Birds Collide With Your Windows?
Posted on Wednesday, June 01, 2016 by eNature
As spring continues and bird activity is peaking, you’ve probably noticed birds colliding with your windows, especially if you live in a wooded area.
This is a common but huge problem that takes the lives of millions of birds annually.
What can you do to keep birds from your windows?
And what should you do if you see a bird collide with your window?
Our birding expert, George Harrison (the birder, not the Beatle!) offers some tips below…..
How To Keep Birds From Hitting Windows
Window collisions occur when a flying bird sees the refection of the yard or sky in the glass and flies into it. Anything that will reduce or eliminate these reflections in the glass will reduce bird collisions.
Some people hang shiny streamers or fine screening on the windows during peak migration periods. Others cloud the glass with soap. If the house is under construction, the windows can be installed tilting downward slightly to reduce reflections.
Other people paste silhouettes of hawks, owls, or spider webs on the windows, which is effective only around the area where the silhouette is located. Locating feeders on or near the windows will reduce the speed at which birds hit the glass.
What To Do If A Bird Hits Your Window
George states, “It has been my experience that only one out of ten collisions is fatal.” He adds that usually the bird is stunned, falls to the ground, and begins a period of recovery that may take up to an hour.
During that recovery period, the bird is vulnerable to hawks, house cats, or weather conditions. Some hawks have learned a hunting strategy of swooping down on active bird feeders, causing the birds to panic in all directions, including into windows, where they become easy prey.
To protect a stunned bird that has hit a window, George suggests covering it with a large kitchen sieve. The bird is less visible and is confined, allowing it time to recover. When the bird attempts to leave the sieve, it has recovered enough to be liberated.
Dear Kitty. Some blog 