The Bird Watching Site

Urban Birds in the Garden

Tue, 21 Feb 2012 22:35:42 +0000

There is nothing more delightful than watching birds in your own back yard, and even if you live in one of Britain’s bustling towns or cities, it’s a pleasure that nature affords us all. With almost three million adults taking an active interest in bird watching and the numbers increasing almost daily, this is becoming a hugely popular past time that truly does benefit both the watcher and the watched. This program has been designed to assist and inspire the urban birdwatcher to make the most of viewing the wildlife, quite literally, on their own doorstep. Although it’s not essential to name a bird to enjoy watching it, most people with an interest in ornithology like to be able to make an accurate identification. With the help of up close and personal images of the most common species to be found across the nation, and a few of the rarer birds that you have an outside chance of spotting in more urban environments, you can increase your knowledge, or if you prefer, simply enjoy watching these beautifully filmed birds. With tips on accurate identification and techniques for attracting the maximum number of bird species into view, there is something for everyone. Discover the value of Live Foods, investigate the provision of nesting boxes and find out why no birdwatcher should ever be without a supply of Black Sunflower seeds.

Thoughts on Jones « Britt's Bird Watch

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:52:15 +0000

In case you missed it last night (or were out celebrating Valentine’s Day), the Orioles agreed to a one-year deal with center fielder Adam Jones, thus avoiding an arbitration hearing which had been scheduled for Friday.

You can read contract details and more quotes on that here, but I wanted to focus in on the the biggest question surrounding Jones, which is how long he will be in Baltimore.

As it stands now, Jones will be a free agent after the 2013 season and while executive vice president of baseball operations Dan Duquette said the two sides had some very preliminary talks about a long-term extension, the primary focus has always been working out his 2012 salary.

It isn’t completely out of the realm of possibility that the two sides remain in talks and reach a long-term agreement with Jones sometime this spring, but I get the sense that the Orioles will probably wait until next offseason.

“I wouldn’t revisit it during the season,” Duquette said of Jones’ contractual status. “We’re glad we have a mutual agreement this year, and then we can take a little bit longer and more detailed look at a future contract. But, it was important for the team to get a deal done this year.

“I think [negotiating during the season] is a distraction to the player and the team. I think everybody’s interest is better served by putting the interest of the team first.”

The 26-year-old Jones, who was named the Most Valuable Oriole in 2011, has had to field a fair amount of extension questions over the past year and reiterated on the phone Tuesday night that it’s not up to him. The organization first has to approach Jones with a serious offer to extend him, and so far that hasn’t happened. Jones, who also spent this winter dealing with more trade rumors than at any point in his career, figures to again be one of the Orioles’ most talked about names at this year’s Trade Deadline and there’s no doubt he’s one of –if not the best — trade chip the O’s have.

So, what do you do with him? In my opinion, Jones’ future depends on the team’s pitching. If the young arms that the previous regime built around — most notably Brian Matusz, Jake Arrieta and Zach Britton — aren’t the future frontline arms you thought they would be, you trade Jones to try to acquire that pitching in the form of top prospects. Under that scenario, the O’s would still be several years away from contending and Jones would likely have his best years behind him at that point.

If the young arms — and the rest of the pitching staff — bounce back from a disastrous 2011 and show signs of improvement, I think there would be more of an inclination to keep Jones because the timeline for the organization to start to move forward would be accelerated. The Orioles’ offense, while without a true cleanup hitter, was right around League average last year and if the pitching can keep them in games, I do think they can be more competitive than last season.

Again, it all comes down to the pitching and it’s sink or swim for a lot of the Orioles’ arms this year. Are Matusz, Arrieta and Britton part of a rotation that’s going to start to turn the tide –as so many national and local media outlets had written the last two years — or are they part of a group of young arms that were overhyped and rushed through a system that has been heavily scrutinized for its player development? To me, that’s the biggest question this season and one that has serious ramifications up and down the organization.

Of course, there’s the question as to whether Jones would want to stay in Baltimore and pass up a shot at free agency and I think his camp would certainly be willing to listen. Jones is a fierce competitor who wants to win badly, but he pointed out to me last night on the phone that there’s a certain pride in staying and watching an organization turn things around.

“Who wouldn’t want to win in Baltimore?,” Jones said. “I go to my girlfriend’s dad’s, he has old newspaper clippings of when they were good in the 90s, and it’s just boatloads of newspapers. He reads the newspaper every day and he’s just got piles of stuff like that from when they were good.

People say the fan base is going away, I dont think they’re going away; I think they’re angry. They want to win.”

Asia Sentinel – The Dangers of Philippine Birdwatching

Wed, 15 Feb 2012 19:52:14 +0000

Birdwatching Algarve: Color-ringed Spoonbill

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:39:12 +0000

Eurasian Spoonbill (Platalea leucorodia) feeding in a tidal channel of the Ria Formosa Natural Park near Faro, Algarve, Portugal on the 11th of February 2012.
The bird has been colour-ringed as a nestling in north Germany (Mellum, Niedersachsen) in June 2011 by Olaf Geiter, with whom I catched and ringed Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) near Cologne in 2003 for his dissertation about Neozoa. Its a small world…
I have been reporting ringed Spoonbills, Flamingos, Gulls, Waders and other aquatic birds here in the Algarve for over 10 years now. The birds life-historys reveal that many Individuals keep coming back, not only to the Algarve every winter, but even to the same lagoon or feeding at the same section of a tidal channel for years and years. In case of the Spoonbills, a species that has extended their breeding distribution northwards along the west coast of Europe, many birds wintering here come from the Netherlands or Germany. If you see or (better) photograph color-ringed Spoonbills, it is appreciated if you sent this observation with all the necessary details to the coordinator of the European ringing-projects of the species, Otto Overdijk, e-mail: o.overdijk AT natuurmonumenten.nl

Twitching! Sorry I mean bird watching! « Mogers Solicitors – legal …

Sun, 12 Feb 2012 18:39:11 +0000

I never thought I would say this but I can see some of the attraction of twitching having spent a large part of Friday evening and Saturday afternoon watching a European Eagle Owl in the wild. For me and many local residents the sight of such a magnificent bird in trees just yards from their front doors is amazing.

The owl, which I am reliably informed by a number of local amateur experts is female, set up home in a group of trees approximately three weeks ago. Clearly having escaped from presumably a private collector as she is ringed and still wearing her jesses, she has become the local village attraction.

But whilst my family and I have found the owl amazing seeing it close up, it is also extremely sad given that it is clearly in distress as it is constantly calling for its owner or keeper. The calling approximately every minute continues most of the day and night which for the residents has become extremely annoying. One couple who live next door to the tree have a branch outside their bedroom window and whilst originally enjoying the close up view, have now had three weeks of disturbed sleep and want it caught or worse shot!

Falconers have set up camp and are trying to lure the owl down during the day time, but she continues to evade them. Her huge wingspan for us non twitchers is a beautiful sight as she flies effortlessly between the trees.

But the bird is in danger from crows and other wild birds who do not take well to a natural predator in their locality. The owl has begun hunting and feeding with the carcus of squirrell being found, the rumour of chickens also being taken is a possibility but evidence would suggest a fox may be the more likely cause.

Local Experts have said that there are no reports of the bird being missing which appears strange but it is a concern about how much longer it may survive on its own in the wild having been in captivity probably for most of her life. I just hope the team of falconers on duty will catch this magnificent bird of prey and be able to look after it for yet more people to be able to see it but not in such distress.

5 Helpful Tips for Successful Bird Watching » BUSINESS ARTICLE …

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:46:09 +0000

Can you name the no 1 viewer sport in North America? It is not baseball, figure skating or racing. It’s bird watching. That is right, more folk are watching birds than soccer and hockey combined. With so many folks looking to see a bird they have not seen before, it’s not surprising to see a clamouring for the most recent tips and tools to get the job done. Here are my top five tips for getting the most out of your birding experience.

1. Get to Where the Birds Are! This sounds clear, but many birders spend the bulk of their bird watching time and energy on poor locations. Some folks have the advantage of looking out of their windows into the back yard to observe nature’s best. The remainder of us need to get moving. I might highly recommend visiting a Countrywide Wildlife Sanctuary. There are over 500 of them across the US

2. Know What Species to Expect. There are approximately 900 species of birds in the United States and spotting every one of them is almost impossible. So when you visit an area, do a little bit of research first. You may find that perhaps just a couple of species essentially inhabit that actual area. With a little preparation, you will be in a position to more promptly identify bird species from one another. Keep a list of successfully viewed species “we’ll call this tip number two and a half.

3. Get a Fantastic Set of Binoculars. Spending cash and time to get to the right place can be absolutely wasted when your binoculars are insufficient. If you have got an inexpensive pair of binoculars you are not getting the most out of your viewing. Today’s technologies come at a price and they provide crucial benefits in wildlife viewing. For instance, image stabilisation will keep your view from shaking-very important when watching from a long distance. Other cool features include anti-fogging, low-light viewing and wide-view characteristics. Additionally, binoculars with inbuilt digital cameras help you to identify birds once you get home. These benefits will certainly enhance your bird watching. A good pair of binoculars will turn a lackluster experience into a superb one. You can count on it!

4. Practice Before You Go. A key to viewing wildlife, and especially birds, is to have the power to very fast put your binoculars on target. Many people have difficulty finding a full moon in 2 binoculars-but alas-learning to target a bird in a bush or track a bird in flight is simple for someone who has practiced before their outing. Try this before you go; lower your binoculars to your side and very quickly raise them to find and follow a jet airplane across the sky. After only a few attempts, you’ll become good at quickly taking your target. Quite often, birds are detectable for some seconds, practice to become proficient.

5. Take Somebody with You. Life is always better when shared. Not only do you get to spend time out of doors with someone you like, but they’d advise you of the “Number One Sight of the Day.” Share your birding experiences with your pals and family. Pass the birding excitement to a child.

The best part about wildlife viewing is that you the spectator control virtually all facets of the experience. The more you are prepared, the more rewarding your time in our backcountry will be.

Use this info and you’ll Get It Right the 1st Time. Get Outdoors!

Hey bird lover! Why don’t you click baby hammock and read more!

Helen Kendall is a writer with an interest in a wide variety of topics. Banana Hammock You may visit her site for helpful tips. Hanging Chair

EU Hopping » Blog Archive » Birdwatching in Cyprus

Thu, 09 Feb 2012 17:45:48 +0000

Cyprus

Cyprus, a former British colony, is today an independent island in the eastern Mediterranean and since 2004, a member-state of the European Union. The capital of Cyprus is Nicosia. The official languages of Greek, Turkish and English are widely spoken.

Cyprus is one of the few European countries that has been identified by Bird Life International as an Endemic Bird Area in the World. Read more to find out about Cyprus bird watching.

A Crested Lark (eating a Grasshopper)

Image Courtesy: http://www.flickr.com/photos/pyepics/4702782601/

Why Birds are Important

Birds are very important to our lifes. The presence of birds makes our lives more beatiful. just consider a day without peeps and color of the birds.

The stability of bird populations has been established as one of the most important indicators of environmental health and prosperity in Europe. The reduction of the biodiversity of birds is a direct threat to other populations, the rating of the quality of life and to environmental destruction. A healthy ecosystem reflects our own health and safeguards the health of future generations.

Cyprus has recorded numerous birds. Its geographical position makes Cyprus a great passage with more than 200 species of migratory birds. Furthermore more than 370 different species have been recorded on the island. We have a responsibility to protect this world heritage.

Cyprus Bird Watching Locations

Cyprus is an excellent location for birdwatching and has much to offer to local and foreign birdwatchers. The best areas for bird watching are the following:

The Big Room at Keills » Big Schools Bird Watch Update.

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:24:54 +0000

Big Schools Bird Watch Update.
February 6, 2012

Posted by Mrs Harper in : Uncategorized , trackback

Bird watching from the windows in Scott’s Hut.

Last week Mary and Crystal from the RSPB came to help us with our Big Schools Bird Watch. We worked in groups to spot birds from the classroom ‘hides’ and Mary and Crystal were able to help us identify the different species.

Crystal helped us to identify the different birds.

We saw 9 different sorts of birds including chaffinches, sparrows, starlings and jackdaws. We will put the records onto the RSPB website. Crystal also saw a mystery bird – a sparrow with a very dark front – which she thinks might be a Spanish sparrow. We wondered what it was doing on Islay. We would much prefer to be in Spain at the moment!

Thank you to Mary and Crystal for helping us.

Recording our results.

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Birdwatching in Catalonia, Spain: hide-and-seek with lapwing and …

Mon, 06 Feb 2012 16:24:52 +0000

Birdwatching in Catalonia, Spain: hide-and-seek with lapwing and vulture
The delta, an area of 124 square miles of which 75 per cent is given over to rice fields, is a confusing place in which to travel, a network of lakes and watery fields where one lake, one field, looks much like another. I can say with confidence, too, …
Read more on Telegraph.co.uk

Eiffel Tower, Paris: The First Time Visitor’s Guide
Photo Credit: Wikimedia / Tristan Nitot by Chahal February 05, 2012, (Sawf News) – Once the tallest structure in the world, the Eiffel Tower is Paris’, and probably also Europe’s, most famous landmark. Here is a must read primer that takes a peek at …
Read more on Sawf News

Register Today: Virtuoso®’s European Virtual Travel Show is Wednesday …
31, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ — Virtuoso®, the global travel agency network renowned for creating exceptional experiences, provides the perfect antidote to the winter doldrums by hosting its first-ever European Virtual Travel Show on Wednesday, …
Read more on MarketWatch (press release)

American Dipper – Bird Watching – YouTube HD

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 16:13:01 +0000

American Dipper — Velcro came from a scientist studying thistle and how it sticks to clothing, this little bird has no hint of getting it’s feathers wet as it plays in the water. Learn the secret and make millions on a patent for clothing applications. Nature is wonderful the way it solves problems..