Bird Flu and Wild Birds around your area

[uztrac]

Just returned from Brancaster whilst there was greeted by a mallard with 8 ducklings.!!!!!! ducklings were 48 hrs old maximum.

 

[thesilentone]

Strange here, we have many resident and migrating birds like swallows, swifts, grey legs (by the 000's). This year the bird population has been very good, maybe the best we've seen in 30 years. However, we do/did have a number of random birds laying dead such as pigeons, and the odd swallow. Last Autumn there was the odd grey leg left on the fields when the flock took to the wing.

Like many, we now have feeders out, so my view is maybe skewed by the numbers we have seen on them.

 

[farmer99]

Strange here, we have many resident and migrating birds like swallows, swifts, grey legs (by the 000's). This year the bird population has been very good, maybe the best we've seen in 30 years. However, we do/did have a number of random birds laying dead such as pigeons, and the odd swallow. Last Autumn there was the odd grey leg left on the fields when the flock took to the wing.

Like many, we now have feeders out, so my view is maybe skewed by the numbers we have seen on them.

 

[farmer99]

Went to Lackford Lakes nr Bury St Edmunds last week -alot of dead ducks in the water.They take a boat out to c
ollect them.It really was awfull to see .Dead swans as well.
On a more cheerfull note Fieldfares here today

 

[Av Gorritt]

What I forgot in my post earlier , we have a flourishing family of peafowl that we seem to have inherited from the "Big house" down the lane . There's a cock and used to be two hens , but one got run over . They breed regularly , at which time we see only the cock , and then later the hen will appear with strong chicks . They seem to feed about the place on spilled feed from the troughs , or often on potato that the telehandler has crushed , and roost in the open fronted sawdust shed . Occasionally they go home , but don't stay long . They don't bother me at all , and as long as they keep to 2 or 3 of them I don't mind , in fact I quite enjoy having them . Not so my neighbour who lives in the farm flat . He's very car proud and they persist in flying on top of his car , possibly because he's always polishing it . He has a "power squirter " that he keeps handy , and rushes out with it, threatening to call the curses of Hell down on them . They don't bother mine , probably because it's usually dirty ! We usually have a charm of goldfinches , that come down en masse to drink at the little water hole in the lane . I haven't seen these this year , but that's probably because I don't get about like I used to do .

 

[yellowbelly]

I have to report one more bird death.
Not due to bird flu though.
I was hitching the stock trailer on in the yard after dinner when there was a right hullabaloo kicked off.

What seemed like every crow, jackdaw and magpie in the parish was swirling round overhead making a proper din.
I couldn't see what all the fuss was about at first but then I spotted it. A sparrowhawk had brought down a jackdaw and was busy plucking it alive behind the lambing shed.
Managed to get a little bit on my phone but when I got too close I thought the sparrowhawk was going to lose it so I departed to let him get on with it...

 

[thesilentone]

What I forgot in my post earlier , we have a flourishing family of peafowl that we seem to have inherited from the "Big house" down the lane . There's a cock and used to be two hens , but one got run over . They breed regularly , at which time we see only the cock , and then later the hen will appear with strong chicks . They seem to feed about the place on spilled feed from the troughs , or often on potato that the telehandler has crushed , and roost in the open fronted sawdust shed . Occasionally they go home , but don't stay long . They don't bother me at all , and as long as they keep to 2 or 3 of them I don't mind , in fact I quite enjoy having them . Not so my neighbour who lives in the farm flat . He's very car proud and they persist in flying on top of his car , possibly because he's always polishing it . He has a "power squirter " that he keeps handy , and rushes out with it, threatening to call the curses of Hell down on them . They don't bother mine , probably because it's usually dirty ! We usually have a charm of goldfinches , that come down en masse to drink at the little water hole in the lane . I haven't seen these this year , but that's probably because I don't get about like I used to do .

Mm, we have a number of pea fowl. The shine is his downfall, as they will be able to see their own reflection. We had a cock that attacked itself at the cottage window next door, to the point it eventually smashed it.

 

[Bald Rick]

Looks like starlings are immune ..........

Yet another of my fantasies up in smoke

 

[britt]

Lots of pigeons around here, feeding on acres of bean stubble that's now been direct drilled with wheat. I shot a couple to see if they were feeding on my rape or turnips, they were full of beans.
Fieldfares and redwings turned up here last week.

 

[Chopsy Varmint]

Finally had geese fly over at dawn this morning, just a few. Still no fieldfares or redwings, even up the Roman Road near Cambridge which has lovely big hawthorn, elder and crab apple hedges - usually a guaranteed spot for them by now.

I've started washing out the garden feeders and water dish every couple of days. And have been digging a small patch every day so worm eaters don't have to rely on the feeders. Makes me feel like I'm doing my bit

 

[Av Gorritt]

Mm, we have a number of pea fowl. The shine is his downfall, as they will be able to see their own reflection. We had a cock that attacked itself at the cottage window next door, to the point it eventually smashed it.

I think peafowl are a "Marmite" entity . You either like 'em or you don't . We had a neighbour , who , for his 80 th birthday pressie requested a pair of peafowl. I got him a pair from a farm on the Barrow in Furness road , with which he was highly delighted . Not for long though . They insisted on preening themselves on the roof or bonnet of his Merc , leaving scratch marks and enough piles of muck to almost need a wheelbarrow . He tried putting big dressmaker's mirrors out there to detract them , but to no avail . He finally shooed them off one last time and brought his 12 bore out and shot them . End of peafowl !.

 

[Lincs Lass]

I think peafowl are a "Marmite" entity . You either like 'em or you don't . We had a neighbour , who , for his 80 th birthday pressie requested a pair of peafowl. I got him a pair from a farm on the Barrow in Furness road , with which he was highly delighted . Not for long though . They insisted on preening themselves on the roof or bonnet of his Merc , leaving scratch marks and enough piles of muck to almost need a wheelbarrow . He tried putting big dressmaker's mirrors out there to detract them , but to no avail . He finally shooed them off one last time and brought his 12 bore out and shot them . End of peafowl !.

Your neighbor would run out of cartridges if he lived in my village.
Think there's at least 20 adults and 10 chicks .
I hate them

 

[nick...]

I think peafowl are a "Marmite" entity . You either like 'em or you don't . We had a neighbour , who , for his 80 th birthday pressie requested a pair of peafowl. I got him a pair from a farm on the Barrow in Furness road , with which he was highly delighted . Not for long though . They insisted on preening themselves on the roof or bonnet of his Merc , leaving scratch marks and enough piles of muck to almost need a wheelbarrow . He tried putting big dressmaker's mirrors out there to detract them , but to no avail . He finally shooed them off one last time and brought his 12 bore out and shot them . End of peafowl !.

Bit harsh!
nick…

 

[thesilentone]

A lockdown for anything with feathers - why bird flu epidemic is different this time​

MSN

www.msn.com

 

[Paddington]

A lockdown for anything with feathers - why bird flu epidemic is different this time​

MSN

www.msn.com

Good old conservationists, never miss a chance to knock farming.

 

[uztrac]

Just picked up a couple of blackbirds dead in the garden,no sign of predation on them.Could it be the dreaded bird flu ?

 

[nick...]

Found a green woodpecker here yesterday just about dead too
nick…