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Curlew - Numenius Arquata
They are one of the most ancient lineages of scolopacid waders, together with the godwits which look similar but have straight bills.
Curlews feed on mud or very soft ground, searching for worms and other invertebrates with their long bills. They will also take crabs and similar items.
Curlews enjoy a worldwide distribution. Most species show strong migratory habits and consequently one or more species can be encountered at different times of the year in Europe, Ireland, Britain, Iberia, Iceland, Africa, Southeast Asia, Siberia, North America, South America and Australasia.
The distribution of curlews has altered considerably in the past hundred years as a result of changing agricultural practices. Reclamation and drainage of marshy fields and moorland, and afforestation of the latter, have led to local decreases, while conversion of forest to grassland in some parts of Scandinavia has led to increases there.
Population:
UK breeding:
66,000 pairs
UK wintering:
140,000 individuals
It's Groundhog Day
Did Phil see his shadow today?...will it be an early spring or 6 more weeks of winter??
Update: Phil saw his shadow...6 more weeks of winter!!
May this new year in your life , bring you many joy and accomplishments !
I wish you much health, happiness and luck !
Have a wonderful day with your loved ones !
Thank you very much for your visit and fave !
A Least Tern looking for a hopeful mate so he can give her this nice Spearing Fish at Manasquan Inlet NJ.
My Red Fox came running from the back up to the bird feeders where the squirrels hang out. There were eight of them and they ran in all directions confusing the old man. Bill's Backyard Bird Blind.
The Long-eared Owl is associated with coniferous woodland and tall scrubby habitats during the breeding season, favouring sites where dense nesting cover is located close to open areas that are used for hunting. Although widely distributed across Britain and Ireland, the Long-eared Owl remains a scarce breeding species and one that is easy to overlook. The species appears to be more abundant in Ireland than it is within Britain, perhaps because of reduced competition Tawny Owl, which is absent from Ireland.
This is a medium-sized owl, slightly smaller and slimmer in appearance than a Tawny Owl. The main confusion species is Short-eared Owl and BTO has produced a useful video on how to identify the two species – this is available here.
When perched, or when the Long-eared Owl’s ear tufts are visible, the species can be readily separated from Short-eared Owl. At other times, eye colour is useful: those of Long-eared Owl are yellow-orange, while in Short-eared Owl they are yellow. The general appearance of the upperside of the wing in Short-eared Owl is of sharp contrast between the dark wing tip and the extensive pale panel that sits between this and the darker ‘carpel’ patch. In Long-eared this panel is more richly-coloured and less obvious.
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fringilla montifringilla
keep
pinson du nord
Bergfink
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My photos may not be used on websites, blogs or in any other media without my written and explicit permission.
Little Owl about to take flight.
The Little Owl is not a native species, having been introduced to Britain in the 1870s, but it appears to have occupied a vacant niche without having any detrimental impact on other species. Numbers and breeding distribution increased gradually, reaching an estimated breeding population of between 4,000 and 8,500 pairs at the time of Project Barn Owl. The current distribution extends across England, north to the Scottish borders and west into Wales, where it is largely confined to Anglesey and to eastern parts of the country. There have been very few records from Ireland.
Pairs remain on their breeding territories throughout the year, with territorial calling evident during autumn – when young birds are searching for breeding territories – and again during spring. Small cavities are favoured for breeding, these often located within hedgerow trees or the walls of old agricultural buildings. Favoured nesting chambers tend to be located some distance from the cavity entrance and with little daylight reaching them. The male will often perch close to the nest cavity while his mate is incubating her clutch of eggs.
Little Owls often hunt from a perch, taking small mammals and large invertebrates, including earthworms, cockchafers and other beetles. There is evidence to suggest that breeding success is linked to the availability of small mammals, though some pairs evidently do well on other prey; a pair breeding on the island of Skomer, for example, took a large number of Storm Petrels (Courtesy BTO).
Thanks for viewing my photos and for any favourites and comments, it’s much appreciated 👍
My husband shot this patient—or scared-witless—Pacific tree frog using his Nikkor 200mm macro lens and his old Nikon D4.
Same position but different angle than mine—in first comment.
There's room in the world for many different styles and apertures, and Howard and I are at either end of the spectrum. He's an IT Doc and physics guy, and has little close-sighted vision. We make a perfect pair, united in admiration of this tiny frog. Howard took this at 13:58. I took mine at 11:40. Both in shade of back deck.