Lacunas
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This bee is best known for the habit of cutting semi circles from leaf's with the large jaws to make sausage-shaped cells in their cavities from the leaf segments. Can be seen and found in habitats such as gardens, parks etc from May-August.
The central black 'anchor' mark on the face would help show that this species is a common wasp. This is the wasp that will readily enter houses and can be found in various habitats such as gardens and parks. Just goes to show that even insects like to have a clean to help stay in shape as seen here. A typical cavity nester that will nest in aerial situations and in the ground. Seen from mid March to mid November.
I was delighted by a morning visit with Nature. Found this male Hooded Merganser busy diving for breakfast.
Adult males are a sight to behold, with sharp black-and-white patterns set off by chestnut flanks. Females get their own distinctive elegance from their cinnamon crest.
Hooded Mergansers are fairly common on small ponds and rivers, where they dive for fish, crayfish, and other food, seizing it in their thin, serrated bills. They find their prey underwater by sight. They can actually change the refractive properties of their eyes to improve their underwater vision. In addition, they have an extra eyelid, called a “nictitating membrane,” which is transparent and helps protect the eye during swimming, like a pair of goggles.
Hooded Merganser ducklings leave their nest cavity within 24 hours of hatching. First, their mother checks the area around the nest and calls to the nestlings from ground level. From inside the nest, the little fluffballs scramble up to the entrance hole and then flutter to the ground, which may be 50 feet or more below them. In some cases, they have to walk half a mile or more with their mother to the nearest body of water.
The oldest recorded Hooded Merganser was a male and at least 14 years, 6 months old when he was shot in Mississippi in 2009. He had been banded in Minnesota in 1995.
(200-600/6.3, 1/1250 @ f/10, ISO 2000)
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 👍
A female Downy who very briefly stopped from excavating a nesting cavity.
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©Copyright - Nancy Clark - All Rights Reserved
A little info I found online on what they do to deer below.
Nasal bots begin life when the adult fly lays a group of eggs around the nose or mouth of deer. The small larvae within these eggs are released when the deer licks the eggs. The warm, wet saliva creates an environment that permits the 'hatching' of the immature bots. These larvae then migrate to the nasal passages and occasionally into the sinuses where they molt into larger stages of the maturing larvae. The mature larvae then move to some very deep cavities in the mouth called the retropharyngeal pouches. Finally, the fully matured bots exit and pupate in the ground until emerging as adult flies that begin the life cycle again.
Hou hou hou-hou
Hou hou hou-houââa
J'ai eu le privilège, avec mon ami Sylvain, d'entendre la délicieuse mélodie de cette Chouette rayée. Vous la voyez ici en plein chant la gorge gonflée. Elle s'est avancée un peu plus sur les abords de la cavité pour nous offrir son air harmonieux et puissant. Doux bonheur !
What a privilege to hear this Barred Owl singing powerfully its aria with my friend Sylvain. You can see here that its neck is all puffed up from the singing. It moved forward of the cavity to offer its most beautiful and harmonious song.
Chouette rayée
Barred Owl
Stix varia
Grand merci pour votre visite, vos commentaires et vos favoris. Je les apprécie sincèrement.
Many thanks for your visit, your comments and favorites I appreciate them deeply!
Snow Bunting - Plectrophenax Nivalis
Snow buntings are large buntings, with striking 'snowy' plumages. Males in summer have all white heads and underparts contrasting with a black mantle and wing tips. Females are a more mottled above. In autumn and winter birds develop a sandy/buff wash to their plumage and males have more mottled upperparts.
Globally, they breed around the arctic from Scandinavia to Alaska, Canada and Greenland and migrate south in winter. They are a scarce breeding species in the UK, in Scotland, making them an Amber List species. They are more widespread in winter in the north and east when residents are joined by continental birds.
They are listed under Schedule 1 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act.
The snow bunting lives in very high latitudes in the Arctic tundra. There is no apparent limit to its northern range, while the southern range is limited by the duration of daylight, which influences their reproductive activity. This species is found in the high Arctic tundra of North America, Ellesmere Island, Iceland, higher mountains of Scotland, Norway, Russia, North Greenland, Siberia, Novaya Zemlya, and Franz Josef Land. During the winter, this bird migrates to the circumglobal northern temperate zone including the south of Canada, north of the United States, north of Germany, Poland, Ukraine, and east to central Asia. During the last ice age, the snow bunting was widespread throughout continental Europe.
During the breeding period the snow bunting looks for rocky habitats in the Arctic Since the vegetation in the tundra is low growing, this bird and its nestlings are exposed to predators, and in order to ensure the survival of its offspring, the snow bunting nests in cavities in order to protect the nestlings from any threat. During this period, buntings also look for a habitat rich in vegetation such as wet sedge meadows and areas rich in dryas and lichens. In the winter, they look for open habitats such as farms and fields where they feed on seeds in the ground.
Population:
UK breeding:
60 pairs
UK wintering:
10,000-15,000 birds
Mother Nature creates perfect teeth with these icicle-covered branches at the shore of Lake Ontario.
Bien cachée au fond de sa cavité pendant la journée le deuxième bébé Chouette rayée se montra aux abords de la cavité alors que nous nous apprêtions à quitter.
Well hidden in the cavity during the day (we thought it had already left) this second owlet appeared around the cavity as we were leaving.
Chouette rayée - Juvénile
Barred Owl - Juvenile
Stix varia
Grand merci pour votre visite, vos commentaires et vos favoris. Je les apprécie sincèrement.
Many thanks for your visit, your comments and favorites I appreciate them deeply!
I posted this shot to show the whole nest cavity of the cute little Gray Morph Eastern Screech Owl. Pennypack Trail, Huntingdon Valley Bryn Athyn PA.
Two adorable raccoon kits peeking out of a tree cavity. Baby raccoons are up there on the top of the list for the cutest babies in my opinion!
* Le Gardeur, Québec, Canada *
• Formerly the rural parish of Saint-Paul-l'Ermite established in 1856 and former town located 35 km east of Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Le Gardeur is now a district of the city of Repentigny.
• Anciennement la paroisse rurale de Saint-Paul-l'Ermite fondée en 1856 et ancienne ville située à 35 km à l'est de Montréal, Québec, Canada. Le Gardeur est maintenant un quartier de la ville de Repentigny.
• Anteriormente la parroquia rural de St. Paul el Ermitaño fundada en 1856 y antigua ciudad situada a 35 km al este de Montreal, Quebec, Canadá. Le Gardeur es ahora un distrito de la ciudad de Repentigny.
Je laisse la nichée des Petits ducs à laquelle je reviendrai plus tard. J'ai eu l'incommensurable bonheur de suivre une autre nichée de strigidés, celle de Chouettes rayée. Je vous présente la première sortie du deuxième jeune. Il a passé la journée à escalader sa longue cavité mais se butait constamment au plafond de celle-ci. Ce n'est qu'en début de la soirée qu'il fit le grand saut osant remonter les parois externes de la cavité pour se retrouver complètement à l'extérieur. Il tomba d'une trentaine de pieds sous mes yeux. Papa et maman l'encourageant de "hou-hou" incessants , il commença son ascension sur un autre arbre du secteur ce qui me permit de faire ce portrait.
What a joy it was to follow this Barred Owl nest. Here is the first going out of the youngest owlet. He spent the day exercising on the cavity, climbing, flipping his wings but never going further than the top of his nest. Around 6:45 PM he went a little higher, completely out of his secure nest. He made a fall of 30 feet in front of my eyes. Mom and dad were encouraging him with incessant "hoo, hoo" so he began to climb another tree which allowed me to take this portrait of a juvenile freshly out of his cavity.
Chouette rayée - juvénile
Barred Owl - juvenile
Merci pour votre visite, vos favoris et vos commentaires. Je les apprécie grandement!
Thanks for stopping by, for your faves and comments everyone. I appreciate them deeply!
Red-bellied Woodpecker creating a nesting cavity high in Shagbark Hickory tree. The woods rattle from the activity.
Common and abundant permanent resident.
A rock face pitted and colored by a near constant flow of water.
Thanks to [https://www.flickr.com/photos/29050464@N06] I now know this is a copper stain which makes sense as they do a lot of copper mining in this area.
Sparrows inspecting a branch cavity.
#bird #uccello #sparrow #passero #nature #wildlife #wild #life #winter #grey #wings #flying #aerial #askablackbirder #blackwomenwhobird #postabird #blackexcellence #birdingwhileblack #audubon #blackinnature #birder #birdwatching #cute #love #animal #photography #art #photographer #love #animal #photooftheday
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De gehakkelde aurelia (Polygonia c-album) is één van de "brandnetelsoorten" onder de dagvlinders, waarvan de rupsen vooral op brandnetel te vinden zijn. Het menu van de rups van de gehakkelde aurelia kan echter ook uit andere planten bestaan. De vlinder overwintert als volwassen dier verstopt in boomholtes of tussen afgevallen blad.
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The chopped aurelia (Polygonia c-album) is one of the "nettle species" among the butterflies, the caterpillars of which are mainly found on nettle. However, the menu of the caterpillar of the chopped aurelia can also consist of other plants. The butterfly hibernates as an adult animal hidden in tree cavities or between fallen leaves.
This little guy was sunning himself in the same exact spot I saw him last year! It was so cute to see him in the heart shaped cavity.
Nuthatch - Sitta europaea
The Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) is a small passerine bird found throughout temperate Asia and in Europe, where its name is the nuthatch. Like other nuthatches, it is a short-tailed bird with a long bill, blue-grey upperparts and a black eye-stripe. It is a vocal bird with a repeated loud dwip call. There are more than 20 subspecies in three main groups; birds in the west of the range have orange-buff underparts and a white throat, those in Russia have whitish underparts, and those in the Far East have a similar appearance to European birds, but lack the white throat.
The preferred habitat is mature deciduous or mixed woodland with large, old trees, preferably oak. Pairs hold permanent territories, and nest in tree holes, usually old woodpecker nests, but sometimes natural cavities. If the entrance to the hole is too large, the female plasters it with mud to reduce its size, and often coats the inside of the cavity too. The 6–9 red-speckled white eggs are laid on a deep base of pine or other wood chips.
The Eurasian nuthatch eats mainly insects, particularly caterpillars and beetles, although in autumn and winter its diet is supplemented with nuts and seeds. The young are fed mainly on insects, with some seeds, food items mainly being found on tree trunks and large branches. The nuthatch can forage when descending trees head first, as well as when climbing. It readily visits bird tables, eating fatty man-made food items as well as seeds. It is an inveterate hoarder, storing food year-round. Its main natural predator is the Eurasian sparrowhawk.
It breeds throughout England and Wales and has recently began to breed in southern Scotland. It is a resident, with birds seldom travelling far from the woods where they hatch.
Population:
UK breeding:
220,000 territories
A Red-bellied Woodpecker pops its head out of a tree cavity that it has been excavating. There were two of them working on it, so I suspect that if all goes well, they will be raising little ones within the cavity soon.
CC April Rainbow Challenge: Red
A surprise encounter on a recent trip up to the Sierra’s. I was busy shooting some landscapes when I saw this guy leave this cavity. Grabbed my big lens and got some great shots of both the male and female. This guy completed my California woodpecker list.
A magnificent bird of the tropical forests of South and Southeast Asia and one in my target list for several years now - I missed it in many trips. Was delighted with the sighting in North Bengal, the bird spent around 45 mins close to us much to our delight . They are visibly massive and with their bright colors pretty impactful.
Reaching up to 1.3 metres in length with a massive 1.5-metre wingspan, these are easily identified by the striking yellow and black casque—a hollow structure atop its heavy bill. Males often use it for spectacular aerial "butting fights" to defend territory.
These birds flight is quite interesting - they lacking underwing covert feathers, their wingbeats produce a loud, rhythmic whooshing sound similar to a steam locomotive.
Their nesting ritual is pretty unique too: the female seals herself inside a tree cavity using a paste of mud and droppings, leaving only a tiny slit. She remains imprisoned for months, entirely dependent on the male to deliver food while she raises their chicks. And during this time the male catches a wide variety of species including snakes, other birds, chicks along with fruits.
Thanks for stopping by - really appreciate the views and any feedback you’ve got for me!
A European Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) brings food to its young in a nest cavity of an old tree tree on the edge of the Great Sandhills south of Leader, Saskatchewan, Canada.
1 June, 2011.
Slide # GWB_20110601_1800.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Little Owl - Athena noctua (M)
The little owl (Athene noctua) is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Asia east to Korea, and north Africa. It was introduced into Britain at the end of the nineteenth century and into the South Island of New Zealand in the early twentieth century.
This owl is a cavity nester and a clutch of about four eggs is laid in spring. The female does the incubation and the male brings food to the nest, first for the female and later for the newly hatched young. As the chicks grow, both parents hunt and bring them food, and the chicks leave the nest at about seven weeks of age.
The distribution is widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China and southwards to the Himalayas. In Africa it is present from Mauritania to Egypt, the Red Sea and Arabia. The bird has been introduced to New Zealand, and to the United Kingdom, where it has spread across much of England and the whole of Wales.
This is a sedentary species which is found in open countryside in a great range of habitats. These include agricultural land with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland verges, parks and gardens, as well as steppes and stony semi-deserts. It is also present in treeless areas such as dunes, and in the vicinity of ruins, quarries and rocky outcrops. It sometimes ventures into villages and suburbs. In the United Kingdom it is chiefly a bird of the lowlands, and usually occurs below 500 m (1,600 ft).
In continental Europe and Asia it may be found at much higher elevations; one individual was recorded from 3,600 m (12,000 ft) in Tibet.
The little owl is territorial, the male normally remaining in one territory for life. However the boundaries may expand and contract, being largest in the courtship season in spring. The home range, in which the bird actually hunts for food, varies with the type of habitat and time of year. Little owls with home-ranges that incorporate a high diversity of habitats are much smaller (< 2 ha) than those which breed in monotonous farmland (with home-ranges over 12 ha).
The little owl is partly diurnal and often perches boldly and prominently during the day. If living in an area with a large amount of human activity, little owls may grow used to humans and will remain on their perch, often in full view, while people are around. The little owl has a life expectancy of about sixteen years. However, many birds do not reach maturity; severe winters can take their toll and some birds are killed by road vehicles at night, so the average lifespan may be on the order of three years.
Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that little owl numbers are declining, with the UK population estimated to be down by 24 per cent between 1995 and 2008.
UK breeding:
5,700 pairs
I had the recent pleasure to spend some time on the Pacific coast of Oaxaca , Mexico....a daily walk in a park near to my hotel yielded a load of new and wonderful bird species. Including this VERY TINY Pygmy Owl...even better , it was nesting in a cavity of a palm tree , and it showed itself quite willingly. My first time seeing and photographing this tiny tropical version of its cousin the Northern Pygmy Owl. I spent a few minutes with it, observed it moving about the park , barely able to see it when it landed on various perches! This little owl measures maybe 6 inches in length and weighs very little!!! Amazing little one isnt it!!!
Little Owl - Athena noctua (M)
The little owl (Athene noctua) is a bird that inhabits much of the temperate and warmer parts of Europe, Asia east to Korea, and north Africa. It was introduced into Britain at the end of the nineteenth century and into the South Island of New Zealand in the early twentieth century.
This owl is a cavity nester and a clutch of about four eggs is laid in spring. The female does the incubation and the male brings food to the nest, first for the female and later for the newly hatched young. As the chicks grow, both parents hunt and bring them food, and the chicks leave the nest at about seven weeks of age.
The distribution is widespread across Europe, Asia and North Africa. Its range in Eurasia extends from the Iberian Peninsula and Denmark eastwards to China and southwards to the Himalayas. In Africa it is present from Mauritania to Egypt, the Red Sea and Arabia. The bird has been introduced to New Zealand, and to the United Kingdom, where it has spread across much of England and the whole of Wales.
This is a sedentary species which is found in open countryside in a great range of habitats. These include agricultural land with hedgerows and trees, orchards, woodland verges, parks and gardens, as well as steppes and stony semi-deserts. It is also present in treeless areas such as dunes, and in the vicinity of ruins, quarries and rocky outcrops. It sometimes ventures into villages and suburbs. In the United Kingdom it is chiefly a bird of the lowlands, and usually occurs below 500 m (1,600 ft).
In continental Europe and Asia it may be found at much higher elevations; one individual was recorded from 3,600 m (12,000 ft) in Tibet.
The little owl is territorial, the male normally remaining in one territory for life. However the boundaries may expand and contract, being largest in the courtship season in spring. The home range, in which the bird actually hunts for food, varies with the type of habitat and time of year. Little owls with home-ranges that incorporate a high diversity of habitats are much smaller (< 2 ha) than those which breed in monotonous farmland (with home-ranges over 12 ha).
The little owl is partly diurnal and often perches boldly and prominently during the day. If living in an area with a large amount of human activity, little owls may grow used to humans and will remain on their perch, often in full view, while people are around. The little owl has a life expectancy of about sixteen years. However, many birds do not reach maturity; severe winters can take their toll and some birds are killed by road vehicles at night, so the average lifespan may be on the order of three years.
Breeding Bird Survey data suggest that little owl numbers are declining, with the UK population estimated to be down by 24 per cent between 1995 and 2008.
UK breeding:
5,700 pairs
Cistus,
Jara or steppe are the common names of various plants, most of the genus Cistus, and some of other genera, such as Halimium. They are usually part, sometimes important, of the Mediterranean garrigas, and some species behave as pioneers in the recovery of degraded soils. They are pyrophytes, their germination is favored by fire, and recurrent fires help their permanence by eliminating competition from other plants that would eventually displace them from biotopes. Some species, such as C ladanifer or C laurifolius are resinous, which favors burning although they are green.
They are always evergreen, shrubby, woody plants. The flowers are regular, hermaphroditic and with five large, often wrinkled petals that easily fall from the flower. Its numerous stamens produce a large amount of pollen, which attracts many insects, such as bees that produce honey from jara. Its fruits are capsules formed by 5 or 10 carpels, which open at maturity in 5 or 10 cavities with numerous seeds. The wood of Cistus ladanifer, being very hard, is used in the manufacture of small tools or parts that are going to suffer great friction, and it is also excellent as firewood.
Cistus,
Jara o estepa son los nombres comunes de diversas plantas, la mayoría del género Cistus, y algunas de otros géneros, como Halimium. Suelen ser parte, a veces importante, de las garrigas mediterráneas, y algunas especies se comportan como pioneras en la recuperación de suelos degradados. Son pirófitos, su germinación se ve favorecida por el fuego, y los incendios recurrentes ayudan a su permanencia al eliminar la competencia de otras plantas que acabarían por desplazarlas de los biotopos. Algunas especies, como C ladanifer o C laurifolius son resinosas, lo que favorece que ardan aunque estén verdes.
Son siempre plantas perennifolias, arbustivas, leñosas. Las flores son regulares, hermafroditas y con cinco grandes pétalos a menudo arrugados que caen fácilmente de la flor. Sus numerosos estambres producen gran cantidad de polen, que atrae a muchos insectos, como las abejas que producen miel de jara. Sus frutos son cápsulas formadas por 5 o 10 carpelos, que se abren a la madurez en 5 o 10 cavidades con numerosas semillas. La madera de Cistus ladanifer, por ser durísima se usa en la fabricación de pequeñas herramientas o piezas que vayan a sufrir gran rozamiento, y es también excelente como leña.
The original of this image is available as a stock photograph with Grandmaison Photo Agency www.grandmaisonphotography.com/gallery-image/NORTHERN/G00...
This Northern Flicker is looking out from a cavity that it had been busy excavating as a nest site (see this photo of it at work www.flickr.com/photos/luminouscompositions/51498454866/in... and another view of it at the cavity entrance www.flickr.com/photos/luminouscompositions/51499171034/in... ). This is a male intergrade (between the red-shafted and yellow-shafted forms), recognized by its red malar stripe and red nape patch. This individual was seen near the Bow River in Calgary, Alberta, Canada.
Little Owl taking flight from a dry stone wall.
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 👍
This little guy was sunning himself in the same exact spot I saw him last year! It was so cute to see him in the heart shaped cavity.
"Several cavity-nesting birds, including the common starling, use yarrow to line their nests. Experiments conducted on the tree swallow, which does not use yarrow, suggest that adding yarrow to nests inhibits the growth of parasites."
Achillea millefolium is a food source for many species of insects, including the larvae of a number of moths, although is not particularly attractive to ladybirds."
"Skałki PIEKŁO pod Niekłaniem" reserve - the Stąporków Forest District. My wife and I went on this trip spontaneously, it's only 50 km. We arrived at the parking lot in the late afternoon. You still had to walk with a backpack and a tripod about 3 km to the place of the reserve, which for me (after the collapse) was quite a challenge. In the slowly falling dusk, in the middle of the forest, majestic rocks, approx. 150 m long and 7 m high, have emerged. Established in the early Jurassic period about 200 million years ago, it was then a coastal zone of the shallow sea covering the present Świętokrzyskie Mountains. We were on our way back when it was getting dark and rain was falling - but it was worth it.
Hitech ND 0.9 ( x8 ) GRAD SOFT (85x110) .
This is the first acorn woodpecker my wife has ever seen.
When it went into the tree and stuck his head out, she could barely stop laughing.
It is a pretty silly-looking bird.
(Sundial Bridge area, Redding)
This owl has its eyes partially open and is leaning out of its tree cavity because a pair of White-breasted Nuthatches and a lone Black-capped Chickadee decided to try to mob it - behaviour that alerted me to the owl’s presence. I had walked by it twice in different directions, which says something about how much more alert you are if you might be the next meal.
Whenever I return to Ottawa from intensive work events - I often visit locations with high pressure disputes and stay until they are resolved or on the path to resolution - the first thing I do is grab a camera and head out to the woods or the River. Getting out takes me far away from that kind of intensity, and in the healthiest way I know.
And then getting to find an owl makes it even better. Late afternoon light and the leaning out made me think this might be a decent image. I would have liked to get one or more of the mobbing birds in the frame but they were pretty wary, sticking to flying at the owl and then veering back to nearby branches. I quickly secured a dozen images and moved on, with a spring in my step.
Some of the most beautiful plumage on any Screech-owl is on its wing feathers, and the lean out here shows just a glimpse of them.
Tree Swallow (Tachycineta bicolour) adult at the entrance to its nest cavity in an old stump in the camping area of Lake Newell Provincial Park south of Brooks, Alberta, Canada.
26 May, 2016.
Slide # GWB_20160526_3557.CR2
Use of this image on websites, blogs or other media without explicit permission is not permitted.
© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
WWT Slimbridge Wetland Centre.
What3Words
///trailers.ripen.grownup
The Eurasian Jackdaw (Coloeus monedula, often listed under Corvus monedula) is a small, highly social member of the crow family (Corvidae) known for its intelligence and adaptability. It is a widespread bird found across Europe, western Asia, and North Africa.
Appearance:
The jackdaw is identifiable by its glossy black plumage with a contrasting silvery-grey or light grey "shawl" on the back of its head and nape. Adults have distinctive, piercing pale grey or white eyes, which stand out against their dark features. Juveniles are browner with darker eyes.
Size:
It is the smallest of the European crows, measuring around 34–39 cm (13–15 in) in length.
Call:
Its name is onomatopoeic, derived from its common, metallic "tchack" or "chyak-chyak" call, frequently used in flight.
Habitat and Distribution
The Eurasian Jackdaw is a highly adaptable bird, thriving in a variety of open and semi-open habitats. It prefers areas with a mix of large trees, buildings, and open ground.
Range:
Its range extends from Northwest Africa and the British Isles eastward to central Asia and the Himalayas.
Habitat:
Common environments include woodlands, farmland, coastal cliffs, parks, and urban areas. They often nest in human-made structures, such as chimneys and old church towers.
Migration:
Most populations in western and southern Europe are year-round residents, but northern and eastern populations are migratory, moving south in winter.
Behavior and Diet
Jackdaws are notably intelligent and social birds, often seen in large, noisy flocks outside of the breeding season. They exhibit complex social structures and are one of the few bird species known for active food sharing.
Social Life:
They form strong, monogamous pair bonds that often last for life. The pair remains close within larger flocks, even when foraging. They perform impressive acrobatic flights in groups, especially at dusk when gathering at communal roosts.
Diet:
As opportunistic omnivores, their diet is highly varied and includes invertebrates (insects, spiders, snails), seeds, fruits, and carrion. They readily scavenge human food waste in urban settings and will visit garden bird feeders for items like suet and peanuts. They occasionally raid the nests of other birds for eggs or nestlings.
Reproduction
Nesting occurs in cavities in trees, cliffs, or buildings, with the female incubating around 4-5 eggs. Both parents feed the young, which fledge about a month after hatching.