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Siskin - (M) Carduelis Spinus
The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.
These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.
These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.
The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.
heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.
It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.
They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.
Population:
UK breeding:
410,000 pairs
Back from 2 weeks hiking holiday on the island of La Palma, the so-called "Isla Bonita".
In the west-facing pine forests of the "Parque National de Cumbre Vieja" above the San Juan volcano, extensive areas of yellow clover blossomed. The scent was beguiling and accompanied our walk throughout the day.
Zurück von 2 Wochen Wanderurlaub auf der Insel La Palma, die sogenannte "Isla Bonita".
In den nach Westen ausgerichteten Kiefernwäldern des "Parque National de Cumbre Vieja" oberhalb des Vulkan San Juan blühten ausgedehnte Flächen mit gelbem Klee. Der Duft war betörend und begleitete unsere Wanderung über den ganzen Tag.
Danke für deinen Besuch! Thanks for visiting!
bitte beachte/ please respect Copyright © All rights reserved
Lesser Redpoll - Carduelis Caberet
The lesser redpoll is a small passerine bird in the finch family, Fringillidae. It is the smallest, brownest, and most streaked of the redpolls. It is sometimes classified as a subspecies of the common redpoll (Acanthis flammea) but has recently been split from that species by the British Ornithologists' Union. It is native to Europe and has been introduced to New Zealand. Many birds migrate further south in winter, but the mild climate means that it can be found all year round in much of its range, and may be joined by the other two redpoll species in winter.
It was formerly almost restricted to Ireland, most of Great Britain, and the Alps but its range has expanded considerably across central and northern Europe in recent decades. It is a widespread breeding bird in Britain and Ireland although absent from parts of southern and central England. It nests along the North Sea coast from north-east France to Germany and has spread into Denmark, southern Norway, and south-west Sweden. The Alpine population has increased and spread into neighbouring regions. The bird now nests as far east as southern Poland, Slovakia, and northern Romania.
It is a short-distance migrant with many birds spending the winter within the breeding range. Alpine birds often move to lower elevations. In Britain, it becomes more widespread in lowland areas in winter. Some British birds move south to mainland Europe, occasionally reaching as far as Iberia.
It is a sociable bird which usually forages in flocks. It mainly feeds in trees but also feeds on the ground, especially in winter as the supply of seeds becomes reduced. The diet is mostly composed of small seeds such as those of birch, alder, and grasses. Fruit, buds, and invertebrates are also eaten.
Breeding pairs form in late winter. The breeding territory and several pairs will often nest close together in a loose colony. The cup-shaped nest is built by the female, usually in a shrub or tree. It is made of twigs and plant stems with an inner layer of roots, grass, moss, leaves, and other vegetation and a lining of feathers, wool, and hair. Two to seven eggs are laid. They are pale bluish or greenish with reddish or brownish blotches and streaks. The female incubates the eggs for 12–15 days while being fed by the male. The young birds are fed by both parents and fledge after 9–15 days.
Population:
UK breeding:
220,000 pairs
I've recently spent some time up in the Scottish Highlands. The focus of the trip was for animal I'll never tire of seeing; the Pine Marten.
The last few years have been focussed on the Black Isle. This year I spent my time in Ardnamurchan; a remote, wild and unspoilt peninsula on the west coast of Scotland near Fort William. I absolutely love it there despite the midges!
I got back earlier this week and have been working through a load of photos taken while I was there. So here's a first selection. You can expect plenty of Pine Marten photos to come! ;)
Drystone walls built from volcanic stone are common in the farmland surrounding Mt Franklin and the many other extinct volcanoes that punctuate the landscape in this part of Victoria.
Still plenty of Pine Marten images to go! I'll take a break with some other species at some point ;)
Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus
Double Click
The European crested tit, or simply crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) (formerly Parus cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula.
In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts.
A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.
It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee ,similar to that of the coal tit.
It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.
Like other tits it is found in pairs and it feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds.
Population:
UK breeding:
1,500 pairs
UK wintering:
5,200-9,500 birds
Lepcha Jagat is a peaceful village near Darjeeling, hidden in the beauty of tall pine forests. The area feels like a dream, with misty trees and quiet paths perfect for walks. Birds fill the air, and on clear days, you might see the snowy peaks of Kanchenjunga. It’s a place where nature feels calm and magical...
A couple more of encounters with Pine Marten...
It was lovely to see this female in some nice evening light
Goldcrest - Regulus regulus
The goldcrest (Regulus regulus) is a very small passerine bird in the kinglet family. Its colourful golden crest feathers gives rise to its English and scientific names, and possibly to it being called the king of the birds in European folklore. Several subspecies are recognised across the very large distribution range that includes much of Eurasia and the islands of Macaronesia. Birds from the north and east of its breeding range migrate to winter further south.
The goldcrest is the smallest European bird, 8.5–9.5 cm (3.3–3.7 in) in length,[2] with a 13.5–15.5 cm (5.3–6.1 in) wingspan and a weight of 4.5–7.0 g (0.16–0.25 oz).
Several small passerine species survive freezing winter nights by inducing a lower metabolic rate and hypothermia, of a maximum of 10 °C (18 °F) below normal body temperature, in order to reduce energy consumption overnight. However, in freezing conditions, it may be that for very small birds, including the tiny goldcrest, the energy economies of induced hypothermia may be insufficient to counterbalance the negative effects of hypothermia including the energy required to raise body temperature back to normal at dawn. Observations of five well-fed birds suggest that they maintain normal body temperatures during cold nights by metabolising fat laid down during the day, and that they actually use behavioural thermoregulation strategies, such as collective roosting in dense foliage or snow holes to survive winter nights. Two birds roosting together reduce their heat loss by a quarter, and three birds by a third. During an 18‑hour winter night, with temperatures as low as −25 °C (−13 °F) in the north of its range, goldcrests huddled together can each burn off fat equivalent to 20% of body weight to keep warm.
Until the severe winter of 1916–17 the Goldcrest was abundant and widespread, nesting in all the wooded portions of our islands; in 1920 it could have little more than an obituary notice, for the nesting stock was practically wiped out. ... and for some years, even as a winter visitor, the Goldcrest remained rare, absent from most of its nesting haunts. It is, however, now fully re-established.
Conversely, populations can expand rapidly after a series of mild winters. In lowland Britain, there was an increase of 48% following the 1970/71 winter, with many pairs spreading into deciduous woodlands where they would not normally breed.
In culture
Aristotle (384–322 BC) and Pliny (23–79 AD) both wrote about the legend of a contest among the birds to see who should be their king, the title to be awarded to the one that could fly highest. Initially, it looked as though the eagle would win easily, but as he began to tire, a small bird that had hidden under the eagle's tail feathers emerged to fly even higher and claimed the title. Following from this legend, in much European folklore the wren has been described as the king of the birds or as a flame bearer. However, these terms were also applied to the Regulus species, the fiery crowns of the goldcrest and firecrest making them more likely to be the original bearers of these titles, and, because of the legend's reference to the smallest of birds becoming king, the title was probably transferred to the equally tiny wren. The confusion was probably compounded by the similarity and consequent interchangeability of the Greek words for the wren (βασιλεύς basileus, and the crests (βασιλισκος basiliskos, In English, the association between the goldcrest and Eurasian wren may have been reinforced by the kinglet's old name of gold-crested wren.
This tiny woodland bird has had little other impact on literature, although it is the subject of Charles Tennyson Turner's short poem, The Gold-crested Wren first published in 1868. An old English name for the goldcrest is the woodcock pilot, since migrating birds preceded the arrival of Eurasian woodcocks by a couple of days. There are unfounded legends that the goldcrest would hitch a ride in the feathers of the larger bird, and similar stories claimed that owls provided the transport. Suffolk fishermen called this bird herring spink or tot o'er seas because migrating goldcrests often landed on the rigging of herring boats out in the North Sea.
Crab Spider displaying some aggression to defend its position on a flower in the mixed woods west of Thorhild, Alberta, Canada.
30 July, 2013.
Slide # GWB_20130730_5263.CR2
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© Gerard W. Beyersbergen - All Rights Reserved Worldwide In Perpetuity - No Unauthorized Use.
Northern bobwhites occur throughout Florida in appropriate habitat. They depend on early successional habitat created by frequent fire in mature upland pine forests. Other habitats include fallow agricultural fields dominated by species such as ragweed and the edges of cultivated grain fields. The best habitat combination is frequently burned upland pine forests interspersed with fallow fields/openings. At one time, this was a common habitat in Florida and abundant quail populations were a by-product. This is not the case today, and quail occur in abundant numbers only on those lands that are actively managed to replicate the land use patterns described above.
The northern bobwhite is one of the signature game species of upland longleaf pine forests. In the spring, visitors to these habitats can expect to hear the males whistle the tell-tale “bobwhite” call. In the fall/winter, it's not uncommon to be surprised by a covey of quail flushing from a brushy area.
Bobwhites feed and roost in coveys of 8 to 25 birds. They forage on the ground for a variety of seeds, insects, fruits and plant parts. Females lay 12 to 16 eggs in a shallow nest built on the ground and hidden beneath vegetation.
The northern bobwhite or bobwhite quail is a medium-sized, round-bodied bird with a short tail and neck. Plumage is reddish brown with streaking on the sides. Males have a black-and-white stripe above and below the eye with a white throat patch; in females, the stripe and throat patch is tan and buff brown.
I found this Male along Peavine Road in Osceola County, Florida.
Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus
Double Click to View
The European crested tit, or simply crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) (formerly Parus cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula.
In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts.
A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.
It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee ,similar to that of the coal tit.
It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.
Like other tits it is found in pairs and it feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds.
Population:
UK breeding:
1,500 pairs
UK wintering:
5,200-9,500 birds
Nella pineta della Maremma Grossetana, nella prima luce della mattina, si staglia l’infiorescenza della borragine.
A Roe Deer Buck amongst the scottish heather and pines. Taken on our five mile walk around Anagach Woods, Scotland.
Many thanks to all who take the time to view, comment or fave my images.
I thank you for the air to breathe
The heart to beat
The eyes to see again
(a thousand beautiful things)
Annie Lennox.
I have not seen such a beautiful dark forest in my life
Lepchajagat is a small village in the forest at an elevation of 6,956 feet (i.e. 2123 meters) located 19 km away from Derjeeling situated on the route that connects Ghoom and Sukhiapokhari. Lepchajagat means "Lepcha tribe shelter" in the original language.
My fav Red Squirrel shot/composition of the trip!
Red Squirrel - Sciurus Vulgaris
Highlands, Scotland.
The red squirrel is found in both coniferous forest and temperate broadleaf woodlands. The squirrel makes a drey (nest) out of twigs in a branch-fork, forming a domed structure about 25 to 30 cm in diameter. This is lined with moss, leaves, grass and bark. Tree hollows and woodpecker holes are also used. The red squirrel is a solitary animal and is shy and reluctant to share food with others. However, outside the breeding season and particularly in winter, several red squirrels may share a drey to keep warm. Social organization is based on dominance hierarchies within and between sexes; although males are not necessarily dominant to females, the dominant animals tend to be larger and older than subordinate animals, and dominant males tend to have larger home ranges than subordinate males or females.
Red squirrels that survive their first winter have a life expectancy of 3 years. Individuals may reach 7 years of age, and 10 in captivity. Survival is positively related to availability of autumn–winter tree seeds; on average, 75–85% of juveniles die during their first winter, and mortality is approximately 50% for winters following the first.
Although not thought to be under any threat worldwide, the red squirrel has nevertheless drastically reduced in number in the United Kingdom; especially after the grey squirrels were introduced from North America in the 1870s. Fewer than 140,000 individuals are thought to be left in 2013; approximately 85% of which are in Scotland, with the Isle of Wight being the largest haven in England. A local charity, the Wight Squirrel Project,[26] supports red squirrel conservation on the island, and islanders are actively recommended to report any invasive greys. The population decrease in Britain is often ascribed to the introduction of the eastern grey squirrel from North America, but the loss and fragmentation of its native woodland habitat has also played a role.
In January 1998, eradication of the non-native North American grey squirrel began on the North Wales island of Anglesey. This facilitated the natural recovery of the small remnant red squirrel population. It was followed by the successful reintroduction of the red squirrel into the pine stands of Newborough Forest. Subsequent reintroductions into broadleaved woodland followed and today the island has the single largest red squirrel population in Wales. Brownsea Island in Poole Harbour is also populated exclusively by red rather than grey squirrels (approximately 200 individuals).
Siskin - Carduelis Spinus
The Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus) is a small passerine bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is also called the European siskin, common siskin or just siskin. Other (archaic) names include black-headed goldfinch, barley bird and aberdevine. It is very common throughout Europe and Asia. It is found in forested areas, both coniferous and mixed woodland where it feeds on seeds of all kinds, especially of alder and conifers.
These birds have an unusual migration pattern as every few years in winter they migrate southwards in large numbers. The reasons for this behaviour are not known but may be related to climatic factors and above all the availability of food. In this way overwintering populations can thrive where food is abundant. This small finch is an acrobatic feeder, often hanging upside-down like a tit. It will visit garden bird feeding stations.
These birds can be found throughout the year in Central Europe and some mountain ranges in the south of the continent. They are present in the north of Scandinavia and in Russia and they over-winter in the Mediterranean basin and the area around the Black Sea. In China they breed in the Khingan Mountains of Inner Mongolia and in Jiangsu province; they spend summer in Tibet, Taiwan, the valleys of the lower Yangtse River and the south east coast.
The Eurasian siskin is occasionally seen in North America. There is also a similar and closely related North America counterpart, the pine siskin, Spinus pinus.
heir seasonal distribution is also marked by the fact that they follow an anomalous migration pattern. Every few years they migrate southwards in larger numbers and the overwintering populations in the Iberian Peninsula are greatly augmented. This event has been the object of diverse theories, one theory suggests that it occurs in the years when Norway Spruce produces abundant fruit in the centre and north of Europe, causing populations to increase. An alternative theory is that greater migration occurs when the preferred food of alder or birch seed fails. This species will form large flocks outside the breeding season, often mixed with redpolls.
It is a bird that does not remain for long in one area but which varies the areas it used for breeding, feeding, over-wintering from one year to the next.
They are very active and restless birds. They are also very social, forming small cohesive flocks especially in autumn and winter. They are fairly trusting of humans, it being possible to observe them from a short distance. During the breeding season, however, they are much more timid, solitary and difficult to observe.
Population:
UK breeding:
410,000 pairs
Crested Tit - Lophophanes cristatus
The European crested tit, or simply crested tit (Lophophanes cristatus) (formerly Parus cristatus), is a passerine bird in the tit family Paridae. It is a widespread and common resident breeder in coniferous forests throughout central and northern Europe and in deciduous woodland in France and the Iberian peninsula.
In Great Britain, it is chiefly restricted to the ancient pinewoods of Inverness and Strathspey in Scotland, and seldom strays far from its haunts.
A few vagrant crested tits have been seen in England. It is resident, and most individuals do not migrate.
It is an easy tit to recognise, for besides its erectile crest, the tip of which is often recurved, its gorget and collar are distinctive. It is, like other tits, talkative, and birds keep up a constant zee, zee, zee ,similar to that of the coal tit.
It makes a nest in a hole in rotting stumps. This bird often feeds low down in trees, but although not shy, it is not always easily approached. It will join winter tit flocks with other species.
Like other tits it is found in pairs and it feeds on insects (including caterpillars) and seeds.
Population:
UK breeding:
1,500 pairs
UK wintering:
5,200-9,500 birds
The lesser kestrel eats insects, but also small birds, reptiles and rodents (especially mice), which are often taken on the ground. It nests colonially on buildings, cliffs, or in tree holes, laying up to 3–6 eggs. No nest structure is built, which is typical for falcons. On their wintering grounds in West Africa, lesser kestrels favour a "latitude belt" through Senegal where locusts and grasshoppers are plentiful. Surveys of lesser kestrels wintering in January 2007 by the Ligue pour la Protection des Oiseaux revealed them roosting communally. A roost in *Senegal discovered during one of the surveys held 28,600 birds, together with 16,000 scissor-tailed kites Chelictinia riocourii.
*See here:
www.flickr.com/photos/sdaly/42051402514/in/photolist-26ML...
Lesser Kestrel (Falco naumanni) male flight_Spain_w_3827