Where's the birdwatchers?

[cee-dee]

The feathered variety I mean!

I'm trying to identify some birds which have recently descended on the lake where I walk round every day.

They are around Mallard size, one, (obviously?) the male is bigger. It has a Black head and it seems mostly White underparts. The smaller ones (females?) have Brown heads and a lot less White.

When on the water they don't hold their heads up like Mallard but seem to hold their heads tucked down close to their body and they seem to keep a low profile on the water. They dive for food and are obviously finding plenty. It looks like they are catching fish, the lake was recently re-stocked with small fish but the birds keep well away from people and paddle to the opposite side of the lake if anyone walks round. I can't be sure that it's fish they've caught as they're usually too far away to be sure.

They don't associate with other birds, they don't care for the gulls and I've seen gulls diving at them if they've found food which makes them dive underwater to get away from the gull.

They keep so far away I can't see what the beak is like or see any other distinguishing marks. They all stick together and the numbers vary. There were nine the other day, seven yesterday but only three today. If there's any ice around, they don't come.

They look a bit like Scaups. I'll try to take some pics but the weekend usually has lots of disturbance round the lake so I might not get a pic until Monday.

[jd.linklater]

Thanks but I don't do social media.

[fallen-archie]

Sorry I didn’t mean Twitter I meant you tube 😳

[jd.linklater]

Yes it opens with a youtube link.

[suzieseaside]

No doubt archie's Twitter slip was on account of all those birdies tweeting in his garden!

Thanks for the link to the peregrine one.  I love to look at those webcams

[jd.linklater]

You're welcome, good to know you are still around

[margaret*e]

I saw a Robin in my garden this morning.

[cee-dee]

Was it a Robin or a Robyn?

[margaret*e]

Both.

[cee-dee]

Ha ha, was she chasing the Robin?

[jd.linklater]

The male Osprey arrived yesterday and the pair mated almost immediately, looks a promising start to the year.

[fallen-archie]

Yes I saw that then he flew off caught a fish took it back to the nest as a gift for her, she snatched it and flew off to consume the lot!! Typical feminine behaviour 😀

[suzieseaside]

Reckon she deserved it after some days of nestwork tidying up their gaff?

Has the return of the ospreys been at a similar time to previous years, or earlier ?  I can't remember

[jd.linklater]

Last year the male arrived first on 16th March and the female on the 20th so they are around 10 days later this year. Can't find any info on previous years.

[**bustysinclaire**]

How absolutely wonderful,  I have just seen the pair of ospreys for the first time after trying for a couple of weeks.

To see them live like that makes you feel like you are actually there with them, wow just so exciting. Thank you who ever it was that mentioned the link. Xxx

[fallen-archie]

I know the latest that a female returned was the 7th April, the lady as she was known came back for 25 years until 2015 when the new bird took over, she raised over 50 chicks and was the longest serving breeding osprey in the U.K. I remember her well and she was amazing.

[cee-dee]

A blank? What happened there?

[jd.linklater]

I thought he'd nodded off

[suzieseaside]

Invisible writing spybay app 😀

[cee-dee]

Nah, this is invisible writing :- Suzieseaside searched for seashells on the seashore.