Perhaps some of you have heard of "Springwatch", a TV program by the BBC shown every spring and it is hosted by Kate Humble, Simon King and Chris Someone. It is a show that I like so much that I reserve time on my white board for it. The team film follow and discuss various animals such as birds, badgers, foxes and rutting deer through this mating and brooding season. They also talk about various activities that people can volunteer for and get involved with...such as bird counting or ringing. Well, I can't tell you guys about all that there is to see on this show, but they do have a website.. You can read about several things but not view the videos sadly (if you are outside the UK). if you go there you will quickly see that the subjects covered were from last year. The new Springwatch website will be activated when the new show begins towards the end of may. Their website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/springwatch/ Well, what then prompted this odd posting then? It is because with all the brooding birdies in and adjacent to my lottie it sort of FEELS like a mimi-Springwatch of sorts. Of course I do not have the resources or the presenters to mimic the show here in West-Friesland...but I can show you some things that are going on at the moment. Naturally you know Madam Duck and her mob, having just met them a couple of days ago. The mum in the canal awaiting the tardy fledglings. I believe that I have mentioned the Coot Family, but here are some pics anyway. The parents fiddling around beside the nest. One of them climbing back on the nest after a feed and a stretch. What I know that I haven't shown you are the tits. Do you recall that I showed this picture of building activity in one of the nesting boxes?...and how I watched and looked inside for days seeing no more activity or birds flying back and forth. I had given up on it for this brooding period and hoped on a family during the second brooding time. They had made a good beginning...but then one was snatched by a torenfalk. Remember that sadness? I presume that another pair have taken this over or the surviving partner has found a new one. At any rate, here are fotos of the new goings on. I took a quick two fotos when one flew out of the box. Here is the nest now. And then a better one at a slightly different angle. I could not see the focusing screen and I was standing precariously balances on a wibbly chair, my excuses for the lack of real clarity. I do not have any pics, but down the street from the lottie about 100m there are blue herons nesting way up in the tops of trees in this little triangle of trees near the up ramp leading to the big four-lane road (like an Interstate Highway, or autobahn). They make such a noise and poop their white, alkaline droppings constantly. I would not like to be on the ground over there. I don't usually do any update postings to a thread...but I may if I discover anything else happening, nature-wise here. I encourage you guys to post pics or stories about the nature happenings there in your yards or gardens at the moment...like nests with eggs or baby birds ...anything springy really.
When I click on the link it says only available in the UK. Sounds like a wonderul website. Thanks for the update on your ducks and birds, its that time of year! I have discovered 4 nests in my yard...mockingbird, bluebird, housefinch and red winged black bird...so far no eggs in the nests that are low enough to see into.
Hello Gail-- Yes that is correct, but that pertains to the videos only. You can navigate around the pages and look at pics and read. I can't wait until they begin again soon. I hope that you will post some pics here of the mothers sitting on the nests and of eggs and eventually little chicks. I would really like to see your birds. Thanks for your nice posting.
