On 23 Sep 2014 at 8:19am Not a twitcher wrote:
Haven't really got a clue about identifying bird song, but the last couple of nights I've heard what sounds like an owl coming from the Market St / West St area. Anyone else heard this?
On 23 Sep 2014 at 10:29am xplorer1 wrote:
I'm not a twitcher either: just an ordinary birdwatcher. it'll be a tawny owl. I'm hearing one too, in S Malling. Check out the link: if you scroll down there's an audio clip.
Check it out here »
On 23 Sep 2014 at 12:02pm Pussycat wrote:
Also heard the owl in the gardens just south of the Bottle Neck - I too think it's a Tawny
On 23 Sep 2014 at 12:32pm not a twitcher wrote:
Thanks xplorer1, that call sounds right. From the description on other pages I looked at, I think it must be a male. Wonder if it's new to the area? We can't all be hearing it from the same spot, so maybe it's looking for somewhere to settle.
On 23 Sep 2014 at 1:36pm Metatron wrote:
Is it a DFowL?
On 23 Sep 2014 at 7:16pm xplorer1 wrote:
NaT - they're more common than you'd think, so it's not necessarily the same bird. There's enough trees and wooded patches around (St John's sub Castro, The Causeway, Cuilfail, Grange Gardens, Railwayland, Pells etc) to support several individuals
On 24 Sep 2014 at 1:00pm belladonna wrote:
We're hearing one too in Malling St/ Cliffe area. Rather lovely
On 24 Sep 2014 at 1:11pm Taff wrote:
Mores the pity we do not have any larger raptors locally to discourage the bloody seagulls.
Anything please to get their population down!
On 24 Sep 2014 at 4:02pm belladonna wrote:
There are buzzards that fly high over the Cuilfail. And the seagulls are always being chased off by the rooks (Not a football analogy!)
On 24 Sep 2014 at 5:03pm Southover Queen wrote:
And more buzzards up near the windmill and Kingston ridge too. In fact, I watched a pair of buzzards chase off a kestrel there a couple of days ago.
On 25 Sep 2014 at 1:17pm carmen wrote:
there is a tawny owl or a pair living in the area around grave yard/bell lane park area , it regularly sits in the trees outside the flats in st pancras gardens,
On 25 Sep 2014 at 1:25pm Taff wrote:
Still cant get out of there SQ? Only jesting.
I would expect 2 large buzzards to readily see off a Kestrel. Must have been a nice sight all the same.
So what can we do to rid the town of these predatorial scavenging gulls? Every species currently present.
1) Stop putting out feed for the smaller natural birds when they dont need it. Thats in the warmer months and when the ground is not too hard for them to forage.
2) Stop using rubbish bags and everyone get a metal rubbish bin that should fully protect the contents.
On 25 Sep 2014 at 2:23pm xplorer1 wrote:
Michael Blencowe's monthly piece in the latest Viva Lewes is on the tawny owl, and is up to his usual witty, entertaining standard
On 25 Sep 2014 at 3:12pm Southover Queen wrote:
I thank you for your concern, Taff. Thankfully a trip up to the windmill doesn't require a car, and the worst of the problems with traffic seemed to have eased (apart from last Saturday afternoon - how mad was that???)
The kestrel was hovering, and the buzzards swooped from above and chased it in a mad looping flight to the windmill, where they all perched and played a game of hide and seek.
I'd really love it if people would stop putting mounds of mouldy white bread out "for the birds". I frequently walk a labrador who will swallow it all as if she's starving. It's bad for most birds too - ducks get quite ill from it apparently.
On 26 Sep 2014 at 1:22pm Taff wrote:
I walked up Kingston Ridge once and on looking down into the valley spied a Kestrel, never seen a hovering one from above since.
If the tground is hard, no seed or fruit on trees and plants by all means put suitable food out for the birds. Not our meal cast offs or ends of loaves of bread, thats the kind of stuff that attracts gulls and foxes. Ever seen a gull eating from a fatball? I see nothing wrong assisting our wildlife in a sensible way, we do not need to change their lifestyle.
On 26 Sep 2014 at 7:01pm Annette Curtin-Twitcher wrote:
I have neighbours who put out food "for the birds". I've yet to see a bird tucking into a leftover lasagne ready meal or some chips, but the rats really enjoy it.
I do wish they'd stop, but they're idiots, so they probably won't.