Your day's wildlife

[Tail End Charlie]

Dead excited. Just seen a redstart in my garden, not seen one before, I had to look it up. My attention was first drawn to it by the strange way it was flying, almost like a butterfly, if that makes sense. Don't know if something disturbed it, but it flew up, lolloped around a bit, landed on my bird table roof, then flew off.

 

[nickyboy]

Dead excited. Just seen a redstart in my garden, not seen one before, I had to look it up. My attention was first drawn to it by the strange way it was flying, almost like a butterfly, if that makes sense. Don't know if something disturbed it, but it flew up, lolloped around a bit, landed on my bird table roof, then flew off.

In Alty that is a genuinely rare sighting. They are arriving in UK now and heading for the upland oakwoods but rarely stop off in gardens. I am sure the Cheshire bird recorder would be very interested in your record. Lucky you, really beautiful bird

 

[Tail End Charlie]

Looking at pictures, I'm confident it was a redstart, it had the white top above the eyes, a black throat and reddish underneath. There are a lot of mature trees in my garden and the area, but could it have been something else @nickyboy ? You saying it's a rare sighting has got me worried, no, not worried, but you know what I mean.
What caught my eye was the strange way it was flying - a bit like robins or blackbirds do when fighting, and the flashes of red when it did it.

 

[Glow worm]

Just seen the first house martin of the summer here. One day earlier than last year and same date as 2013. Some swallows began trickling through last week so just waiting on the swifts now for the hat trick! (Usually last week in April here).

 

[nickyboy]

Looking at pictures, I'm confident it was a redstart, it had the white top above the eyes, a black throat and reddish underneath. There are a lot of mature trees in my garden and the area, but could it have been something else @nickyboy ? You saying it's a rare sighting has got me worried, no, not worried, but you know what I mean.
What caught my eye was the strange way it was flying - a bit like robins or blackbirds do when fighting, and the flashes of red when it did it.

Nothing else fits that description and whilst rare, now is about the most likely time to see an adult male on migration. They flycatch in the way you describe too. Congratulations, not many folk will have redstart on their garden list

 

[hopless500]

Yesterday was an 'aaahhhhhh' day for me - first new born lambs of the year and a little brood of newly hatched ducklings.

 

[GilesM]

The swallows have arrived

Very good, keeping my eyes open, but a bit further for them to fly to get up here, always nice when they turn up.

 

[slowmotion]

For the first time, Mr Tit delivered a snack....

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View: https://vimeo.com/124936985
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[summerdays]

My husband asked me today if I'd been filling up the nest box with stuff to encourage them.... I haven't that means I have new neighbours.... I will be twitching the curtains to spy on them tomorrow to see what they look like- I'm hoping it's my friendly robin, it's certainly one with an open front on the box.

If so we didn't think about where to position it very well as it's close to our shed and even closer to the water butts. I'm hoping they took a close look at their neighbours before they moved in and don't mind!

 

[GilesM]

I saw this beast last week up in the far north of Scotland, not the best picture due to the fading light and having to use lots of zoom lens, but you get the idea, was very impressive to see him standing against the skyline like this:

 

[Alex H]

There were 2 Hoopoes in the garden this morning, but they are extremely camera shy , so here are some ducks from today's outing to Bourdeilles

 

[summerdays]

I was right ... It is a robin moving in ... Not the best of photos taken through glass so not to disturb them:

 

[Fnaar]

Just seen the first house martin of the summer here. One day earlier than last year and same date as 2013. Some swallows began trickling through last week so just waiting on the swifts now for the hat trick! (Usually last week in April here).

Saw my first housemartin of the year on Monday... they nest under the eaves at the back of the house. I love watching them fly out over the river during the summer. Will also be getting swift boxes put at the front (shady) side of the house soon. They also amaze and amuse me over the summer months, with their spectacular aerobatics, chasing and screaming.

 

[Soltydog]

Had a stoat running across the road infront of me today. Did 28 miles & didn't see too much, but a stoat, a buzzard & a flypast from a Spitfire all in 1/2 mile stretch

 

[summerdays]

This is a much better photo of my robin taken when he comes around me if I'm gardening: