The snow has all gone from here now, but whilst it was here I put extra birdseed out and in return got a visit from a new bird. At first I thought him a spuggy, but re considered and checked the RSPB bird finder, where I discovered he is a Reed Bunting. I only got 2 half decent shots as he was dicking about all over the place, so here they are,
Where I work is a converted old farmhouse, and beyond the carpark is just open grassland. When I go out to the car I often see a kestrel perched on a nearby tree, the roof of the farm building or one of the lampposts. I saw her Monday and Tuesday this week so took my long lens and fuji to work today and she Kindly obliged me by landing on the nearby lamppost just as I went out to the car. She is beautiful.
I suppose she could be a ‘he’ really but I’m going with a ‘she’. The local crows chase her around dive bombing her sometimes, and apparently this is a thing, it’s called mobbing, and they do it to birds they consider a threat. In fact the only predator dangerous to crows are goshawks and they’re rare as rocking horse poo, so I think they’re just mob-addicts. Apparently terns and gulls are good at mobbing too, but crows are top of the mobbers. She flies off when they start on her but always comes back. Unfortunately the fields over which she flies are soon to become a housing estate, and I suspect she will move away, but I hope not, I’d miss her.
Fraggle's Otherverse 
Wonderful pictures!! For your bunting dicking all over the place you got some good shots of it!
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Thanks Nicole 🙂
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Gorgeous…never saw a reed bunting…and you are right about the kestrel..definitely a she…the chaps have more red and grey.
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Ah grand, cheers for that 🙂
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Nice to get so close to a kestrel, FR. Reminded me of the film ‘Kes’.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Cheers Pete, great film to be reminded of.
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Nice photos.
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Thanks 😊
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You’re welcome!
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I’ve seen crows mobbing, but I didn’t know why. It’s a bit early in the day to be learning something new, so thank you.
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Cheers April.
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Great shots!
Last year, Choppy and I scared up an owl on a morning walk. Almost immediately, a group of crows mobbed it. I felt very bad for the owl – he should have taken his chances with us!
(Also, I like the new design at the other blog – I like being able to see that you’ve posted over here from there.)
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Crows are the mafia of the bird world I think. (I’m quite fond of them 😊) Glad you like the new blog theme, I was looking for a specific one I can’t find so it’ll have to do. For now! Cheers Sarah.
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I love the crows as well – such smart creatures. I do feel bad when they gang up on other birds, though!
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