SPOT THE BEE FLY ETC. ETC. UPDATE 8TH MARCH 2022
Following on from Ian’s bird photos taken in Tenerife we have heard from Bernard and from Bob with their comments and identifications:
“Mike & Ian, it is very difficult to be sure about the small warblers but I think some are Chiffchaffs, especially the ones with very dark legs. The “greenfinches” look a little bit too yellow and may be adult canaries but it might just be the light. Did they sing a trilling song or just make a wheezy call? Greenfinches usually call/sing in flight. The last one looks more like a Greenfinch with the grey bill and long legs. The Partridge is a Barbary Partridge, unless someone has been introducing Red-legged Partridge. Very good to get that picture as they can be shy. Best wishes, Bernard”
And from Bob:
“Hija, I sent the photos of the unidentifiable birds to Bob. This is his reply……….Chris”
From: Robert Bailey Subject: Re Photo I.D
“Photos number 1,2,3,4,5 and 7 are all Canary Island Chiffchaff these differ from our chiffchaff and can have pale legs
Photo 6 is not a Grey Partridge but a Barbary Partridge. Note the dark crown stripe which the similar red legged partridge doesn’t have.
The other photos seem to be ID’d correct”
Thanks Bernard, Bob and Chris for following up on this item.
First up with something new are Roger and Jean with a rather annoying Grey Heron!
“Dear Mike, Here is a possible inclusion for your Bee Fly reports.
In recent weeks we have seen a heron take three frogs from our pond - you may remember Jean's gruesome image in the recent photo competition! We saw him take a frog yesterday, and I had to scare him off three other times! The frogs have now started spawning and are even more vulnerable, so we decided to try to help them and have put up our own 'heron fence'. Time will tell whether we have been successful, but we haven't seen him today yet! Kind regards, Roger.”
Roger many thanks for sharing with us, please let us know how you get on!
Next is a rather gruesome tale from Ian and Viv:
“This amorous frog is hanging on to his poor drowned mate even though she drowned a week ago. She is starting to decompose and still he hangs on, occasional kicks proving that he lives in hope”.
Our turn now, - we have been inundated with Siskins, really too many to try and count at one time and so a ‘must’ for this update. A bonus was the arrival of a Brambling, I managed a few photos:
