Return to moorhen home page

Return to section index


Image-of-the-Day by Subject


Birds, Insects & Bats in flight (outdoors) Page 29

Image Taken on 28 Aug 2011 at 18:15    Image of day on 20 Oct 2011

There is a family of 4 Buzzard in a copse 600m to our East. The young birds seem to be given sparring lessons by the parents. Here the bird below was hovering in a strong wind blowing from the left and had a passing skirmish with the bird flying above. The bottom bird held its position relative to the trees, so we have spread out the montage to the left. All in half a second!


Ref: 20111020_df1_20110828_1815_045-048 hovering buzzard skirmishing with another flying over 1-4 of 5 (interpretation montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image of day on 17 Jul 2007

For a few seconds a Buzzard turned into the wind and hovered keeping position as impressively as a kestrel. This sequence of 7 images plays in approximately real-time.


Ref: 20070717_buzzard hovering in strong wind (anim).gif


Image Taken on 30 Apr 2016 at 07:26    Image of day on 04 Jun 2016

A Jackdaw flew across our path carrying a wad of soft brown material in the beak.


Ref: 20160604_df3_20160430_0726_067+069+072+073 jackdaw flying with nest material landing on power cable 1+3-5 of 7 (impression montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 30 Apr 2016 at 07:26    Image of day on 04 Jun 2016

The Jackdaw unexpectedly landed on an 11kV power line right in front of us and we could see that the load was probably animal hair to provide comforts to the nest, wherever it might be.


Ref: 20160604_df3_20160430_0726_074+075 jackdaw in flight with nesting material landing on power cable 6+7 of 7 (bird shifted montage)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Apr 2011 at 11:26    Image of day on 16 May 2011

An unusually aggressive looking Jackdaw lands on the perch looking ready for a fight with anything.


Ref: 20110516_d3b_20110420_1126_029_fb3 jackdaw landing in aggressive posture(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 26 Nov 2020 at 14:51    Image of day on 04 Jan 2021

In recent years Jackdaws have mostly disappeared in the summer months, returning for the Winter.


Ref: 20210104_d01_20201126_1451_017+018_fb6 jackdaw landing on meadow post (montage about 300ms apart)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 13 Apr 2023 at 07:33    Image of day on 21 May 2023

A Jackdaw making a head-on landing on the Meadow Post.


Ref: 20230521_d01_20230413_0733_003_fb6 jackdaw landing on meadow post backlit(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 11 Jun 2014 at 09:53    Image of day on 18 Aug 2014

This Jackdaw is particularly aggressive / confident / stupid / Testosterone driven (you choose!) and launches itself at anything in its way including the normally dominant Grey Squirrels.
Here the Jackdaw is trying to chase away a juvenile Great Spotted Woodpecker who may have wished it had launched half a second earlier!


Ref: 20140818_e60_20140611_0953_143_fb3 jackdaw landing on perch as great spotted woodpecker juvenile hangs under perch (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 24 May 2014 at 15:15    Image of day on 03 Aug 2014

"Boo!"
Before we actually saw a Great Spotted Woodpecker we imagined from the name and noise they make that they would be a much bigger bird. Here you can see the size relative to the much larger Jackdaw.


Ref: 20140803_e60_20140524_1515_095_fb3 jackdaw landing on perch as great spotted woodpecker male watches from peanut feeder(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 May 2014 at 20:08    Image of day on 05 Jul 2014

Enjoy the spread tail as the Jackdaw finished aerobraking to land on the perch.


Ref: 20140705_e60_20140509_2008_044_fb3 jackdaw landing on perch head on with tail spread(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 04 Nov 2012 at 15:29    Image of day on 09 Dec 2012

We get so used to the plethora of Jackdaws and Rooks here that you can forget what magnificent creatures they are up close.


Ref: 20121209_d36_20121104_1529_074_fb4 jackdaw landing on tree stump (crop)(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 16 Dec 2015 at 14:12    Image of day on 22 Jan 2016

This Jackdaw look particularly villainous as it lands head-on to camera with almost perfect symmetry.


Ref: 20160122_d01_20151216_1412_139_fb6 jackdaw landing symmetrically with face to camera(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 16 Dec 2015 at 11:10    Image of day on 22 Jan 2016

Is this Jackdaw directing the traffic?


Ref: 20160122_d01_20151216_1110_128_fb6 jackdaw landing with asymmetric wing positions(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 27 Sep 2024 at 09:12    Image of day on 09 Nov 2024

Jays are far from 'common sightings' but our normal 1 or 2 pics a year is this year replaced by 'several' at various sites.


Ref: 20241109_e60_20240927_0912_032_fb3 jay landing on kitchen bird table(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 04 Oct 2022 at 11:40    Image of day on 09 Nov 2022

These two pics taken half a second apart - the Jay probably lands a little too upright, and instead of falling forward did a little jump to gain balance.


Ref: 20221109_d01_20221004_1140_021+022_fb6 jay visit to meadow post taking jump after landing 3+4 of 6 (montage over 400ms))(r+mb id@768).jpg


Image Taken on 09 Oct 2008 at 09:44    Image of day on 25 Oct 2008

We are normally pleased to see just one jay fleeing from us, but here 3 flew by some 10's of metres away. The one on the left was not quite so well aligned, so we couldn't resist tweaking his position.


Ref: 20081025_dc1_20081009_0944_002 3 jays in flight (web version)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image of day on 21 Oct 2010

We have often wondered what happens when the Kestrel and Sparrowhawk happen along together. Well it turns out to be an extended fight - here are 8 time ordered pairs in a chaotic montage, moving from dark blue sky overhead to pale haze lower down but further away. All these are at the same scale.


Ref: 20101021_df1_20100903_1235-1237_070+106+183+188+220+252+254+255 kestrel & sparrowhawk fighting in flight 8 selected from 68 (montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 20 Sep 2015 at 12:49    Image of day on 21 Nov 2015

After several attempt this Jackdaw finally sees off the Kestrel. We notice the Kestrel's claw lowering in the last 2 frames, but have no idea why.


Ref: 20151121_df3_20150920_1249_195-202 kestrel and jackdaw in flight 1-8 of 8 (close spaced montage)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Image Taken on 02 Oct 2009 at 10:42    Image of day on 04 Nov 2009

But the TOP view of the blonde bird is much more striking than the bottom.


Ref: 20091104_db1_20091002_1042_162 kestrel blonde female flyover (web crop)(r+mb id@576).jpg


Image Taken on 24 Dec 2020 at 10:48    Image of day on 25 Jan 2021

The female Kestrel decides to make a landing on a conifer twig, but for whatever reason has difficulty getting balance after touchdown.


Ref: 20210125_d73_20201224_1048_043+045+046+1029_075 kestrel female bad landing in conifer & flies away 01-04 of 11 (montage leftward)(r+mb id@1024).jpg


Backwards

Forwards

 

Comments and requests for image use

To make a comment, ask for information or to request a full resolution image, send us an email including the reference or the date for the image you are interested in.

All initial contacts should be made using the icon below:-

Mail Us