I had reason to be in the garden at dawn this morning, (don't ask and you
will NEVER guess why) and it was very mild. But what did surprise me was the
Dawn Chorus. I am always awake early, not that I go outside all that often,
but the question I ask is, is there always a Dawn Chorus? I thought it was a
nesting/mating thing.

Never too old to learn

Mike
Sunny South East Coast of the Isle of Wight.

--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On Dec 26, 9:00*am, "'Mike'" wrote:
I had reason to be in the garden at dawn this morning, (don't ask and you
will NEVER guess why) and it was very mild. But what did surprise me was the
Dawn Chorus. I am always awake early, not that I go outside all that often,
but the question I ask is, is there always a Dawn Chorus? I thought it was a
nesting/mating thing.

Never too old to learn

All year round. It varies a lot. In winter it is mostly territorial,
defending feeding ranges, In spring it is about pairing, or defending
the mate. Obviously summer migrants are not hear in the winter, but
are replaced by birds who have come south. I think the winter one is
a bit thin, and over more quickly.

But yes, there is some sort of dawn chorus all year round.

Two nights ago I was out at dusk and the tawny owls were calling to
each other. They were all around me, I counted at least 12 different
calls, from different directions. Wonderful.

"bobharvey" wrote in message
...
On Dec 26, 9:00 am, "'Mike'" wrote:
I had reason to be in the garden at dawn this morning, (don't ask and you
will NEVER guess why) and it was very mild. But what did surprise me was
the
Dawn Chorus. I am always awake early, not that I go outside all that
often,
but the question I ask is, is there always a Dawn Chorus? I thought it
was a
nesting/mating thing.

Never too old to learn

All year round. It varies a lot. In winter it is mostly territorial,
defending feeding ranges, In spring it is about pairing, or defending
the mate. Obviously summer migrants are not hear in the winter, but
are replaced by birds who have come south. I think the winter one is
a bit thin, and over more quickly.

But yes, there is some sort of dawn chorus all year round.

Two nights ago I was out at dusk and the tawny owls were calling to
each other. They were all around me, I counted at least 12 different
calls, from different directions. Wonderful.

Thanks for the info Bob

The family got together yesterday a our daughter and son in laws and when we
left the Barn at about 1. 00 o'clock this morning there was quite a
commotion going on around the pond further down the land. Dozens of Ducks
there making a lot of noise. We already had all the garden lights and
floodlights on so we couldn't tell if a Fox was playing mayhem, which is a
common occurrence and the lights come on.

Mike

--

....................................

I'm an Angel, honest ! The horns are there just to keep the halo straight.

....................................

On Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:19:42 -0800 (PST), bobharvey
wrote:

I think the winter one is a bit thin, and over more quickly.

Lucky you! Here the racket starts at about 4 am and then continues
steadily until dusk when it quietens down a bit until late evening
when the owls start up. It's not unusual for them to keep at it until
the early hours, finishing just in time to let the main racket start
again!

The local birds operate a queuing system* - a row of trees beside the
house leading to the main feeding area gradually fills up and then the
queue slowly advances with those who've fed rejoining the end of the
queue for after's. The queue for the bird table is more vertical -
they start at the top of a nearby tree and move down in turns.

We've noticed that one woodpecker, if displaced from a peanut feeder
by other woodpeckers, has now taken to pecking noisily at the sat dish
which is right outside the guest bedroom window so no chance of anyone
having a lie in beyond about 8.30! If only the other birds could keep
time with the beat, it might be better

* except for starlings - a lone starling arrives for a recce. Hops
around a bit and flies off. About two minutes later the flock arrives
and war breaks out as they try to jump the queue. Surprisingly, the
smaller tits usually win the argument.

Cheers, Jake
=======================================
Urgling happily from the dryer end of Swansea Bay
because Santa's delivered a new weather station
so now I'll know how dry it is when it stops raining!

On Mon, 26 Dec 2011 03:19:42 -0800 (PST), bobharvey
wrote:



Two nights ago I was out at dusk and the tawny owls were calling to
each other. They were all around me, I counted at least 12 different
calls, from different directions. Wonderful.

They are so loud here sometimes that if it wasn't for the Double
glazing you would not get any sleep.I'm sure a group of them fly to
different parts of the village in sequence to make their presence
felt. If they were a group of teenagers people would be calling for
Asbos.
Sit outside and watch one occasionally with a night vision
monocular,other day it was on the neighbours shed roof for about half
hour with an occasional swoop into a field.
I was looking at it and it was looking at me the rest of the time.
Didn't seem bothered even though there was only about 30ft between
us.
Other half wanted to take a picture but I wasn't sure what a flash
would do to an Owls vision so we didn't.

G.Harman

In article , damduck-
writes

Two nights ago I was out at dusk and the tawny owls were calling to
each other. They were all around me, I counted at least 12 different
calls, from different directions. Wonderful.

Sit outside and watch one occasionally with a night vision
monocular,other day it was on the neighbours shed roof for about half
hour with an occasional swoop into a field.
I was looking at it and it was looking at me the rest of the time.
Didn't seem bothered even though there was only about 30ft between
us.
Other half wanted to take a picture but I wasn't sure what a flash
would do to an Owls vision so we didn't.


If the roof's a favourite hunting perch you'll get other chances.
Try putting the camera on a tripod (or rest it on a cushion on a
stepladder) and use a long exposure.
--
Sue ]

bobharvey wrote:
Obviously summer migrants are not hear in the winter, but ...

Nor do they herd! (Sorry...)

Mike.
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