What's buzzing or flying near you 2025 ?

For several days running, I found this juvenile Green Heron in this tiny pond. As they are usually pretty skittish critters, I was surprised that I could get close without disturbing it. I thought, well, it is a young bird and perhaps has not developed a fear of humans. I moved around freely, sat close for several minutes and took numerous images, and the bird paid no attention to me. Three trips running, the bird was virtually in the same spot, however, yesterday when I checked the pond had completely dried up. Not until I was post-processing the image did the thought occur to me that the bird was taking advantage of the shrinking pond. The smaller the pond became, the more concentrated the fish were, so the easier the fishing became. Pretty good thinking for a "dumb animal." No matter how you look at it, the minnow was doomed anyway.

 

This is a Grey Catbird, so called because of its call, yes, it mews like a cat. They will be heading south for the winter soon, and I will miss them till spring.

 

Lovely pix - as always @hydrogardener . That heron was pretty smart right enough! They all have to live, so if they can get food easily enough, that's how it is.
We do have collared doves around here @floralies - plenty of good habitat, but they don't often come in the garden. I think it's just been such a good year for breeding due to the weather, so many types of birds have been far more successful than usual. We don't get jackdaws coming in other than occasionally in winter when ground's frozen or snow covered, but they've cottoned on to the ground feeder too. I just have one, but I sometimes scatter a little food on the gravel and they poke about in there. They can get the bits that fall out of the cages too.
I've got to the point where I keep imitating their [collared doves] call. I just hope no one hears me. I'm sure folk think I'm bonkers anyway!
A lady I know [a little bit] who lives along the road from me said something very nice to me recently. She said I was doing everyone else's share of helping wildlife round here. It made me feel my efforts weren't in vain.

 

A few Avocets, there are about 300 in Poole Harbour at present but that should treble by mid October.

 

This is a male Pileated woodpecker, I watched in fascination as it made a fist sized hole in this tree in about two minutes. It reached into the tree and came out with a plump inch sized grub, which it must have considered worth all that effort.

 

Some really dull conditions this morning so I couldn't get any clear pics of these Little Stints, the smallest wader here, normally passing through from high Scandinavia/Russia to West Africa but a few overwinter. They are often seen with the bigger more common Dunlin and not much bigger than a Starling.

 

I was sat outside when this fella landed on me (sorry about the grey hairs )

Then i looked at the house walls and there was hurndreds looking for a hiding place for the winter, looks like we won't be aloud to open any windows agian

 

A very smart green woodpecker (but then they all are) back on the spartan apple tree pecking away at one apple for some time. Thankfully it just stayed on one apple not like the magpies and crows.

 

My Calicarpia shrubs all heavy with purple berries are a flutter in movement with over 10 birds eating those berries this morning.

 

Fine as long as the hairs are just head, arms or legs @Jiffy

 

I'm afraid they're arms my head and legs are also grey but other parts still have colour as them haven't had much sunlight ie my back

 

White-throated sparrow.

 

Male Downy woodpecker, when I look at these images I wonder what, if anything, is going on in their tiny brains. This species, in particular, will sit like this looking like they are pondering the wonders of the universe, or Einstein's theories.

 

Male Cardinal.

 

...and did the woodpecker ever enlighten you @hydrogardener ?
I know what you mean about them just doing...nothing. I saw one of the many woodpigeons doing something similar in summer, but it was raining quite heavily, so it was probably just a pleasant showering experience after all the dry weather we'd had.
Maybe your woodie was just enjoying life while it lasted.

I found the pic of the pigeon


Ironically, while reading your post and writing mine, I was listening to Simon & Garfunkel doing the song called - Sparrow