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Sheffields Flora and Fauna


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It seems that the stated reason for felling this tree (in Coronation Park, Oughtibridge) was the costly damage the roots were doing to the drainage from the toilet block (which I'm guessing is the brick building in the picture).

Those toilets have been boarded up for over 20 years. They have also chopped another tree [ after they did this one ]

at the top end of the park near the road side.

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I've watched a couple of magpies on and off over the last couple of days. They're trying to build a nest but I think they're a bit inexperienced because they aren't getting anywhere with it.

They're struggling to get long twigs to stay across a fork in the branches but there's nothing much to show for their efforts. Some of the sticks they're trying to work with are well over a foot long and it's taking them ages just to get them through the branches to where they want them. Then see them fall and get stuck further down the tree..

Ten out of ten for effort though.

A bit blurred. The window doesn't open enough so I had to take it through the glass.

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I've watched a couple of magpies on and off over the last couple of days. They're trying to build a nest but I think they're a bit inexperienced because they aren't getting anywhere with it.

They're struggling to get long twigs to stay across a fork in the branches but there's nothing much to show for their efforts. Some of the sticks they're trying to work with are well over a foot long and it's taking them ages just to get them through the branches to where they want them. Then see them fall and get stuck further down the tree..

Ten out of ten for effort though.

A bit blurred. The window doesn't open enough so I had to take it through the glass.

Magpies

Tell me about them, - we've got loads of them this year, like this one in our garden

Many of them are coming in as "pairs" so are obviously nesting and breeding somewhere.

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Magpies

Tell me about them, - we've got loads of them this year, like this one in our garden

Many of them are coming in as "pairs" so are obviously nesting and breeding somewhere.

One for sorrow :(

What should you do 'and perhaps say' if you see a lone magpie ?

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One for sorrow :(

What should you do 'and perhaps say' if you see a lone magpie ?

The photo is of one magpie which had come down for food and water from our bird table, causing all the other birds to leave.

However, this is one of many we see frequently at present.

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Salute. Don't know why?

No idea what you are meant to say.

One for sorrow :(

What should you do 'and perhaps say' if you see a lone magpie ?

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Magpies

Tell me about them, - we've got loads of them this year, like this one in our garden

Many of them are coming in as "pairs" so are obviously nesting and breeding somewhere.

A few years ago we had increasing numbers of magpies around us. That winter they used to congregate at dusk in the tree at the bottom of our garden, and I frequently counted 16 of them.

For three or four years they were around, and we didn't have a single blackbird or thrush in the garden. Then one spring they disappeared all but a couple, and lo and behold we've had numerous blackbirds and a few thrushes ever since.

I don't care what the RSPB say, magpies either drive out or take the eggs of songbirds.

Unfortunately the numbers are increasing again, but this time they've a family of crows to contend with, who don't want to share their territory.

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A few years ago we had increasing numbers of magpies around us. That winter they used to congregate at dusk in the tree at the bottom of our garden, and I frequently counted 16 of them.

For three or four years they were around, and we didn't have a single blackbird or thrush in the garden. Then one spring they disappeared all but a couple, and lo and behold we've had numerous blackbirds and a few thrushes ever since.

I don't care what the RSPB say, magpies either drive out or take the eggs of songbirds.

Unfortunately the numbers are increasing again, but this time they've a family of crows to contend with, who don't want to share their territory.

Fortunately the magpies have not driven out all the other birds yet.

The other birds makes themselves scarce when they come down to feed in the garden, but quickly return once they have gone on their way again.

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The Magpies are exceptionally evil around here - they congregate in very large groups, wear striped-shirts, sing songs belittling Sunderland, drink beer in pubs and moan about Sports Direct and Alan Shearer ...

Fortunately the magpies have not driven out all the other birds yet.

The other birds makes themselves scarce when they come down to feed in the garden, but quickly return once they have gone on their way again.

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The Magpies are exceptionally evil around here - they congregate in very large groups, wear striped-shirts, sing songs belittling Sunderland, drink beer in pubs and moan about Sports Direct and Alan Shearer ...

That's strange Richard because round here that is more typical behaviour of an OWL rather than a MAGPIE.

I have heard that down in East Anglia around Norwich way CANARIES behave in a similar way too. lol

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Nice surprise today to see a Dipper on the River Sheaf in Heeley,

apparently they are thriving well and becoming more common on our local rivers, with sightings around the General Cemetery (Porter),

Norton Hammer (Sheaf), it looks like they are spreading towards the City Center.

Managed a couple of photos, but this small bird was a fair way off.

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The Friends of the Porter Valley adopted the dipper as their logo because of their presence on the Porter. Nice to know they're moving into town!

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The Friends of the Porter Valley adopted the dipper as their logo because of their presence on the Porter. Nice to know they're moving into town!

I did send my sighting off to the SBSG (Sheffield Bird Study Group), but it has no mention in their recent sightings.

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We have a tree in the street in front of our bedroom window, it is only about 20 feet away.

Now at this time of year when the birds return they often make enough noise at daybreak to wake you up more effectively than the alarm clock.

But, it is that time of year for nesting and egg laying isn't it.

Look what greeted us when we opened the bedroom curtains

Also noticed a lot more bird mess on the pavement and road under the tree, - and on the car if you park it in the wrong place!

Wonder how many eggs she's sitting on?

...and how many baby pigeons we are likely to get?

We have bred lovebirds at home and their usual clutch is 5, but I am not really a pigeon fancier.

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We have a tree in the street in front of our bedroom window, it is only about 20 feet away.

Wonder how many eggs she's sitting on?

...and how many baby pigeons we are likely to get?

We have bred lovebirds at home and their usual clutch is 5, but I am not really a pigeon fancier.

According to my Larousse pocket guide, Wood Pigeons normally lay 2 eggs.

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According to my Larousse pocket guide, Wood Pigeons normally lay 2 eggs.

Thanks Steve, I did wonder how many to expect.

With the nest being in such an advantagous viewing position without disturbing the birds (just look through the bedroom window) I am hoping to get more photos as things develop, hopefully with chicks.

However, that tree is in full bloom and leaves are starting to appear and I suspect the nest will soon disappear behind the foilage of the tree canopy.

I bet UKL has some comment to make about me taking photos through a bedroom window.

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Whoose bedroom window ? lol

MY bedroom window.

You know full well that we have got a dirty great tree outside the house.

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We have a tree in the street in front of our bedroom window, it is only about 20 feet away.

Now at this time of year when the birds return they often make enough noise at daybreak to wake you up more effectively than the alarm clock.

But, it is that time of year for nesting and egg laying isn't it.

Look what greeted us when we opened the bedroom curtains

Also noticed a lot more bird mess on the pavement and road under the tree, - and on the car if you park it in the wrong place!

Wonder how many eggs she's sitting on?

...and how many baby pigeons we are likely to get?

We have bred lovebirds at home and their usual clutch is 5, but I am not really a pigeon fancier.

I don't know if this is good news or bad news for our nesting pigeon

Broken egg shell found in street beneath nesting tree

She, and the nest, have survived the "controlled explosions" done by the army bomb disposal squad earlier this week (see DaveH evacuated topic) but then I find this broken egg shell

Has it broken or fallen from the nest?

Has it hatched and we now have a baby pigeon chick?

The shell was in one large piece as shown, with the top missing, there was no other debris or spilt albumen / yolk and no dead bird embryo which may indicate the shell has been thrown out after hatching, be as of yet I cannot see or hear any signs of any chicks.

The mother is still sitting on the nest.

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I know birds will remove the remains of a hatched shell from the nest. Perhaps Mum's been spring-cleaning?

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I know birds will remove the remains of a hatched shell from the nest. Perhaps Mum's been spring-cleaning?

I think it probably is just this because of the nature of the broken shell, but there is no sign of any chick yet.

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Bad news about our nesting pigeon.

The egg had natched and mum had a single healthy chick which she was feeding and looking after.

Unfortunately, the rapid growth of leaves on the tree since my original picture made photography of the pair difficult and impossible to get a clear unobscured view.

However, today my wife witnessed an attack on the nest by "a gang of magpies", which managed to drag the chick out of the nest into our front garden where they attacked and killed it.

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