Corvid not covid

Sunday March 29th: Isolation Day 6 Almost a week into our new life of uncertainty and restriction and the boredom and monotony is beginning to set in. Fortunately the sun is still shining enabling me to get out briefly each day for my daily dose of nature therapy. Whilst being limited to just one small…

New beginnings

Having lived beside Aberystwyth harbour for over 4 years ago now, I have come to know its avian residents rather well, witnessing their trials of life, love and death on my own doorstep. In this time I have also seen the arrival of many new babies, from the adorable swan cygnets to the noisy, squabbling…

‘Jack, jack!’

Wildlife photography can often be a very lonely occupation and one requiring vast amounts of patience. I have spent countless hours sitting alone (often in some very uncomfortable spots) just watching and waiting for that next close encounter or interesting piece of behaviour to occur. More often than not I am left disappointed as things…

Happy Valentine’s Day

Did you know jackdaws are one of the few birds which truly mate for life? Jackdaws form pairs as young birds and will then remain together for all of their lives in a partnership sometimes referred to as a ‘marriage’. The couple will travel and feed together, and both birds are responsible for raising their…

Reflection

It has been a rather dreary January, with seemingly endless damp and drizzle punctuated with the just the odd day of winter sunshine here or there. After a positive start with a beautiful frost to capture, there hasn’t been a huge amount to photograph. I must admit I have been feeling a little uninspired and…

Bird behaviour: Anting

It was a quiet day today with little bird activity to photograph, I was ready to call it a day when a Rook appeared and landed on the harbour wall nearby. It immediately took an interest in a particular spot and began acting rather strangely, dragging its wings against the ground and then turning to…

A wild Jackdaw chase

For several weeks now I have been following a flock of Jackdaws who regularly visit the area around the harbour in search of food. Although these birds are always a favourite of mine, I am particularly interested in them at this time of year as this is the time when their youngsters fledge and join…

A bird in the hand

Rooks are certainly not the most beautiful of birds. A black angular body and bare, scaly face with sharp beak give them a rather sinister, reptilian appearance. They do also have a unwelcome reputation due to their habit of eating other birds’ eggs and nestlings. Nevertheless I have always found these birds fascinating and charming,…

Sighting: Leucistic Jackdaw

Leucism is a genetic condition which affects pigment. In birds this results in abnormally pale or white feathers, affecting anything from a few single feathers to transforming a whole bird pure white. https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/gbw/gardens-wildlife/garden-birds/behaviour/plumage/leucism Leucism appears more prevalent in dark, primarily black birds, or perhaps it is just more noticeable in these species, and therefore more…

Corvus corone

Since moving to the harbour 18 months ago I have come to know the local avian residents quite well. There is the flock of friendly pigeons who feature in a lot of my blog posts, a family of jackdaws, mallards and not forgetting the mute swan pair, often accompanied by a canada goose. Of all…