Dartmoor is full of juveniles at the moment, the most delinquent of which are our Sparrow flock. The collective nouns for Sparrows are in fact a Knot, or a Host or even better, a Quarrel. That's definitely what they are.
Someone has their beady eye on the Quarrel:
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Other juveniles include......
GS Woodpecker
.........and female:
Dad keeping an eye on them:
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Wheatear:
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Great Tit:
Jay - I'm very excited about this as it's the first Jay I've ever captured. There's a whole family of them chattering about in the trees around here. The lack of fear of the juvenile made this possible I think. Full zoom obviously:
Meadow Pipits of course:
Blue Tit:
Blackbird. You can't see the speckled breast of youth but I loved the little hint of beak and eye here:
And a couple of mammals. Lamb:
And Will, the first of this year's foals, already losing his foal fluff and looking like a dark bay:
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A really nice set of images Em, great shots of the Stonechats in particular.
ReplyDeleteWe had super storm come through and take down many trees...but the robins nests survived. :)
ReplyDeleteThey're tough little things aren't they?
DeleteThere is no left over oatmeal at our house in the morning.
ReplyDeleteI make it specially for them Joanne!
DeleteWell, you certainly have a lot of feathery goings on at your house right now! Busy busy indeed, you must be getting through tons of bird food! xx
ReplyDeleteJust a bowl of porridge a day and some seeds. Porridge oats are SO cheap.
DeleteLove the sparrow pics
ReplyDeleteThey are truly noises little buggers
Not as noisy as our Magpies at the moment - I'm thinking of borrowing an air rifle......not really.
Delete!!!!!
DeleteJane xxx
such a collection of juveniles
ReplyDeleteThose are the ones I managed to capture. I love this time of year.
DeleteBeautiful pics Em, especially the close ups. The Sparrow looks like butter wouldn't melt.
ReplyDeleteOur GSW chick is so sneaky. He will come to the feeder and eat on his own, but if Dad is around he'll fly to the bird table pole, act all helpless and demand to be fed!
Just like human babies!
DeleteSparrow, they're a bit like football hooligans! lol. Love your photos are always. You said you have a new Nikon, but what model?
ReplyDeleteIt's a Coolpix P600. I can highly recommend it.
DeleteI had to rescue a baby seagull from my sons balcony this evening, the young really need to smarten up or they won't survive unfortunately. Great shot of the jay, they visit our garden sometimes but I'm never quick enough with the camera.
ReplyDeleteI think that's probably my last Jay pic for a while Chickpea. They're so shy aren't they?
DeleteLost my comment...
ReplyDeleteLove the group of sparrows, eating talking and garbling all at once.
It is hot here too. The monsoons are trying to start, humidity rising and 105 temp today.
Have a lovely weekend.
cheers, parsnip
I keep losing comments too Parsnip - it;'s driving me mad and I keep forgetting to copy what I've written before pressing 'publish' so I have to write it all out again.
DeleteGreat pictures. Love birds. I believe Quarrel applies to relatives.
ReplyDeleteWe are having a quarrel of relatives over on July 4th!
When I see my very few relatives, there's a more repressed feel to the event. The quarrels are unspoken!
DeleteHi Em! We don't have many birds around right now, so I've really enjoyed the photos and seeing all of yours as the circle of life is continuing! It has been hot here too and I'm trying to soak up the heat and not complain ... Too much! :-) Enjoy your weekend!!
ReplyDeleteThey do hide when it gets that hot don't they? Don't wilt Kim. You have too many dogs who depend on you!
DeleteSo much fun to see your avian neighbors' kids! We have nice ones here too, but I still love the little Europeans - especially the woodpecker and the jay
ReplyDeleteNice that you have experience of both though Margarethe.
DeleteHi EM Wonderful series of fantastic shots. I love all the babies and you must make a lot of porridge for the birds. Ido eat porridge but usually finish it all up!! Must make some for the birds alone!!
ReplyDeleteThat's what I do Margaret but in my used bowl in the morning to save on washing up. It sits, solidifying until about 4.30pm when I feed the dogs, the birds and Trigger all at once. They're not getting the sunflower oil mixed in at the moment; just water.
DeleteWonderful photos, Em, so enjoyed seeing all the Dartmoor kids ;)
ReplyDeleteThey're so lovely to watch - I'm very lucky.
DeleteWe too have a Quarrel of Sparrows here. I love them :-)
ReplyDeleteSuper shots of all the other birds, but do beware the jays- I've seen them take fledglings before :-( xx
I keep losing comments! This is the second time I've written this.....just to say that the Jays never come into the garden. X
DeleteGlad I found you Em (or you found me lol) looking forward to your posts. Smashing photos love your sparrows :)
ReplyDeleteThere are SO many of them! Perhaps some relocation would help population numbers...
DeleteI read that the RSPB said numbers of Sparrows are on the decrease. No they aren't - they are all in your garden!!!! Lovely photos.
ReplyDeleteI can't tell you what it's like at feeding time. SO noisy and I think they manage three broods some years.
DeleteWow, what a lot of different kinds of babes you have. I wish I could get such great pics of ours, even though we don't have nearly the diversity you have. We have baby bluebirds, tree swallows, flickers and the barn swallows hatched today.
ReplyDeleteI don't know what a Flicker is but I shall go and have a look....
DeleteYou have a goodly selection of youngsters there. When we were at Aberglasney Gardens this week, there were several juvenile Robins and one had learned the ropes already and was around our feet, ho[ping for crumbs - and of course we didn't disappoint!
ReplyDeleteI saw the result of all the cuckoo noise earlier in the year today and will post pictures of it before we go to London I hope. How on earth the poor Meadow Pipit foster parents have fed it to become that size I have NO idea, poor things. x
DeleteWe have a garden full of bird babies too - I love to watch them. There is no shortage of house sparrows around here although I understand they are rare in some places.
ReplyDeleteI think my relocation idea is the answer Pat!
DeleteThe juveniles are always great fun to watch! We have some, lost many in the high heat last week (98 degrees F)
ReplyDeleteSo many wonderful photos-especially love the Magpie and the black-face sheep.
So sad to hear that the heat has had that effect. I hope you're bearing up better!
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