And finally
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Was unable to get a photo as I was driving, but definitely saw another Hoopoe yesterday, which was nice. Very funky looking birds.
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Sorry for posting this in here and not one of mine obviously but an amazing image
Red-winged blackbird harassing a juvenile bald eagle photo by Cri
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Just hitchin a ride 
Obviously the blackbird has read Lord Of The Rings
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Well it’s one up on me then
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It’s a good yarn despite the films
A day to remember. As I carried out the Merlin surveys on Fetlar (there are no breeding birds here this year) I was invited to go over to Yell and visit a nest where the licensed ringers were going to ring some chicks.
The walk to and from the site was very tough indeed and my body is now broken, but worth every last step to have the privilege of seeing and holding these beauties.
(These are Schedule 1 breeding birds so all photographs taken under license)
3 chicks
2 females
1 male
A cold egg which we disposed of
In the hand
A magical experience, I’m still buzzing from it!
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Most excellent Paul 
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That is probably a very good thing.
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Indeed, it’s also extremely difficult to find, even when the parents are nearby calling.
Needle in a haystack about covers it.
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Stunning! What a privilege.
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Cuckoo - a juvenile being fed by its adoptive meadow pipit parent by Pete Walkden
Sorry for posting non forum pics but I think this is an amazing photograph
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Probably the most common host species. Great pic.
Cheers Paul I didn’t know that - they obviously make very good adoptive parents !
You would think that they might spot that the ‘child’ is 4 times the size of the ‘parent’
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Fascinating though - the amount of food they must need to collect to keep that fatboi happy is mental
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We definitely have a birds nest in a hole in the wall of our renovation section. Lots of cheeping and Inge seen a parent flying in with food. Couldn’t tell what it was or get a good photo though. @pmac, any idea how long it’s likely to be before the young fly the nest? Absolutely don’t want to disturb them before that point.
It will vary by species but for most songbirds it will only be a couple of weeks or so from hatching to leaving the nest
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We spent a bit of time at Lopwell watching pied wagtails flying backwards and forwards from a small hole under the eaves of the barn. They were very busy, we were knackered watching them!
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