Great Tits - watch in real time

[Beverleyh]

I guess that got your attention Precisely why I didn't post it in the Lounge (initially) >> Inappropriate? Spammy? And, although technically correct, quite possibly a good way to get my mod badge revoked on my first day, ha, ha.

It's an educational/interesting topic though, so mop up the coffee that you've just spluttered over your keyboard, and if you're interested in following the life-cycle of our on-site birds, take a peek - they'll be hatching any day now!

http://www.dronfield.derbyshire.sch....s/birdcam-poll

They're on London time (GMT+1 / UTC+1), so their activity will be low if you stop by at night (obviously).

Once they hatch, there'll be about 3 weeks of grubs 'n' growth before they fly the nest. They are SO cute when their feathers come through

[traq]

I say, put it in the lounge! Your ,mod badge is safe with me

[Beverleyh]

OK - I guess ddadmin, John and Daniel have see this during the course of the day, and they haven't pounced on it.

Feel free to edit at will though guys!

[jscheuer1]

Those don't look like the tufted titmice (yes they're birds) I'm used to in these parts, but it was dark. I'm not even sure they were supposed to be tufted titmice, are they?

Anyways, I used to have feeders, but they were really messy and labor intensive, and I'm not convinced it was really all that great an idea, though many people will swear that feeders are essential in some way. I do still maintain a bird bath. Between it and a sort of bird friendly environment in the yard (a good number of trees and shrubs - also fairly near some woods), still get pretty much all the same species I did with the feeders.

I get cardinals, robins, tufted titmice, rock doves, mourning doves, chickadees, nuthatches. juncos, house sparrows, house finches, gold finches, purple finches, cat birds, blue jays, cow birds, wood peckers (downy and another larger variety I can't remember at the moment), crows, starlings, and others I'm not sure of their names or perhaps am not remembering. I think I had a Lincoln's sparrow once. I did have a pheasant once. When I had the feeders, hawks would sometimes come and attack the birds, often successfully. Not so much if at all with just the bath. It's protected from direct overhead viewing, and never as crowded as the feeders were.

It always makes my day a little cheerier to see them out in that bath splashing about or drinking it. Don't they know any better?

[Beverleyh]

I just Googled tufted titmice - they're very cute I dont think we have them here.

The school nest box used to house Blue Tits http://www.pbase.com/tirc/image/54151593 , which are much prettier than the Great Tits that got first dibs on the nest box this time (after it was replaced last year). We think it was because the new nest box is bigger and the 'sky-light' in the top makes it less private for the smaller Blue's.

I should put you in touch with our resident bird expert! You know way more than me about our feathered-friends, although I do recognise a few names on your list.

I tend to go by my own slightly-flawed bird rule;
If it's white, it's a swan.
If it's black, it's a crow.
If it's brown, it's a sparrow.
Any other colour... it's a parrot, ha ha.

It makes for a very interesting time at school. The nest box is right outside the office, so now I can hear them chirping ALL THE BLINKING TIME. Also, once the babies are un-shelled, and both parents are on the scrounge for grubs, we'll get buzzed by them on the way to the bathroom. They may only be small, but they are fiercely protective.

And yes, I totally agree, they make my day more cheerful too

[djr33]

(Haha, at first I thought you might be testing the spam filters on the forum )

That's fun. Not very active at the moment (time difference), but looks like a fun project. I can't tell if the audio is working-- they're sleeping, but shouldn't I hear some background noise?

I tend to go by my own slightly-flawed bird rule;
If it's white, it's a swan.
If it's black, it's a crow.
If it's brown, it's a sparrow.
Any other colour... it's a parrot, ha ha.

That's basically my classification system too. But--
If it's black and white, it's a penguin.

(Unless we're talking about Angry Birds-- then the colors are quite important!)

[Beverleyh]

Yes the time difference makes things a little awkward but i reckon she'll be awake again in about 8 hours from now - pretty much when you and John will be winding down for the evening.

Sadly there is no audio on the camera - just the picture, which IMO is a little disappointing too because the 'colour' is practically just a hue away from black and white. We thought it would be much richer and sharper but maybe we got a bad one, or maybe we just didn't set it up properly. Oh well, we can still see what's going on so its not a total loss.

I have to make more of an effort with Angry Birds. Since I got an iPhone, the chaps in my office have encouraged me to download an app, but I'm hopeless at it. I'm more of an old-school, 2D Super Mario Bros, with up, down, left, right, jump and fire controller, and elbows all over the place, type of gal!

[traq]

There was a couple two years ago live-streaming from a camera in their owl box. It was pretty cool.

[Beverleyh]

I would have liked to have seen that

I'm looking forward to when this batch hatches. Daily check-ins on chick progress is addictive, especially when they start doing funny little bum-dances when they need to poo. They wave their bottoms in the air after they've eaten to let mum know that they have to 'go'. Its hilarious

[letom]

@Beverley
Congratulations, Nice to hear, you got the badge of moderator,
Then next time onwards , i will get infraction messages from you also. In my inbox i have 4 infractions now

I have a common doubt that if a moderator is breaking the rules, who will send infraction messages to him ?
I don't know but according to my previous experience i think i will get another infraction for saying congratulations to you..