Lovely Sight!

[Sara]

Just sat here this morning having a read and looked up out of the window and saw the birds migrating south for the winter. Im not sure which ones, its the ones that migrate in a v shaped line? There must have been a hundred of them all on thier way to the sunshine.

Ive always wondered how they know when to go....... The temperatures are supposed to drop this weekend.

Such a lovely thing to see in the morning.

[fishpond]

Even better when they return

[p.penn]

I know ducks fly in a V shape - not sure about others I'm afraid!

Lovely sight though as you say Sara.

[AL37]

Geese do to. It is a lovely sight, but as said I like to see them returning more than going.

[Steve the Gas]

Would be geese, ducks don't do the v thang much.

[p.penn]

They do in Sussex.

[Steve the Gas]

Would be diff. in Sussex wouldn't it...............

[bluebell]

Slightly off topic, but the other morning I went down to field to feed horses when about twenty geese passed over head and dropped down into next door's lake. Beautiful sight, and I didn't mind the fact that one of them had considered making me lucky that morning by pooping on me.

[Gwenoakes]

Like has been said I like to see the birds appearing back again, rather than going off.

The only birds in any numbers round us are crows. There are dozens of them in the horse paddocks, so much so that it looks black not green.

Coming back from shopping this afternoon we saw a beautiful rainbow and could actually see where both ends were/went, which we havent seen for ages.

[secret squirrel]

There are swans on the river where we walk the dogs and they had signets earlier in the year. A few weeks ago they were teaching the signets to fly in formation, circling overhead. It was wonderful to see. Now they are gone. Well the signets are and there are just 2 swans left. The parents wouldnt stay and the babies go, would they? We are a bit puzzled as to why there are still 2 adult swans. I dont think they are the same ones, somehow.
Each week when we go we expect them to be gone.
lorna

[Gwenoakes]

Could be wrong SS but I always thought that is exactly what the parent swans do. Seem to remember seeing it on a wildlife documentary somewhere in the dim and distan past. In fact I think it was the male swan that sent his young packing.

[secret squirrel]

Are we to assume that the signets will know instinctively where to go then?
lorna

[Gwenoakes]

Not sure SS, but seem to remember its like lions who send their male cubs off to find new territory.

Something in the back of my mind/memory remembers hearing that that is why at specific times of the year their are more swan injuries/deaths. If I get a chance I will look it up and come back.

[Steve the Gas]

Akaik, Mute Swans don't tend to migrate. The cygnets will form in groups of adolescents though.
Swans that do migrate - Whooper and Bewick

[4 french hens]

We now live under the swans flight path for the Welney Wildlife Trust.

Every morning and evening huge numbers fly over us honking (noise) as they go.

BUT :- they have machine gun a***'s and puddle our cars from end to end with huge deposits that are a nightmare to remove before they wreck the paintwork with its alkaline content.

The WWT have daily swan feeds, where they push a floating wheelbarrow into the washes and give a talk as they feed the hordes, and sometimes that can run into thousands.

Mike