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Writer's pictureCrone

My first identification

Updated: Jan 11, 2022

I thought it was a hawfinch at first, but then the olive tint at the back (not clear in the photo) confirmed that it's a chaffinch.



This would have been more exciting had I seen the bird. But it was Leanne's photo. She sent me a video too. Still. Remote identification.


With my fancy new monocular, I have seen great tits, robins, blackbirds, a kestrel (roosting) and, yes, crows.


Talking of which, I mentioned CD teasing the gulls. Well, yesterday, I gave him a Wotsit and the gulls were flying overhead. He looked at it and looked at the gulls, who would not fly down with him right there. He stepped 18 inches or two feet away and the gulls started swooping down. When they got close enough, he ran at them and they roses screaming into the air. He repeated this a few times. I was standing there laughing! And then a black shape flew in, snatched the Wotsit and flew off! It was Mrs Divo (Diva, I guess) who has a particular fondness for them. CD let her go, but she celebrated by chasing a pair of gulls.


The next day, I felt sorry for the gulls, so I threw Wotsits for them. They are very funny as when it's on the ground, they start diving in and then rising, one by one, as though to pick it up is a dare-devil business. They are happy to land on the ground, but scooping up the Wotsit took a minimum of two abortive approaches and usually ten or more.


When one finally gets it, a group of four or six gulls will chase after the lucky or brave individual, all screams and swoops and rapid changes of direction and the rest, like a pond with a stone thrown in, gradually settle.


I'm starting to wonder if gulls recognise faces too.

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