Birding from the Office

I'm not the greatest or most obsessed birder on the planet (though I'm sure I know that particular bloke...), but I do tend to notice things flying around/past.

This morning there's a new bird of prey in the air over the building next to me. He's not the jackal buzzard, nor any of the myriad kites and falcons. It's not one of the pair of fish eagles that we finally saw on Saturday (after hearing them in the distance for years). But what it is, I don't know!

And that got me thinking.

My Roberts Birds book is at home. I'm not going to lug it around on the offchance I see something new. I haven't got it memorized either, so it's unlikely I'll make a spot identification without getting it wrong. Besides, it's an early 70's model, and many of the bird names and classifications have changed.

BUT I do have internet access! You'd think there'd be an online bird "field" guide somewhere, surely? Nope, not at all. I suspect the knowledgeable folk are too busy birding out in the field to sit down and compile one online.

You DO get PDA versions of most guides - at a price - and there are more electronic formats coming out. And perhaps that's the issue. Why give away free access to bird identification when you can rather make paying customers out of people?

Whatever the case may be, it would be really great if there were a world birding site with every possible fowl listed, a searcheable database that contained info on how the thing looks, where it's supposed to be, calls, eggs, breeding times, food.. all that. At best the current info is minimal. Even things like looking up what a baby owl is supposed to be fed require much Googling. Heck - the database could contain info for rescue organizations local to where you've spotted it too, just in case!

So - any birders want to give this one a shot? If so, I'd be first in line to use it!

Comets and Owls

We finally saw Comet McNaught! Around sunset we went outside and peered hopefully at the western sky, to no avail. Thought the horizon clouds were in the way, so went back inside. A little while later I glanced out my bedroom window - and there it was, in all it's glory! Amazing...! Unfortunately this isn't the best photo, 'cos I really need a tripod and a camera that can handle that level of dark, but there she is. My first comet spotted.


While comet-seeking, we found 3 white eggs (empty) under a nearby pine tree. A bit of Googling, a peruse of the bird book, and it was confirmed that there are Cape Eagle Owls nesting in our pine tree. One of the three eggs was kicked out unhatched and broken, the others are hatchling-empty. Probably a few days old, so we're looking forward to seeing and hearing baby owls soon.

Resurrection! Well - sorta..

I was quite surprised to see an Olive Thrush today hopping around the place where one was squashed yesterday. I thought perhaps it had been resurrected, re-inflated and glued back together - but it seems it was a case of mistaken identity.

There was indeed an Olive Thrush mown down by a speeding car, but it wasn't the one I usually see. He's still alive and well, and thriving on a variety of insect life in his usual place.

Sad to see the other dead one still there, but I'm glad there's still another around.