tarboat's photos with the keyword: bird

Our garden robin is slowly turning white. Last year it had some white feathers on tail and wings but now the white has spread. The condition is known as leuchistic and is caused by a lack of melanin which creates the black and brown colours. Apparently robins are somewhat prone to this deficiency and some are even pure white. This is not albinoism as that would mean the bird had pink eyes too. When I decided to try to photograph the bird I was wondering how to get its co-operation. The answer was to make myself busy about the garden abd within a minute a could hear it calling in the bushes nearby as it came to investigate what I was doing. I then went for some food to put on the bird table and when I got to the door there was the robin looking in and willing me to get the food on the table. It flew onto the greenhouse and jigged around enthusiastically whilst I took my photos and thendescended to the table the instant I placed the food there. We were both winners!

One of our local blackbirds has just become a meal for this male Sparrowhawk who is now enjoying brunch on our lawn.

Wildlife in the four foot as 6201 " Princess Elizabeth " approaches with the Scarborough Flyer.

Pulling away from Apesford Crossing with a morning train as a local kestrel takes to the air in surprise.

A Christmassy friend on the station nameboard.

Mrs Tarboat summoned me to the kitchen window one evening to see the drama unfolding on our lawn. A Sparrowhawk had dropped in for supper. One of our local collared doves did not make it .................... There wasn't much left afterwards. When I was young we never ever saw Sparrowhawks but now they appear to be fairly common. Certainly this isn't the first time that we have watched the local bird population being reduced in this way. The previous occasion a bluetit provided a light snack for a Sparrowhawk that then spent an hour dozing in the hollybush under the kitchen window.

Having only just posted an image of a sparrowhawk on my lawn it was a bit of a coincidence when tarboat junior told me this morning that there was another one sat on the garden fence. This time the light was better and I was able to take several shots through the kitchen window. A fine bird indeed!