ShySongbird's Nature News

(formerly: ShySongbird's Twitterings) The Occasional View from my Perch

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Royal Society for the Protection of Birds

British Trust for Ornithology

British Garden Birds

British Birds

Birds of Britain

Butterfly Conservation (UK)

UK Butterflies

UK Moths

British Dragonfly Society

British Bugs

UK Safari (British wildlife site)

British Wild Flower Identification

British Wild Flowers

The Mammal Society (British)

Reptiles and Amphibians of the UK

British Arachnological Society (Spiders) 
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Yellow Wagtail

Yellow Wagtail

Welcome!

Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, I hope you enjoy it and I will be delighted if you leave a friendly comment. I will answer each one even though sometimes it may take a few days.

A Little Bit About Me

My photo
ShySongbird
I have been interested in Nature since childhood and have always enjoyed watching the birds and butterflies in my garden and elsewhere. I am happiest in the countryside among natural things and love beauty in all its forms. This blog is a record of my observations of birds and nature in general.
View my complete profile

Purple Emperor

Purple Emperor
Click on the photo to read of my encounter with this special and much sought after butterfly.

BRIAN MAY'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY

BRIAN MAY'S CAMPAIGN AGAINST ANIMAL CRUELTY
'The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated.'

(Mahatma Gandhi)

Crow

Crow
'The indifference, callousness and contempt that so many people exhibit toward animals is evil first because it results in great suffering in animals, and second because it results in an incalculably great impoverishment of the human spirit. '

(Ashley Montague)

Silver-spotted Skipper

Silver-spotted Skipper
UK & Eire Natural History Bloggers
Nature Blog Network

My Very Welcome 'Blogland' Friends

'Study Nature,
love Nature,
stay close to it.
It will never fail you.'

(Frank Lloyd Wright)

Wheatear

Wheatear
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Red Kite

Red Kite

Please Don't Copy!

This blog contains my own photographs (unless otherwise credited) and my own writing albeit sometimes with the aid of research from books and the internet. All poetry and quotes are credited. Please don't copy or reproduce my work in any way without asking me first.

Brambling

Brambling

Fieldfare

Fieldfare

Hurt No Living Thing

'Hurt no living thing:
Ladybird, nor butterfly,
Nor moth with dusty wing,
Nor cricket chirping cheerily,
Nor grasshopper so light of leap,
Nor dancing gnat, nor beetle fat,
Nor harmless worms that creep.'

(Christina Georgina Rosetti)

Green Woodpecker

Green Woodpecker

Blackcap

Blackcap

Chiffchaff

Chiffchaff

The Peace of Wild Things

'When despair for the world grows in me
and I wake in the night at the least sound
in fear of what my life and my children's lives may be,
I go and lie down where the wood drake
rests in his beauty on the water, and the great heron feeds.
I come into the peace of wild things
who do not tax their lives with forethought
of grief. I come into the presence of still water.
And I feel above me the day-blind stars
waiting with their light. For a time
I rest in the grace of the world, and am free.'

(Wendell Berry)

Common Buzzard

Common Buzzard

Solitude

'To sit on rocks, to muse o'er flood and fell,
To slowly trace the forest's shady scene,
Where things that own not man's dominion dwell,
And mortal foot hath ne'er or rarely been...
This is not Solitude, 'tis --- but to hold
Converse with Nature's charms, and view her stores unrolled...'

(Lord Byron)

Grey Wagtail

Grey Wagtail
'When a man wantonly destroys a work of man we call him a vandal; When a man destroys one of the works of God, we call him a sportsman.'

(Joseph Wood Krutch)

Treecreeper

Treecreeper

Lesser Yellowlegs

Lesser Yellowlegs
'Look deep,
deep into Nature,
and then you will understand everything better.'

(Albert Einstein)

Yellowhammer

Yellowhammer

Long-tailed Tit

Long-tailed Tit
'Until we extend our circle of compassion to all living things, humanity will not find peace.'

(Albert Schweitzer)

Willow Warbler

Willow Warbler

Ruff

Ruff

Blog Archive

  • ▼  2013 (4)
    • ▼  April (1)
      • Small Signs of Spring
    • ►  March (1)
    • ►  January (2)
  • ►  2012 (14)
    • ►  November (1)
    • ►  October (1)
    • ►  August (1)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (2)
    • ►  May (1)
    • ►  April (2)
    • ►  March (1)
    • ►  February (2)
    • ►  January (1)
  • ►  2011 (14)
    • ►  July (1)
    • ►  June (2)
    • ►  May (2)
    • ►  April (2)
    • ►  March (3)
    • ►  February (3)
    • ►  January (1)
  • ►  2010 (18)
    • ►  November (2)
    • ►  October (3)
    • ►  September (1)
    • ►  August (1)
    • ►  July (2)
    • ►  June (1)
    • ►  May (3)
    • ►  April (1)
    • ►  March (1)
    • ►  February (2)
    • ►  January (1)
  • ►  2009 (38)
    • ►  December (1)
    • ►  November (2)
    • ►  October (2)
    • ►  September (2)
    • ►  August (4)
    • ►  July (1)
    • ►  June (3)
    • ►  May (4)
    • ►  April (6)
    • ►  March (6)
    • ►  February (7)

Reed Bunting

Reed Bunting

Red Kite

Red Kite

Garganey Duck

Garganey Duck
'Nature gives to every time and season some beauties of its own.'

(Charles Dickens)

Spring Wildflowers

Spring Wildflowers

Grey Partridge

Grey Partridge

Song Thrush

Song Thrush

Ruddy Darter

Ruddy Darter

Blogs I Enjoy

  • The Purple Empire
    A Midsummer Day's Dream... - Arrived in Savernake, on route home, at 12.30. Straight in on a huge male feeding on something left behind by one of the over-many canine visitors. Of co...
    9 hours ago
  • MIDMARSH JOTTINGS
    Life in Moss - I picked up a bit of moss kindly thrown on my path by a bird. It was placed in a small petri dish and soaked with boiled tap water for a few hours: [image...
    14 hours ago
  • Ragged Robin's Nature Notes
    June Visit to Herefordshire - Part 3: Ledwyche Meadow and Burford House Gardens - On the Friday we decided to go and have a look at Ledwyche meadow at Burford House Gardens as June seems to be the month when it looks its best. Le...
    16 hours ago
  • ..Roy's Nature Logbook..
    Butterfly Time - A look at the recent flurry of Butterfly Life observed on my local patches. Painted Lady Large White Meadow Brown Small Skipper Green-vein...
    17 hours ago
  • thequacksoflife
    In the Footsteps of Ragged Robin - I assume those of you who read this blog also read Ragged Robin? If you don't then please do! She often visits Burford House Garden and recommended it to ...
    3 days ago
  • Butterfly Pictures
    Costa Rica Butterflies November 2024 - Part 8 - Because of the repairs to the damaged runway caused by flooding our return flight was delayed by 24 hours. We were actually very lucky, as some other guest...
    4 weeks ago
  • THE WESSEX REIVER
    Silence on the hills - Unusually I am writing this while sitting having my lunch looking at this view. Mostly I'd note something of interest while out, then when home write it ...
    4 weeks ago
  • MIKE ATTWOOD LRPS
    Apologies - Please accept my sincere apologies for my absence from my blog. I have spent more than 2 months in hospital confined to bed and not knowing the reason why...
    5 weeks ago
  • BREATHTAKING
    GARDEN FLOWERS and TWO BIRDS - On Saturday my Grandson Pedro arrived to spend a couple of months with me. We had a lovely weekend with Eva as well. It's such a pleasure to have Pedro s...
    1 month ago
  • Pegler Birding
    The Final Goodbye - Written by Melanie on behalf of Richard and family. With great sadness this final post is to inform you, some of my Dads dearest friends of his passing. ...
    9 months ago
  • Diary of a Birding Medic
    -
    1 year ago
  • Birds and Nature in the Forest of Dean
    Mallard Duck female - Anas platyrhynchos - Photographed at the River Severn, Beachey, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire, Britain.
    1 year ago
  • Tricia's Tales
    - 13 and 14 November 2023 - Halong Bay, Vietnam Well, I returned to the UK last Monday (27 November) after having been away in Vietnam and Cambodia for abo...
    1 year ago
  • my life my art
    In Memory Of Sondra Walling 4/03/2023 - It is with regret that I announce the passing of my sister Sondra. She passed away at home Monday Evening April 3rd. I am so glad I was able to be here wit...
    2 years ago
  • shirls gardenwatch
    April hedgehog visitors & videos - April 2022 has been, to date, THE best hedgehog watching via the garden cameras in all my time blogging! What a very special gardenwatching month this ha...
    3 years ago
  • Flying high!
    WWT Slimbridge 11th &12th Feb 2022 continued: - A Glossy Ibis had arrived at the Wetlands late December 2021. So I aimed to hopefully have a sighting, if successful it would be my first UK Glossy Ibis...
    3 years ago
  • Pam's Place
    A New Year..... - A Happy (if slightly belated!) New Year! As usual I was up and out for a walk around town early on the 1st, the highlights being a pair of Goldcrest, 3 ...
    3 years ago
  • JRandSue
    NEWLYN HARBOUR AND STITHIANS RESERVOIR. - *JUST LIKE EVERYWHERE ELSE, THE WEATHER HAS BEEN* *DREADFUL BUT THANKFULLY, VERY LITTLE FLOODING * *COMPARED TO SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY.* *I DID GET TO N...
    5 years ago
  • MONTS CORNWALL/KERNOW
    - *Have not posted anything for many months so I will try to do a lot more this year, Went down to a local patch yesterday and managed to get a shot of a ver...
    5 years ago
  • ** Focusing On Wildlife.**
    ** First Post Of The Year...Why? ** - It seems like blogging has died a death, and I must admit I am not posting as much as I use to, but Pam said I should do it again because I seemed to enjoy...
    5 years ago
  • Countryside Tales
    A Catch Up - Apologies for the long absence. Sometimes life gets in the way of blogging I guess. We've been doing all the usual things chez CT: dogs, running, walking...
    5 years ago
  • Wilde About Birds
    Countryfile Live - Young People Are (part of) The Answer - The last two weekends have given me the opportunity to do something that really motivates and inspires me; engagement. Hen Harrier Day 2019 Last weekend ...
    5 years ago
  • Nature in the Heart of England
    Banburyshire: Yellow Wagtails and the Red-rumped Swallow - We've had an exciting couple of weeks birding in the Banbury area, especially at Grimsbury Reservoir with the first ever Red-rumped Swallow recorded in the...
    6 years ago
  • Sharp by Nature
    NEW HYTHE 14TH & 18TH JANUARY 2019 - SOME SNIPE FROM BUCKET WOOD In my last post I mentioned the large influx of Snipe along the river at Bucket Wood. Here's a picture of some of the thirty ...
    6 years ago
  • holdingmoments
    2018 My Year with Cancer - First of all, apologies to anyone who commented on the last post I did and didn't get a reply. For some reason all the comments got lost. This is the firs...
    6 years ago
  • Take time to smell the flowers......
    Leaves - *and creeping moss.*
    6 years ago
  • Sissinghurst Birds etc...
    Canada May 2018........Long Point - A fairly short drive this morning from Grimsby to Long Point approx 1 hour 30 minutes, on the way we added SPOTTED SANDPIPER, 4 in total including 3 in sma...
    6 years ago
  • Hedgeland Tales
    On reflection -
    6 years ago
  • Prairie Rose's Garden
    An Explosion of Color: July GBBD - I don't get to travel as much as I would like. Between family obligations--including who's going to take care of four dogs??--and this and that, it is har...
    6 years ago
  • Three Counties Herald
    The early bird..... - ....catches the worm. (or maybe she was just having a *l-o-n-g* lunch break?) I spotted this pair of Stonechats a couple of days ago, the male didn't lo...
    7 years ago
  • wytchwood ramblings
    Morning Visitors - Some of this mornings visitors. This little squirrel is peeking out of the tree trunk where she's building a nest. I've been watching her bring bits of pl...
    7 years ago
  • Far From the Madding Crowd
    Wonderful Discovery - Made a wonderful discovery two days ago, I HAVE BLACKBIRDS NESTING IN MY GARDEN! It is the first time that Blackbirds have nested in my garden. I hav...
    8 years ago
  • The Early Worm
    In Which There is a Lack of Both Sleep and Blue Rock Thrushes - Do you ever find yourself by some stroke of bad luck (or judgement) involved in a team project, the workload of which ends up sitting solely, and uncomfort...
    8 years ago
  • Pittswood Birds
    - Fog initially shrouded the area this morning, but once it cleared I was able to enjoy the warm sunny conditions that prevailed for the rest of the 6 hour f...
    8 years ago
  • Jeremy Inglis Photography
    Waxwings in Swansea - Some beautiful Bohemian Waxwings turned up in Winch Wen in the East of Swansea, back in January, 2017. I just had to head over there to take a look. Havin...
    8 years ago
  • Shenstone Birder
    A New Beginning.... - Well it's been a long time coming but finally I have finally made my return to the world of blogging. I am now writing a new blog called "A Year on the Co...
    8 years ago
  • Caldecotte Lake
    Siskins - We had a wander round the lake yesterday; the last day of January. Very dull and not ideal for pictures. The usual birds were there, including a Kingfish...
    8 years ago
  • Blue Borage
    Autumn into Winter - These are my last images of this year's glorious autumn, which definitely feels over now. In the young wood, close to the smallholding, the colours were be...
    8 years ago
  • Greenie in the wild
    Monday 3rd. October 2016 - Well , the end of September should mark the end of the butterfly transect recording period , but , at High Elms LNR , where I have recorded weekly since ...
    8 years ago
  • The wild side
    An hour at dawn in Hastings - It's been a while, in fact ages, since I took my camera to Hastings, but last week I did and it and I spent an enjoyable hour or so on the beach photograph...
    8 years ago
  • A YEAR IN THE LIFE OF MY WILDLIFE GARDEN
    Quick Update - Garden Nesting Activity The Blue Tit eggs hatched last Wednesday 18th May. It was initially difficult to count the nestlings but finally counted nine so al...
    9 years ago
  • Always look on the wild side of life
    The past 12 months in one whirlwind post - Hello! I have not disappeared off the face of the Earth, despite the fact I have not written a post in over a year! It has definitely been a very busy 1...
    9 years ago
  • Gwirrel's Garden
    In a Vase on Monday - Ok ok, so I promise we have something a little different today. First I just have to show yet more Dahlias and Sweet peas. I’m torn between showing them an...
    9 years ago
  • Dartmoor Ramblings
    TEMPORARY RADIO SILENCE - Hello everybody. Last Friday, on my birthday, my mum took a turn for the worse and has been in hospital ever since. I think a lot of it is related to th...
    10 years ago
  • Photography By Ginny
    May 16, 2015-Some Wildlife Photos for May. - I am seeing wildlife again! The deer are coming around and Tilly is still with her group. Since she's three years old now, I'm not sure if she had a baby t...
    10 years ago
  • Grammie's Rambling
    ~~~"May"~~~"I thought it would never get here"!!! - Hard to believe 4 weeks has past since I last posted, and a lot has changed around here in the weather department in that time. It is 82 degrees outside at...
    10 years ago
  • The Cymbeline Lister
    Birding eclipsed - Long overdue but something a bit more varied to write about than of late. Both the 2 White-fronted Geese and Pink-footed Goose were in the field next to T...
    10 years ago
  • The Great Outdoors
    A painting for two special friends. - The two life-long friends in question are Gill and Robert. A few weeks ago Robert had a 'big' birthday and Gill (his wife) commissioned me to paint a pic...
    10 years ago
  • Forest of Dean Wildlife & Nature Diary
    Misguided - I don't know Max Coborn that well, only having ever met him twice. From his past media articles he always came over as level headed, unbiased and respectfu...
    10 years ago
  • Joe's Wildlife Garden
    Whiteknights Campus in Spring - I've now been out walking around the university campus before I've set off for work 4 or 5 times in the last couple of weeks. Each time I seem to have pick...
    11 years ago
  • Nestled In The Singing Woods
    HOPE TO SHARE GARDENING AND WILDLIFE - I WILL BE MOVING SOON. MY NEW PLACE IS SO CLOSE TO THE CITY, BUT IT IS LIKE THE WOODS ON SINGING WOODS AREA. I HAVE SEEDS I HOPE TO SHARE, HOLLYHOCKS . ...
    11 years ago
  • Chris Photo Nature
    Autres beautés - Other beauties - Du jardin de ma sœur... J'ai pu recenser pas moins de 29 espèces dans ce petit jardin ou aux alentours, ce qui n'est pas mal pour un mois de décembre....
    11 years ago
Show 25 Show All

Chalkhill Blue

Chalkhill Blue

Chiltern Gentian

Chiltern Gentian

Marbled White

Marbled White

Ringed Plover

Ringed Plover

Emerald Damselfly

Emerald Damselfly

Curlew Sandpiper

Curlew Sandpiper

Green-winged Orchid

Green-winged Orchid

Marsh Tit

Marsh Tit

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Roesel's Bush Cricket

Painted Lady

Painted Lady

Bohemian Waxwing

Bohemian Waxwing

Contact

Email ShySongbird


Mute Swans

Mute Swans

Little Ringed Plover

Little Ringed Plover

AWARD FREE ZONE!

I have been very touched to be given a number of awards since I started blogging but have never picked any of them up partly because of embarrassment but also because I would feel extremely uncomfortable having to pick others (according to the rules) for the award from among all the great blogs I enjoy.

To all those who have awarded me in the past I would like to say a very big thank you for thinking of me.

Red Admiral

Red Admiral

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