Today I watched a crow chase off a black kite that was passing over the house.
I've seen quite a few swifts seemingly heading south over the past few days. They are possibly none breeders which are already doing the return migration-or just swifts which are a bit fed up with this summer's weather.
Have a good trip. Diane
ReplyDeleteAn anecdote to add a bit of information to the site while you are in the UK ...
ReplyDeleteWe had to save a nest of Black Redstarts from a snake today.
The birds have nested in a hole about 5 metres up in a stone wall inside our barn and are now busy feeding a clutch of young. Our attention was attracted this morning by the parents making an almighty commotion. They were mobbing a snake that was climbing down the stone wall with ease. We think it was an Couleuvre d'Esculape (Aesculapian snake) - one of the few French species that climbs. The birds eventually managed to drive it into another hole about 50 cm above the nest where it then cowered. With the aid of a ladder and a garden cane we were able to coax it out whereupon it obligingly wrapped itself around the cane. Unfortunately, before I could descend the ladder far enough to deposit it into a bucket held by my wife, it made a jump for it (if snakes can jump) and slithered off into a pile of rubble at the back of the barn. That was the last we saw of it. The parent birds are back to feeding the young so hopefully no harm done.
Brian