Wednesday, December 19, 2012

Cock Pheasant


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Hen Pheasant


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Coal Tit


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Coal Tit


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Chaffinch

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Saturday, December 15, 2012

Robin

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Robin

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Jay

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Jay

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Chaffinch

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To learn more about Great Tits, visit
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Great Tit

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Coal Tit

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Coal Tit

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Red Squirrel

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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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Red Squirrel

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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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Red Squirrel

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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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Red Squirrel

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Red Squirrel

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Red Squirrel

Lovely close up. 
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Red Squirrel

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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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Thursday, December 6, 2012

Long Tailed Tit

This gorgeous little bird, one of the most charming creatures of the wood, is actually many people's favourite bird & once seen, you will understand why & they are never forgotten.
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Long Tailed Tit

These tiny, tiny little birds are hard to spot, as they search through the little branches at the tops of trees, for tiny insects. 
However, they have a very distinctive call, which once learned will always help you find them.
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Long Tailed Tit

Surely one the most gorgeous birds to be found in green Oakwood is the tiny Long Tailed Tits.
Without their long tails, these would be the smallest birds in Europe.
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Great Tit

Another common garden bird, which takes advantage of the Red Squirrel feeders,
 in Breen Oakwood, is the Great Tit.
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Sparrowhawk ~ Lord of Breen Oakwood

You have to be very quiet & very lucky to ever get a really good look at a Sparrowhawk
like this gorgeous hen bird.
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Sparrowhawk

You don't often get a chance to see a Sparrowhawk at rest, 
but when you do, it's often just a squint of one, through the branches.
Although the Jay will hide when you come into the wood, he'll still follow you & keep an eye on you, but the Sparrowhawk will just vanish if he sees, or hears you coming.
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Sparrowhawk

A bird even more secretive than the Jay, is the Sparrowhawk, for although you can't visit Breen Oakwood without hearing Jays, you need to be very lucky to see a Sparrowhawk on your visit.
Very often, all you will see is a fleeting glimpse of them, dashing through the trees, like the one in this photo.
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The handsome Jay

Because they are so secretive & shy, 
you don't often get such a good view of them, as this,
but as you can see, they are a very handsome bird.
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Jay

Another secretive bird of Breen Oakwood, which also has a white rump patch, is the Jay.
Even if you are not lucky enough to catch a glimpse of a Jay, 
you can't visit Breen without hearing their raucous alarm calls.
Even if you don't see them, you can absolutely guarantee that they will be watching you,
 as you walk around their wood. 
Their sharp eyes & ears miss nothing!
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Bullfinch eating Berries

Bullfinches love berries.
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Young Bullfinch

Young Bullfinches are not so brightly coloured as the cock bird either,
but they do have that patch of white feathers above their tail.
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Cock Bullfinch

Bullfinches are quite shy birds, so when disturbed they will usually fly off into cover,
so all you may see is the patch of white feathers on their back, 
which is just above their tail, as they fly away.
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Hen Bullfinch

The hen Bullfinch, although not quite so brightly coloured as the cock bird, is still a very beautiful bird.
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Cock Bullfinch

Another striking bird of Breen Oakwood is the Bullfinch.
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Hen Pheasant

Other birds which especially enjoy the safety & sanctuary of the 
Breen Oakwood National Nature Reserve, are birds like this hen Pheasant.
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Cheeky Coal Tit

Watch closely & you may be lucky enough to see the Coal Tits stealing the Squirrel food.
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Coal Tit

The Coal Tit, a common garden bird, is also found in Breen Oakwood.
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To learn more about Coal Tits, visit
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Robin

There are many gorgeous birds in Breen Oakwood too, 
including birds you will also see in your own gardens, like this Robin.
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Hiding Food

Please remember that Squirrels often come down to the ground, 
especially when hiding food in secret places, to collect later during hard weather,
so if you take your dog for a walk in the wood, you must keep it on a lead & under control at all times.
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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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Dark Eyes.

Their little front paws are just like hands & they have gorgeous dark eyes.
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Cuddly Critters

When seen close up like this, they certainly are very attractive little animals.
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Close Up

If you have Binoculars with you, you should be able to get a closer look at them.
It's easy to see why they are often called Tufty.
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Paws for thought

They have a charming way of holding their front paws, when sitting at rest like this.
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Squirrel Handstand

Of course, what goes in must come out again.
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A room with a view

If it is very quiet, you might even see them climb inside.
However, the boxes have a perspex front, so they can still see out.
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A closer inspection

Sometimes they need to take a closer look at the menu.
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Box Inspection

If you are lucky, you might see them lifting the box lids with their heads.
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Back to the Box

Sometimes they sit with their backs to the box,
so that they can see clearly what is going on around them.
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Bushy Tails

Sometimes they just sit on the box and eat. 
Those bushy tails certainly make them easy to recognise.
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Feed Boxes

If you stand quietly, 
you may be lucky enough to see them visiting one of the many Feed Boxes.
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To learn more about Red Squirrels in North Antrim, visit
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