One of the things I've come to learn about Jay, and indeed much of Britain, is that he loves wildlife. And not just the kind you see in zoos, but everyday wildlife like squirrels, cows, foxes, sheep and especially birds. In only a few short months I've become very, very well acquainted with the birds of Britain, and with Spring well and truly on its way I'm sure to spot many more. So in this blog I want to introduce you guys to some of the birds I've had the pleasure of seeing.
Coots are really striking birds, with their black bodies and bright white crest on their faces. They are water birds that get their name form the sound they make. They are pretty common around here in the winter time. I often get them mixed up with Moorhens because I can never remember which has the white crest and which has the red.
The most intriguing thing about Moorhens, in my opinion, is their massive dinosaur-like feet. They are shy but protective birds. Their name is actually a mispronunciation of their original name Marshhen. Moors are grassy, windy highlands, but Moorhens live in low wet marshes or near rivers.
Common Terns look a lot like the seagulls we have in California, except they have a black tipped beak and a black cap on their heads. They live in colonies and migrate all over the world including, Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Canada and South America (So pretty much everywhere).
Jay was excited to on Saturday when we saw our first pair of Grebes. Believe it or not these birds are related to flamingos, but I don't see it. They have plumage (feathers) that change color according to the season. In the winter they are mostly white and brown, but when mating season comes along in the Spring they grow beautiful umber feathers to attract a mate. When they're just chicks though they have an almost zebra striped pattern.
Cormorants are big, black water birds with long necks and an impressive wingspan. They look like prehistoric villains. I can totally imagine someone mistaking one for a pterodactyl. They live and fish in the cold waters around Britain and the Netherlands during the winter.
These are some of the seabirds we saw. East Anglia (the region of England we live in) is known for attracting lots of seabirds because the water around here is rich with food like eels and fish. Next time I'll cover some of the other birds I've seen like wagtails and geese. I really enjoy getting to know all these birds, recognizing their calls, feeding them bread from the banks of the nearby river... I never felt compelled to do the same anywhere else. Maybe that's because out here I have Jay to tell me their names, and maybe one day I'll teach him about Californian birds.
Love you!
~Auntie~
No comments:
Post a Comment