Deeside Sparrow
@deesidesparrow.bsky.social
Concerned about biodiversity loss & climate change. Interests: avifauna, plantlife, books, art galleries, museums 🐦🌾📚🖼🎨🏛
Sentry jackdaw stood in profile on the apex ridge tiles of the roof opposite. It was a shared duty as the first one flew to the roof next door and a second jackdaw appeared from behind a chimney pot.
December 8, 2025 at 8:45 AM
Sentry jackdaw stood in profile on the apex ridge tiles of the roof opposite. It was a shared duty as the first one flew to the roof next door and a second jackdaw appeared from behind a chimney pot.
Northern cardinals not visible in the mistiness so a white-throated sparrow ends their 3-day streak! 🤎🩶🖤🤍💛😄
December 7, 2025 at 4:19 PM
Northern cardinals not visible in the mistiness so a white-throated sparrow ends their 3-day streak! 🤎🩶🖤🤍💛😄
👍 Yes, it does seem the jackdaws had my movements covered this morning with them having noted from their allocated chimney stack sentries that I hadn't yet opened the front door and peeped out for my 1st bird. 🤣
December 7, 2025 at 4:06 PM
👍 Yes, it does seem the jackdaws had my movements covered this morning with them having noted from their allocated chimney stack sentries that I hadn't yet opened the front door and peeped out for my 1st bird. 🤣
Three jackdaws and some tchaks were FBsOMD. I didn't look out for them. Seen on the roof opposite when I went into a room to fetch something necessary for a seasonal task.
December 7, 2025 at 9:11 AM
Three jackdaws and some tchaks were FBsOMD. I didn't look out for them. Seen on the roof opposite when I went into a room to fetch something necessary for a seasonal task.
... and the illumination it provides during the night watches for Emily St. Aubert at Castle Udolpho, is important and beautifully conveyed by Radcliffe in her 1794 novel 'The Mysteries of Udolpho'. This was a must read work of fiction in Britain for fifty years. 2/2
December 6, 2025 at 6:03 PM
... and the illumination it provides during the night watches for Emily St. Aubert at Castle Udolpho, is important and beautifully conveyed by Radcliffe in her 1794 novel 'The Mysteries of Udolpho'. This was a must read work of fiction in Britain for fifty years. 2/2
Yes, it was the Gothic atmosphere of apprehension to which Adeline is subject in the forest that I had in mind rather than sighting of a bird. The "night-hawk" gets at least one mention in Percy Bysse Shellley's 'St. Irvyne' (though a much less acclaimed novel of the genre). The full moon is ... 1/2
December 6, 2025 at 4:21 PM
Yes, it was the Gothic atmosphere of apprehension to which Adeline is subject in the forest that I had in mind rather than sighting of a bird. The "night-hawk" gets at least one mention in Percy Bysse Shellley's 'St. Irvyne' (though a much less acclaimed novel of the genre). The full moon is ... 1/2
Yep, you're right @dauphne.bsky.social! The sort of portentous sight that Adeline sees in Ann Radcliffe's 1791 novel 'The Romance of the Forest' as an example.
December 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
Yep, you're right @dauphne.bsky.social! The sort of portentous sight that Adeline sees in Ann Radcliffe's 1791 novel 'The Romance of the Forest' as an example.
Was that a significant swing of temperature during the night on the East Durham Plateau? It is fairly dramatically milder here but I wasn't aware when I got up and spied my FBsOMD.
December 6, 2025 at 1:49 PM
Was that a significant swing of temperature during the night on the East Durham Plateau? It is fairly dramatically milder here but I wasn't aware when I got up and spied my FBsOMD.
Jackdaws back today as FBOMD in numbers on the wet roofs opposite. I counted six on the first roof I looked at. The calls were most ky-ow rather than tchak this morning. Wouldn't it be amazing to understand jackdaw communications!
December 6, 2025 at 8:04 AM
Jackdaws back today as FBOMD in numbers on the wet roofs opposite. I counted six on the first roof I looked at. The calls were most ky-ow rather than tchak this morning. Wouldn't it be amazing to understand jackdaw communications!
That's a three-day streak for the Northern cardinals. Will they be emulating Deeside's jackdaws this winter?! 🤣
December 5, 2025 at 7:12 PM
That's a three-day streak for the Northern cardinals. Will they be emulating Deeside's jackdaws this winter?! 🤣
The inimitable bobbing motion of a perched robin in a bare deciduous tree adjacent to a street lamp enabled me to discern the songster's tiny form. An isolated leaf still attached could be moved by a draught, but couldn't 'bob' like a European Robin!
December 5, 2025 at 8:11 AM
The inimitable bobbing motion of a perched robin in a bare deciduous tree adjacent to a street lamp enabled me to discern the songster's tiny form. An isolated leaf still attached could be moved by a draught, but couldn't 'bob' like a European Robin!
Snap on jackdaws. 😃
December 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Snap on jackdaws. 😃
The early arriving jackdaws from the overnight mass roost were covering all bases to be FBOMD! The 1st I heard tchak & saw as a blur disappearing behind our roof re-entering after putting out recycling. 2nd: chimney stack sentry, 3rd: stood on roof apex.
December 4, 2025 at 8:14 AM
The early arriving jackdaws from the overnight mass roost were covering all bases to be FBOMD! The 1st I heard tchak & saw as a blur disappearing behind our roof re-entering after putting out recycling. 2nd: chimney stack sentry, 3rd: stood on roof apex.
Yes, that's right! 😁 I generally scanned the clear sky around dawn to give any gulls, crows or pigeons in flight a chance, and any robins & blackbirds active due to street lights could have registered. But 1st was the jackdaws spotted flying low between houses sweeping towards their chosen roof. 🩶🖤
December 3, 2025 at 3:35 PM
Yes, that's right! 😁 I generally scanned the clear sky around dawn to give any gulls, crows or pigeons in flight a chance, and any robins & blackbirds active due to street lights could have registered. But 1st was the jackdaws spotted flying low between houses sweeping towards their chosen roof. 🩶🖤
A very near miss! I think the local jackdaw FBOMD planning council will react with favour to your perception that they've managed a second consecutive month of 66.6% (or better) days as FBOMD! 😆
December 3, 2025 at 9:01 AM
A very near miss! I think the local jackdaw FBOMD planning council will react with favour to your perception that they've managed a second consecutive month of 66.6% (or better) days as FBOMD! 😆
I scanned clear but dark 7.20am sky giving ANY early flying avian species a chance of being FBOMD! It was the silky, inky interface of atmosphere & 3 pairs of jackdaw wings I saw. Surprisingly, a trio headed down the street to find the cool roof hang out! 😎
December 3, 2025 at 8:25 AM
I scanned clear but dark 7.20am sky giving ANY early flying avian species a chance of being FBOMD! It was the silky, inky interface of atmosphere & 3 pairs of jackdaw wings I saw. Surprisingly, a trio headed down the street to find the cool roof hang out! 😎
November 2025 FBOMD statistics - as requested by @dauphne.bsky.social - show: jackdaws were FBOMD for 71.6% of the month (21 days + 1 joint day = 0.5) and other species being black-headed gull 3 days + 0.5 (joint 1st bird with jackdaw), carrion crow 3 days, raven 1 day and house sparrow 1 day.
December 2, 2025 at 8:30 PM
November 2025 FBOMD statistics - as requested by @dauphne.bsky.social - show: jackdaws were FBOMD for 71.6% of the month (21 days + 1 joint day = 0.5) and other species being black-headed gull 3 days + 0.5 (joint 1st bird with jackdaw), carrion crow 3 days, raven 1 day and house sparrow 1 day.
... old books. Accordingly, I have no experience of 'competitive' reservations for recently published books that have been entered as stock in the current year! Frequently, I ask for books from the fiction reserves in North Wales in Ynys Môn, Bangor and Wrexham. 📚😃
December 2, 2025 at 8:20 PM
... old books. Accordingly, I have no experience of 'competitive' reservations for recently published books that have been entered as stock in the current year! Frequently, I ask for books from the fiction reserves in North Wales in Ynys Môn, Bangor and Wrexham. 📚😃
It appeared my online reservation with our local public library might be queued. The catalogue stated 3 copies in total with 2 out on loan, but then the number 4 popped up. So I might need to wait for a 3-week loan period plus a buffer for transit to the nearest branch library. Usually, I loan ...
December 2, 2025 at 7:46 PM
It appeared my online reservation with our local public library might be queued. The catalogue stated 3 copies in total with 2 out on loan, but then the number 4 popped up. So I might need to wait for a 3-week loan period plus a buffer for transit to the nearest branch library. Usually, I loan ...
Found! See attached synopsis of recent UK radio programme I heard that referenced the concept of microseasons.
Native pre-industrial populations in similar latitudes to ourselves in Europe were no doubt aware of typical detailed changes in appearance of plants, animal behaviours, etc. each 5 days.
Native pre-industrial populations in similar latitudes to ourselves in Europe were no doubt aware of typical detailed changes in appearance of plants, animal behaviours, etc. each 5 days.
December 2, 2025 at 4:33 PM
Found! See attached synopsis of recent UK radio programme I heard that referenced the concept of microseasons.
Native pre-industrial populations in similar latitudes to ourselves in Europe were no doubt aware of typical detailed changes in appearance of plants, animal behaviours, etc. each 5 days.
Native pre-industrial populations in similar latitudes to ourselves in Europe were no doubt aware of typical detailed changes in appearance of plants, animal behaviours, etc. each 5 days.
... on seasonal affected disorder. One of the strategies to overcome psychological distress was to be mindful of "microseasons" so as not to take a big mental hit in the highly artificial conditions of contemporary life. I'll try & locate more details. 2/2
December 2, 2025 at 10:30 AM
... on seasonal affected disorder. One of the strategies to overcome psychological distress was to be mindful of "microseasons" so as not to take a big mental hit in the highly artificial conditions of contemporary life. I'll try & locate more details. 2/2
Splitting each year into 4 categorised Seasons, whether on an Astronomical or Meteorological basis, provides a generalised view of what it is like in the biosphere (sights, sounds, ambient temperatures, etc.) BBC Radio 4 recently broadcast a short series ... 1/2
December 2, 2025 at 10:29 AM
Splitting each year into 4 categorised Seasons, whether on an Astronomical or Meteorological basis, provides a generalised view of what it is like in the biosphere (sights, sounds, ambient temperatures, etc.) BBC Radio 4 recently broadcast a short series ... 1/2
FBsOMD were 10 - 15 tchaking jackdaws who surprised me suddenly flying past 9 minutes before dawn dispersing their roost. They had started out early from the far bank of the Dee - must have awoken & moved significantly before dawn!
December 2, 2025 at 8:47 AM
FBsOMD were 10 - 15 tchaking jackdaws who surprised me suddenly flying past 9 minutes before dawn dispersing their roost. They had started out early from the far bank of the Dee - must have awoken & moved significantly before dawn!