BIRDING ENGLAND by Alana and Greg Dare

Documentary of two Australians, Alana and Greg Dare, on a one week birding trip in England with an English bird guide. Includes a diversity of species, residents and migrants and visits some important localities and bird reserves; London, Minsmere, Frampton Marsh, the North Pennines and Farne Islands.

[@jaymcghie222]

Well done enjoyable video of English birds..thanks😊

[@BunterandtheVibes]

Just a quick point, Greg. Marsh Harriers haven't been reintroduced at Minsmere, or anywhere else in the UK. The population has recovered naturally, as a result of legal protection, positive habitat management, and the withdrawal of organochlorine pesticides.

[@alanadare7052]

Thanks for this.

[@abesapien9930]

This was very well done. Watched the entire thing! Now I know that a Bittern is the big show to watch for, if I ever visit England someday.

[@colintheconroy]

Great video Greg and Alana. It is lovely to see my familiar birds through the eyes of birders from the other side of the world - especially the bits in Upper Teesdale and the Farnes, which are relatively local for me. I wish your guide had also been a botanist as well - he would have show you some of the really rare and special Arctic-Alpine flowers that you were walking past in Upper Teesdale (although they're not all very photogenic). I'm really glad you enjoyed my country and got to see so many birds

[@alanadare7052]

Thank you Colin. We really loved your part of the world and would certainly have been interested in learning something about the plants. We plan to return after....!!

[@ranjitrajandr]

Wonderful video! The sightings as well as the picturisation and the commentary are so good! Thanks a lot for bringing us such unalloyed joy!

[@alexhartley9963]

Just thought you should know, the Pochard at Frampton Marsh was a Red-Crested Pochard, a rarity here in England If you ever visit the Farne Islands again, I highly recommend the Long Nanny Tern site. You can see Little and Arctic Tern breeding there and get quite close to the nests via the Tern hut platform without the Terns dive bombing you

[@alanadare7052]

Thanks Alex

[@ProLifeBrother]

Thanks for this. After watching it I was going to Suffolk so popped into Westleton Heath and saw my first ever Dartford Warbler!

[@alanadare7052]

Goodonya! Well done.

[@jamieproctor8691]

Great video, St Aidans is on my local patch in Leeds, great sightings of Black Necked Grebe recently and last summer my first Spoonbill.

[@cluckygirl792]

Lovely watch and great commentary. You saw many of our british birds! Thank you for this informative video as it’s given me ideas for a road trip. I’m lucky enough to live on the eastern coast of Kent in Thanet. Nee to birdwatching so a thoroughly educational video for me 👍

[@alanadare7052]

So many birders we know in Aus are Brits originally. You have a great set-up over there with good facilities. Should get some good seabirds where you live.

[@mariumrajah]

Lovely video enjoyed watching ❤

[@colintheconroy]

Cetti's Warbler singing at 2:59 - really nice

[@alanadare7052]

Wow! Thanks Colin. Pity we missed it.

[@sureshcsharma]

Splendid video

[@nicolafigini784]

Great video!

[@sparkyindahouse]

great video thankyou

[@joedisco]

Great film! I've still not seen a Dartford Warbler! You must have planned the trip really well to see so much :)

[@johnneville403]

Lovely video. Really enjoyed this.

[@kat2003bob]

Great video. Loved it. Some of my favourite places. Thank you. See you in KL.

[@timjames6190]

Thanks for this great video love watching both of you and awesome commentary 👍👍👍

[@rbr2023]

Great video and such enthusiasm for our lovely birds! Many thanks x

[@tonycritcher3419]

The 'Pochard' you showed at Frampton Marsh is actually a red crested pochard. A lovely video, nice to see you enjoying the birds here in the UK

[@paulwhite6626]

Exactly what I was going to add, about the RCP!

[@JvdahMC]

red crested pochard is pretty rare in the uk seeing as it isn't rly native so it's cool they saw it

[@tonycritcher3419]

@@JvdahMC Indeed, I was only pointing out that they had identified it as a pochard. So perhaps an armchair tick for when they got home.

[@Just_shush_now]

@@JvdahMC it’s a introduced/feral bird though

[@JvdahMC]

@@Just_shush_now as well as migrants from Europe, it’s still a nice bird and often tickable

[@Birdmanhayes]

Ringed Plovers were Little Ringed Plovers

[@djjaylloyd]

No they were ringed plover 👍🏻

[@jamesspencer4055]

Both ringed and little ringed plovers in the bit at Frampton. Little ringed had thr yellow eye ring

[@1imbAl33t]

Wonderful video and editing :)

[@wayneemery5709]

Excellent video thank you

[@treecreeperguitars772]

How wonderful! Thanks

[@mrpeteralexandrou]

Greetings from London... your videos are brilliant... Please make lots more as they are the best birding videos I’ve ever seen.

[@lostlegacysecondchannel4911]

Very fun video , I enjoyed it very much !

[@IITBombayBirds]

Excellent documentation!!

[@DarrenKnightPhoto]

What a lovely video. I honestly wish I had a 10th of your birding knowledge

[@alithealien]

Great video

[@OldSkoolWax]

Pretty sure the jay is the smallest of the crow family?

[@tonycritcher3419]

Your 'Stock Dove' whilst looking for a ring ouzel was actually a racing pigeon and was ringed on its leg.

[@oliver29731]

No, it was a stock dove there can have different plumages throughout the year

[@oliver29731]

Plus why on earth would a feral pigeon be at cow green? There common across towns an city centres

[@Chops1962]

I'm sorry but it is you that's mistaken. It is 100% not a Stock dove which doesn't change it's plumage. Why would a Stock Dove be in that habitat for that matter. I have been bird watching for 45+ years and I know British Birds very well

[@MrFogeyblue]

@@oliver29731 Racing pigeons can turn up anywhere. The green ring on its leg is clearly visible. Stock Doves have an iridescent patch on the side of the neck, not on the breast.

[@liliaaaaaaaa]

I have been feeding feral pigeons for the last year and found a stray racing pigeon earlier in the summer that was injured and had groinded during a thunder storm when it was out on a race. It died unfortunately due to a virus but in the process I contacted the RSPCA and RPA while I looked after it temporarily before its unfortunate demise. (Apparently it's common for them to get viruses when they're in the coop). I also feed local wild birds near where I live including wood pigeons. I observed the pigeon being described in the footage above and did certainly comsider that the Ozzie commentator might not be familiar with British racing or feral pigeons and might not have had her expert UK bird guides with her at that point and got mixed up. I've never seen a stock dove in real life personally in the UK despite living here all my life, so they are not common, but you can easily look them up on google and see they are quite different. I didn't see the ring on the bird's leg, but I'd imagine from what I know now of racing pigeons it's quite possible if it had been released during a race it may have grounded in unfamiliar territory if it was either tired or due to adverse weather conditions. So it could easily be possible to be seen in unusual locations. They sometimes travel around the globe in some races involving 100s or even 1000s of miles so it's logical they might want to stop for a break every now and again during the race in unfamiliar territory.

[@georgetaylor5433]

So cute tks very much.

[@FollowThomas]

Well done video. I heard a Cuckoo cocking also. Reminds me Estonia where I was growing up, now I live in Florida and Cuckoo is not cocking like in Europe. Thanks for this nice video. 🙂

[@alanadare7052]

The European cuckoo is the only one that actually calls 'cuckoo'. Here in Australia the various species all have very different calls so we'd never heard it until we visited the UK!

[@Slonk862]

Great video 👍

[@ToToWildlife]

Great video! Beautiful filming and editing 👏🎥👍

[@BirdinginMalaysia]

nice video with the voice-over.

[@EacwSetjgkw]

I love your videos! Beautiful birds, videography, and narration.

[@hkpwildlifephotography]

the bird behind the sitting avocet at frampton is the common ringed plover

[@brother_sothoth]

Lovely vid! Lots of beautiful birds in England, shame you couldn't stay longer and explore them all. Keep making great content!

[@mishapurser4439]

Ring-necked parakeets also exist in the wild in Greater Manchester. I've seen them myself

[@charlesbarbour2331]

Perhaps birding Scotland as well 😃

[@alanadare7052]

Yes.Just haven’t got round to it yet😀

[@iamkcchan]

Great video, Alana and Greg. May I know what equipments you were using to get those closeup looks of the lovely birds?

[@kristin1980uk]

I have lots of family Upper Hutt in New Zealand, so it is lovely hearing a New Zealanders view of our UK wildlife. p.s if you are every over again, happy to show you where you can see tawny owl, great spotted woodpeckers, little owl, stone curlew, nightjar, nightingales, bearded tits (stunning), redstart, redpolls, yellowhammers, green woodpeckers, black squirrels, kingfishers, dartford warbler, stonechat, whinchat, blackcap, long tailed tits (very cute) common crane, hobbys, marsh harriers, hawfinch (stunning), kestrel, goldfinch, chaffinch, meadow pipit, skylark, shovelers, hen harrier, robins, blue tits, song thrush, treecreepers, marsh tit, red kites to name just a few, as I am in Suffolk myself (near RSPB Lakenheath Reserve). Locations I recommend: Wicken Fen National Trust Reserve, Lakenheath RSPB, Titchwell RSPB, Languard Point Reserve, Lynford Arboretum and Cavenham Heath.

[@alanadare7052]

Thanks Kristin. That is a very kind offer. That bird list! We have every intention of coming again to the UK and will certainly let you know. We're Aussies BTW but our government has just set us free at last. If you're ever visiting your NZ relatives and stop over let us know in case we can reciprocate.

[@annlam7948]

Can you share the birding guide you use in UK?

[@casvandegiessen7837]

The stock dove is actually a feral rock dove.

[@NatureAndBirdsPhotography]

hello cas, its me harshith

[@casvandegiessen7837]

@@NatureAndBirdsPhotography hi

[@hkpwildlifephotography]

and the ringed plover is a little ringed plover as the yellow eye ring is visible

[@JvdahMC]

I was at the first location a week ago xD

[@alanadare7052]

Wish we had been!

[@stephenedwards679]

Super little film - pitched just right

[@hkpwildlifephotography]

and the stock dove is a normal feral pigeon

[@australianwildlifechannel4795]

You guys should use iNaturalist.

[@Chops1962]

Interesting report although the "Stock Dove" shown was actually a Feral Pigeon

[@oliver29731]

No, it was a stock dove there can have different plumages throughout the year

[@MrFogeyblue]

@@oliver29731 It's clearly a racing pigeon, which may or may not be feral. But it's Columba livia, (Rock Dove/Feral Pigeon) not Columba oenas (Stock Dove).

[@oliver29731]

@@MrFogeybluelooking back defo a racing pigeon

[@pticeipsi1500]

It would be correct for you to post a subtitle with a translation for us who do not speak English completely !!!

[@martinshaw1610]

Surely not only England should bit not be the UK