Another Bird Blog is taking a day off from birding today, doing a few chores, watching the Hungarian Grand Prix and indulging in a spot of garden ringing in pursuit of Goldfinches.
There's been a good number of juvenile Goldfinches appearing on the feeders together with one or two adults.
Goldfinch
Goldfinch
Goldfinch
A Woodpigeon blundered into the net and handling a monster like this takes some adjustment after working with tiny Goldfinches. The woody proved to be a female, males usually bigger, the wing measurement a way to sometimes determine the sex.
Woodpigeon
Here's an unusual news story concerning a ringed bird. After posting a picture of a Kestrel yesterday I later and quite accidentally found the following story buried in Saturday's newspaper.
“Turkish authorities have cleared a renegade bird captured in the Ağın district of the eastern province of Elazığ of suspicions of working for Israel's state-of-the-art intelligence agency. Residents of Altınavya village became suspicious that the little kestrel could be more than a bird that lost its way when they found it wore a metallic ring stamped with the words "24311 Tel Avivunia Israel," and delivered it to the district governorate.
Local authorities submitted the bird to careful medical examinations to ensure that it did not carry microchips. An X-ray test carried out at Fırat University in Elazığ finally convinced the authorities that the bird was just a simple specimen of Israeli wildlife. However, the X-ray showed the initial degree of suspicion, as the bird had been registered under the name "Israeli spy" by medical personnel.
Following the tests, the authorities decided not to press official charges and the falsely accused bird was free to fly away.”
Kestrel Spy?
Israeli use of non-human spies is apparently a large concern in the Middle East. In May of 2012, authorities in Ankara dissected a European Bee Eater after becoming concerned that it was carrying an Israeli listening device, and in December an eagle with an Israeli tag in Sudan was captured and touted as a Mossad spy.
In 2010, an Egyptian official said Israel-controlled sharks could be involved in a number of attacks on tourists in the Red Sea.
Aren't we lucky that our UK birds don't ever become embroiled in such political intrigues?
Log in soon to Another Bird Blog for more news, views, pictures and birding tales.
Linking today to World Bird Wednesday .
Linking today to World Bird Wednesday .
17 comments:
Hi Well that was interesting reading. A bird a spy!!! Are you licenced to ring birds in your garden? Lovely to see the young Goldfinch. Margaret
So we should be checking all of our rare Birds from Mexico and South America! I I knew something was going on in Mexico :-) Great story but I feel terrible for the birds :-(
enjoyed the birds from your garden ringing and the kestrel photo; how sweet it is as a little one. A very intruiging article you posted - who'd have thought this might happen?!
Amazing story, Phil! Poor Bird! I love your goldfinch shot! Hope you are having a nice day off!
That spy looks too young to fly
so I can't help wondering why
...well, okay, so it isn't quite a poem. But obviously no one is going to use a bird that young for anything.
Silly story, but it got your attention, and, from there, ours.
Cheers!
K
Thank goodness here in America we are immune to such silly goings-on about spying and intrigue!
Careful with your garden ringing - that woodie might be a -- wait for it -- "Stool Pigeon".
Try to have a good week, Phil!
Those poor birds being accused of being spies! AAh, more proof that truth is often stranger than fiction.
What a wild story!! Boom & Gary of the Vermilon River, Canada.
The Goldfinches are so beautiful and the little Kestrel is cute. Unbelievable story! or should I say unbelievable attitudes!
Fun and strange post at the same time!
Cheers from Cottage Country!
Fantastic to see...
The finches are so colourful. Funny bird spy story!
Its my understanding that MCC controlled pigeons are making the ball swing with a certain Mr. Anderson has the ball in his hand!!
Nice pictures!
Dont want to get involved in a bidding war - but Uluru is like nothing else on Earth - and the Taj Mahal is wonderful, but its still just a building. And I can speak from experience.
Cheers and thanks for linking to WBW.
Stewart M - Melbourne
PS: I've added an image to this weeks WBW.
Beautiful! Thank you for sharing :)
Fabulous shots of the finches. Bird spies? Poor birds!
Beautiful pictures of the Goldfinch.
The young kestrel is so sweet.
I wondered at first why the title of Eye Spy. Oh my goodness who knew. I had never heard of such a thing, but then again, nothing in the political arenas should ever surprise anyone, especially over here across he pond...geesh it gets shaky. Love that Pigeon's eye by the way. Such a sweet face she has. Always enjoy the Goldfinches and what long beaks they have~
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