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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:01 am Post subject: Look what I found |
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Yesterday morning I went out the back door and found these two little mites. I am no expert but I think they are male Greenfinch. We are perplexed as to what could have happened them. First thought was poisoned but I have nothing out there that I can think of that would have done this. The one on the left was bloodied around the head and I found them on the ground only feet apart with no other visible injuries. Second thought was a territorial battle to the death or maybe fighting over a female of the species. Any ideas?
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_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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sgmgarden Rank attained: Silver Birch Tree

Joined: 12 Mar 2013 Posts: 179 Location: Inverkeithing
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:40 am Post subject: |
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Oh my, what a shame for these poor little guys. I do hope someone can help you gain a better understanding of what happened.
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Sive Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 1731 Location: Co.Wexford
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 10:50 am Post subject: |
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Could they have flown into a window ?
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2013 1:42 pm Post subject: |
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No window on that elevation Sive.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Sive Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood
Joined: 18 Apr 2008 Posts: 1731 Location: Co.Wexford
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:37 am Post subject: |
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I have just got my copy of the latest Birdwatch Ireland Magazine with some wonderful photos of greenfinches....including two males fighting !
So that may be the answer to your question. And to be fair, two birds flying into a window at the same time would be unusual....I wasn't too convinced myself.
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sgmgarden Rank attained: Silver Birch Tree

Joined: 12 Mar 2013 Posts: 179 Location: Inverkeithing
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 10:39 am Post subject: |
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As mentioned above by Sive, it is highly unlikely that two birds would fly into the same window at the same time. I reckon it comes down to the fight.
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:19 am Post subject: |
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Yep, leaning that way myself. Buried them yesterday. No mass though.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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baabamaal Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree


Joined: 28 Jun 2012 Posts: 98 Location: Bog of Allen
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:30 am Post subject: |
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Do you have a cat? They are juveniles judging by the downy feathers on their lower backs and would be vulnerable to cat predation- and cats can occasionally decide to leave "presents" on the doorstep. It is unlikely that they were fighting to the point that they would be injured badly. The only other real possibility is birdstrike (at an upstairs window?). If so, I think the hawk silhouettes available from Birdwatch Ireland should help in preventing a reoccurence.[/url]
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 11:39 am Post subject: |
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Hi there baabamaal,
No cat here just a stoopid mutt. I didn't think that they were juveniles, the feathers were just blowing in the wind and unpreened me thinks. No cats around here. Very unlikely that two birds hit a window at much the same time. Have a few buzzards around here though, I see them regularly.
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_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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Ray and Fiona Rank attained: Hazel Tree

Joined: 11 Sep 2009 Posts: 36 Location: Greystones, Co. Wicklow
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 2:29 pm Post subject: |
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I think it was the dog. He looks very dangerous!!!
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Wed Aug 14, 2013 5:41 pm Post subject: |
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Ha, that mutt would lick you death, doesn't know what his teeth are for.
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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baabamaal Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree


Joined: 28 Jun 2012 Posts: 98 Location: Bog of Allen
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 8:11 am Post subject: |
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Sure he even looks guilty!
Another possibility is the trichomoniasis parasite that is affecting birds (particularly greenfinches)- but two things go against it as a possibility- the fact that the two birds died together at your door, and affected birds look sick when they die- puffed up, with the feathers around the head wet and matted- those birds look "healthy" (apart from not actually being alive if you know what I mean).
There is a possibility of them both flying at your window if a kestrel or sparrowhawk flew into the garden and panicked them- I've had double birdstrikes at my sunroom window due to this in the past.
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tagwex Rank attained: Chlorophyll for blood

Joined: 23 Feb 2010 Posts: 5188 Location: Co. Wexford
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 1:41 pm Post subject: |
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That dog reacts very plainly to guilt. Either he A) hides, B) he goes into submission pose i.e. lies on his back, paws up and turns the head to the left and looks at you dolefully and C) pulls in the tail, drops the body to the ground so his legs are as short as a Dachshund and stays close to wall and scuttles along whimpering hoping he doesn't get a kick up the derriére. Which one he chooses depends on how guilty he feels.
Interesting about the disease, as mentioned previously we do have buzzards and they did look perfectly healthy. So now it's either disease or fighting over a young one!
_________________ “It’s my field. It’s my child. I nursed it. I nourished it. I saw to its every want. I dug the rocks out of it with my bare hands and I made a living thing of it!”
This boy can really sing http://youtu.be/Dgv78D2duBE |
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baabamaal Rank attained: Hawthorn Tree


Joined: 28 Jun 2012 Posts: 98 Location: Bog of Allen
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Posted: Thu Aug 15, 2013 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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those three options remind me of this........
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