The other election

[quasimodo]

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 31711.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

In all the noise you may have missed the election for Britain's national bird.

Who would you vote for and why?

I don't have any particular favourite but if I had to choose I would choose the Goldfinch purely because of its colourful appearance and looking the most attractive amongst the most common garden birds.

I am a man!

I appreciate looks can be deceptive but we are shallow.

[tiffinboys]

Red Kite

[Amber]

The thrush. I love its kind of understated beauty, its poignant song and the way it sort of cocks its head as it runs along almost timidly. I'm scared they will die out. Always been my favourite although because we have a lot of fruit trees we are lucky enough to have lots of birds in our garden, including 2 kinds of nesting woodpeckers (the greater spotted one is so beautiful, which reminds me of a thread I once posted on on here many moons ago about a woodpecker in our freezer), as well as little owls. We set up a camera to watch them fledging their young a few years ago and managed to get video of one leaving the nest for the first time.

[doodles]

I'm with Amber for the Thrush, they are just so pretty.

For sentiment's sake I'd also vote for Robin as my father used to have a little "tame" companion when he was digging in the garden - funnily it has rarely been spotted since he died

[FluffyCat]

Completely sentimental. Voted for the Robin (although I was tempted by the Kingfisher).

[Guest55]

They all have their merits ... it's hard to choose

I have a friendly robin that sits very close when I do any gardening and will sit on my boot. I have been lucky to see a few kingfishers - something my mum always wanted to do.

Red kites have become a bit of a nuisance now as they are so numerous - some schools in Oxfordshire had to stop children eating outside at lunchtime because they were being 'visited' by flocks of red kites. Try having a hog roast and they appear within minutes!

Owls are so quiet - we saw a display where the handler got the children to sit on the ground and then the owl flew from behind them. None of them heard him/her before it passed over them ...

Not on the list but a favourite: Peregrines are amazing when they dive for prey - so fast and deadly.

Least favourite:
seagulls - dirty and aggressive

[Amber]

We have a friend who is an ornithologist and one of DD's greatest experiences was ringing ospreys with him. They are wonderful to watch too if you ever get chance - diving like a bomb to grab a fish and then soaring away with it.

[Guest55]

There's a wonderful webcam here:

http://www.ospreys.org.uk/webcam/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[Sally-Anne]

Although I agree with TB on the Red Kite, my final vote goes to the Mute Swan, not least because I feel like one most days: gliding along with apparently little effort whilst paddling furiously below the waterline!

Seriously though, there is nothing more beautiful than watching the swans on the Thames at Sonning. (Unless Mr Clooney should wander into view, that is ... )

[quasimodo]

there is nothing more beautiful than watching the swans on the Thames at Sonning.

I have to agree.

Last weekend we were in Wixford at the fish inn and sat next to the river Arrow and it was a pleasure to watch the five swans with two cygnets swim into view whilst relaxing with a drink.