SecretLeeds - History, culture and architecture in Leeds

chameleon wrote: cnosni wrote: chameleon wrote: Dinner has taken up residence in my garden are you a pheasant Plucker? How did I know you'd come up with that one??? It will need plucking before it gets to your table

cnosni wrote: chameleon wrote: cnosni wrote: chameleon wrote: Dinner has taken up residence in my garden are you a pheasant Plucker? How did I know you'd come up with that one??? It will need plucking before it gets to your table What d'ya say? cooking was it?

chameleon wrote: cnosni wrote: chameleon wrote: cnosni wrote: chameleon wrote: Dinner has taken up residence in my garden are you a pheasant Plucker? How did I know you'd come up with that one??? It will need plucking before it gets to your table What d'ya say? cooking was it? Indeed,and here are some tips regards cooking this bird-"In the kitchen... When cooked with care, pheasants can be deliciously succulent. They are however, lean birds, and have a tendency to dry out in the oven. It's a good bet to cover the breast with streaky bacon, or baste it with butter during cooking - this keeps the meat moist while it's roasting.Classic accompaniments to roasted birds include thin gamey gravy and bread sauce. Older birds are best braised or used in a casserole - the slow cooking works wonders when tenderising the meat.Pheasant has a rich and full-bodied flavour, which works well with fresh flavours such as orange, cider, apples and redcurrant jelly." Lessons for us all there.

Live webcams covering the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatchhttp://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/21059915

Yesterday afty, took a right by the Eagle Tavern onto Benson St halting at the traffic lights junction Sheepscar St S. which had just turned red.To our left was the open Meanwood Beckhttp://goo.gl/maps/VDko2Mrs J directed my attention to the bird of prey sat on the razor wire perimeter fence of Plumb Centre/Mw'd Beck, just below street level.Our regognition skills not that good - but consulting book on return home it was either a Kestrel, or (looked more like) a Merlin.Brown, grey and very yellow legs.Is there an ornithologist in the house who could predict 'most likely'? Although practically in town, Batty's Wood and those above MVUrb Farm have plenty of cover, the open parts of the beck plenty of 'rocky outcrops'    

Jogon wrote: Yesterday afty, took a right by the Eagle Tavern onto Benson St halting at the traffic lights junction Sheepscar St S. which had just turned red.To our left was the open Meanwood Beckhttp://goo.gl/maps/VDko2Mrs J directed my attention to the bird of prey sat on the razor wire perimeter fence of Plumb Centre/Mw'd Beck, just below street level.Our regognition skills not that good - but consulting book on return home it was either a Kestrel, or (looked more like) a Merlin.Brown, grey and very yellow legs.Is there an ornithologist in the house who could predict 'most likely'? Although practically in town, Batty's Wood and those above MVUrb Farm have plenty of cover, the open parts of the beck plenty of 'rocky outcrops'     Funny enough we,had a sparrow hawk perched on the bird feeder this morning. My guess would be a kestrel probably hunting mice or rats. But I saw merlin near LBA last weekend sugarwell is Ideal Merlin and Sparrow hawk teratory

Think we had a Twite on the fence this morning.

I'm no expert, but there seem to be a lot more Pied Wagtails around this year. And we took a walk to Scholes yesterday and saw dozens of sparrows in the hedgerows.

Jogon wrote: Yesterday afty, took a right by the Eagle Tavern onto Benson St halting at the traffic lights junction Sheepscar St S. which had just turned red.To our left was the open Meanwood Beckhttp://goo.gl/maps/VDko2Mrs J directed my attention to the bird of prey sat on the razor wire perimeter fence of Plumb Centre/Mw'd Beck, just below street level.Our regognition skills not that good - but consulting book on return home it was either a Kestrel, or (looked more like) a Merlin.Brown, grey and very yellow legs.Is there an ornithologist in the house who could predict 'most likely'? Although practically in town, Batty's Wood and those above MVUrb Farm have plenty of cover, the open parts of the beck plenty of 'rocky outcrops'     Probably male Sparrowhawk,which is blue in colour ,strong yellow coloured legs and is smaller than the brown female.

Just been watching 3 Bramblings in a small tree fluttering about