New birder gets excited...

[clydeboy]

I had a bit of time between d.i.ying yesterday and decided to get the camera out while the wife was out.
This was after my son (who also ribs me about "my birdies") who on the way out to school, informed me that there was one of those birds with the funny hair in the bush outside the front door, and sure enough there was a solitary waxwing feeding on the berries opposite the house.(I think my son is getting the bug but won't admit it).
Unfortunately the waxwing was away by the time I returned from the school run.
Anyway back to the garden, I have sighted a male Bullfinch 3 times in the last week or so but hadn't managed to get a picture, and it was becoming an obsession. Yesterday one appeared in the tree which overhangs my feeders and stayed for a while eating the tree buds.
I fired off some shots at a distance and felt very pleased with myself as I had another "proof picture" or two, therefore you can imagine my delight when I uploaded the pics and found that there was a female sitting beside him.
This is probably a normal trait for new birders as I was so wrapped up in the male I missed the female. NOTE TO SELF FOR FUTURE.....pay attention.

My new "proof pic" target is the wren, as they are in the garden every day but due to the shocking light in our part of the country I haven't been able to get a shot that someone else could Identify as a wren....but I will.

Just thought I'd post this as there is no interest within the household and I was dying to tell someone.
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[Pete Mella]

Always good to find bullfinches! Good look with the wren, although expect many frustrated hours as it flits away just as you're about to press the shutter ;)

[Luke_Herts]

Nice to see some bullfinches. I have a pair in my garden also. They must have bred nearby this year as brought their fledgling over to the seed feeder. With the goldcrest they have got to be my favourite bird in the garden.:t:

[Birdbuddy]

Cracking pics. Took a couple myself the other day of a male Bullfinch. Had to improvise though...scope but no camera, so used my mobile phone!!

[Fozzybear]

Wonderful! You're very fortunate to have them in your garden, very lucky! I've seen them in my local reserve in town, I saw one this afternoon, but would be EXTREMELY excited if I saw one in my garden or even in my neighbourhood.

Keep watching and keep up the snapping - great to see photos of them! :t::t:

[Moraybirdlover]

Well done to your son for spotting the waxwing!! o:D
I have never had bullfinches or waxwing in my garden so quite envious!!

[Sancho]

Congrats! That´s an amazing shot of the Bullfinch...the light makes it look as though the sun is shining from below him....good lord, man, you must be even further north than we are!!!;)

[Tree Sparrow]

[QUOTE=clydeboy;1355159]Just thought I'd post this as there is no interest within the household and I was dying to tell someone.


QUOTE]

I know just how you feel clydeboy. My OH has very little interest in what I see and you just really want to tell "someone" about what you've seen! I also understand about the "proof" pictures lol.

I still haven't seen a waxwing and although I see bullfinches on the track they still haven't found my garden :-C

TS

[Sedgley]

I wish that I had bullfinches in my garden, that's for sure.

[RoyW]

I wish that I had bullfinches in my garden, that's for sure.

I wish I had a garden!

There was a flock of 130 Waxwings less than a minutes walk from my flat a couple of years ago - and I did get to see some of them from the window (only in flight though).

[Gronk08]

Nice shot of the Bullfinch, we too have Bullfinch that come ever so often into the garden, as for Waxwing I have not seen any since I have truely started birding, did see some about 4 years back at Worksop.
Best of luck with the Wren shot I have yet to manage to get a shot of the pair in our garden.

Tim.

[clydeboy]

The Bullfinches have become daily visitors it seems, as the Reed Bunting has, and they are brilliant, they seem to slide up and down the branches nibbling the buds, I could watch them all day.
The wren though, will have to wait as I have a new target.
THE FLUFFIES :-O Last week I was reading a thread about Long Tailed Tits and they looked amazing.
At the time I thought to myself "How good would it be to get those in the garden".
Oh yes, you've guessed it.....yesterday I turned the blinds and there they were, 6 of them swarmed over a nut bag I have hanging at the back door.
I charged upstairs and got the camera, ran back down and they were still there.........ya beauty, I thought, Switched on set the zoom to full, lined up and..........A bloody cat jumped on the back wall, the wife spotted it from the bedroom, Rattled the window and the cat, fluffies, and every other bird within 300yds got off its mark.......................I could have cried. I was left with a blurred shot of a white thing shifting sharpish.
I've spent the last hour an a half sitting on the floor at the door, camera in hand, to no avail...I did get a few decent reed bunting shots though, but IT IS NOT ENOUGH..........................Bloody cats.

[Moraybirdlover]

Lovely photos !
I still haven't got a decent photo of the long tails, they move off so quickly,and there is not a cat in sight.!!

[clydeboy]

This has been the only time I have seen long tailed tits and they are amazing looking (even the wife would like them) and I hope they return to get some shots.
I have some strategically placed feeders which has allowed me to get some great "tit shots" oooer missus, I'd better post some pics now. lol

[Fozzybear]

Nice! I've yet to see a coal tit actually, and I've only got one rather manky shot of a Great Tit so am rather jealous! Keep it up clydeboy. :t:

[clydeboy]

Nice! I've yet to see a coal tit actually, and I've only got one rather manky shot of a Great Tit so am rather jealous! Keep it up clydeboy. :t:


Thanks Fozzy
I'm just glad others enjoy looking at my efforts, and being new to it, I tend to get a bit over excited and and I also become obsessive, lol, all I can think about now is Long tailed tits.
I'll keep sharing my pics, It'll help keep me sane. :-O

[Amarillo]

Just realised I haven't see a bullfinch for absolutely ages....

[clydeboy]

Nice! I've yet to see a coal tit actually, and I've only got one rather manky shot of a Great Tit so am rather jealous! Keep it up clydeboy. :t:



I wasn't aware of them until I introduced black sunflower seeds into my feeds about 18 months ago, after which I inexplicably had sunflowers growing everywhere, hanging baskets, pots, tubs, etc. and It was all down to the coal tits.
The black sunflowers seems to attract them readily, or maybe it is just coincidence that I hadn't seen them before as I wasn't really a "birder" as such at that point...............changed days now though.:t: