Been out in this patch of Europe for nigh on eight years and never have I seen this! Strolling past, almost missed them, took a double look and there they were, positively dozens of them - lots of sorts too, newly arrived from some foreign part, almost fresh plumage you could say.
About time too, as the afternoon temperature reached a high of minus eight today, it was long overdue that I spotted these in this country, so today really was a Red letter Day.
Oh yawn, yawn, I hear you say, what was it? Place was the local supermarket ...guessed what yet? ... and the mega-rarity was ...bird feeders! Not just one or two, but peanut feeders, seed feeders, those spirally types, hooks, water tray things ...and fat balls!!! Fat balls here in Lithuania, I would never have imagined!!!
Lived here for all those years and had to import all my feeders myself, so have to say I was well-impressed
Well, with close to 20 feeders already dotting my garden, thought those there fat balls looked just the job to become the latest addition, so bought a fatball feeder and 40 fat balls, thinking about it will buy another 40 tomorrow, cos just can't believe this vagrant will become established out here.
Later, fat balls in place, first visitors to the new cuisine were my regular pair of Crested Tits, with the more numerous Great Tits. Elsewhere in garden, bedecked in snow and frost, the Tree Sparrow flock reached an all-time high, with about 75 squabbling over the sunflower feeders, joined today by a few Yellowhammers (arrive with the snow) and Greenfinches. Meanwhile, one nut feeder sports a smart Great Spot Woodpecker, while a bit down a Middle Spot hogs another feeder! Explosion of birds sees the sparrows, finches and dozens of tits plunging into the depths of the hedges ...now sits a male Sparrowhawk!!!
On the local patch today, all was totally frozen and totally birdless, so see those supermarket feeders are going to be figuring quite a bit in the birding of the next months!
About time too, as the afternoon temperature reached a high of minus eight today, it was long overdue that I spotted these in this country, so today really was a Red letter Day.
Oh yawn, yawn, I hear you say, what was it? Place was the local supermarket ...guessed what yet? ... and the mega-rarity was ...bird feeders! Not just one or two, but peanut feeders, seed feeders, those spirally types, hooks, water tray things ...and fat balls!!! Fat balls here in Lithuania, I would never have imagined!!!
Lived here for all those years and had to import all my feeders myself, so have to say I was well-impressed
Well, with close to 20 feeders already dotting my garden, thought those there fat balls looked just the job to become the latest addition, so bought a fatball feeder and 40 fat balls, thinking about it will buy another 40 tomorrow, cos just can't believe this vagrant will become established out here.Later, fat balls in place, first visitors to the new cuisine were my regular pair of Crested Tits, with the more numerous Great Tits. Elsewhere in garden, bedecked in snow and frost, the Tree Sparrow flock reached an all-time high, with about 75 squabbling over the sunflower feeders, joined today by a few Yellowhammers (arrive with the snow) and Greenfinches. Meanwhile, one nut feeder sports a smart Great Spot Woodpecker, while a bit down a Middle Spot hogs another feeder! Explosion of birds sees the sparrows, finches and dozens of tits plunging into the depths of the hedges ...now sits a male Sparrowhawk!!!
On the local patch today, all was totally frozen and totally birdless, so see those supermarket feeders are going to be figuring quite a bit in the birding of the next months!
