[andm]

just put squirrel guards on my feeders, do they protect birds from raptor attacks or hinder there escape, or make no difference?

[earleybird]

Originally Posted by Bananafishbones

a little time dropping what your doing and staring out into the garden and watching wildlife doing their thing sure beats tonnes of other stressful\mundane day to day stuff.

Their loss I`m afraid

never a truer word bfb....

[earleybird]

Originally Posted by andm

just put squirrel guards on my feeders, do they protect birds from raptor attacks or hinder there escape, or make no difference?

its extremely difficult to protect from BOP attacks no matter what you do. They are so resourceful ,after all their lives depend on it.

The other morning I was eating breakfast in the conservatory and a small male Sparrowhawk landed on the lawn in front of me about 10 feet away and then ran in under a bush and came out with a blackbird in its talons !

I thought at first he had caught our resident rat but unfortunately not.

[roger1234]

Great to sit and watch the young junvenile greenfinches, robins,dunnocks,house sparrows and great, blue, coal tits wandering around searching for food, greenfinches and sparrows are within 2 feet of the patio door, fantastic to see.

[Bananafishbones]

a large number of new juveniles around today including a few Greenfinch, Blue tits, Great Tits and Blackbirds.

[bongofury]

I tried a 'best count' of Siskins today. 13 on the sunflower hearts and 2 on the nijers. If this carries on through the winter, the seed bill is going to sky rocket. Don't they know there's a recession on?

The feral pigeons are back in numbers again. One has a couple of plastic jewellery on its legs, each different colours. I would imagine someone has lost a pigeon somewhere.

Also saw a Dunnock resting with its wings and tail spread flat on the lawn. Possibly a juvenile, but after a few minutes it got up and went foraging again. It may have been 'sunbathing' - I've seen other birds do this occasionally too.

[andm]

apart from my usual, family of great tits ,and juv blue tits, a willow tit, coal tit,nuthatch and a greenfinch payed avisit to feeders. Also two dunnock, blackbird with two juv in tow ,and a willow warbler briefly dropped in garden,

[JeffMoh]

Fairly quiet at present except for our normal residents.
One bit of excitement was yesterday when a Cooper's Hawk swooped past the feeders at our living room window. It went by about 4 feet from where I was standing looking out.
Also, we have very rarely seen Tufted Titmice in our yards. However, three have been hanging around for the past 4 days. I'm really hoping they'll stay.
Jeff

[stilt]

Originally Posted by earleybird

its extremely difficult to protect from BOP attacks no matter what you do. They are so resourceful ,after all their lives depend on it.

The other morning I was eating breakfast in the conservatory and a small male Sparrowhawk landed on the lawn in front of me about 10 feet away and then ran in under a bush and came out with a blackbird in its talons !

I thought at first he had caught our resident rat but unfortunately not.

Tough watching nature do it's business.... I have a Cooper hawk living the good life right now. He especially likes squirrels. Although, I have only found one of his prey my normal 6 to 7 visits a day are down to a couple.
I once had a robin grabbed by a large black snake, it let out the most ungodly scream....

[stilt]

Over 30 blue jays visits for the peanuts, only saw as many as 7 at any given time so I am sure I have repeat visitors, none the less business is good. Lol

[roger1234]

Originally Posted by stilt

Tough watching nature do it's business.... I have a Cooper hawk living the good life right now. He especially likes squirrels. Although, I have only found one of his prey my normal 6 to 7 visits a day are down to a couple.
I once had a robin grabbed by a large black snake, it let out the most ungodly scream....

I would be very interested in borrowing the cooper hawk especially if he likes squirrels!!!

[Bananafishbones]

nothing unusual here but did have a Fox on the front lawn for a few moments last night while I was watching the Olympic closing ceremony

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by roger1234

I would be very interested in borrowing the cooper hawk especially if he likes squirrels!!!

You could have ours but I don't think it would help, because we still have plenty of squirrels. However, it seems to be keeping down the White-winged Dove population a little.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

[roger1234]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

You could have ours but I don't think it would help, because we still have plenty of squirrels. However, it seems to be keeping down the White-winged Dove population a little.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

That's a shame jeff!! Bullfinches still around both male and female,influx of goldfinches and greenfinches, that's about it though.

[GlesgaBirds]

GSW was at the feeders this morning, and assuming it was the same bird, has lost most of his red crown, gone all grown up !

Also had a greenfinch this morning, glad I put sunflower hearts out now, hope they keep visiting this time.

5 jackdaws today as well, surpisingly versatile on the feeders.

[earleybird]

haven't seen our GSW for some weeks now. I suspect a lot of birds get missed when you are busy all day and some sightings are just good luck.

I spotted a pair of Tree creepers in my garden earlier this year and as luck would have it my camera was to hand to record them. First time seen in 13 years and never seen again since .... Just a lucky sighting at that precise moment I guess.

I think all our Greenfinches have sadly succumed to either illness or the Sparrowhawk as I've not seen even our regular solitary GF for some weeks now.

We did see 8x juvenile Long tailed Tits on our suet and fat balls last night though ! They are sooooooooooo tiny ..... I'll be ready with the camera tonight .

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by earleybird

haven't seen our GSW for some weeks now. I suspect a lot of birds get missed when you are busy all day and some sightings are just good luck.

I think we tend to forget that what we see is only a fraction of the birds that visit our gardens. As you say, luck plays a big part. Let me give an example - about butterflies not birds.

I glanced out of mour bedroom window and saw a butterfly on a bush in our yard. I only know a handful of butterflies and it wasn't one of them. I grabbed my camera, rushed out and took a photo just before the butterfly flew off. Checked some internet sites of US butterflies but no luck with an ID. On a whim, I posted a photo on the web and asked for an ID. Turns out it was just the third sighting ever in the USA of a Rusty-tipped Page. Makes me wonder how many rare butterflies and birds are flitting around all the time without anyone noticing them!

Jeff

[Bananafishbones]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

I think we tend to forget that what we see is only a fraction of the birds that visit our gardens. As you say, luck plays a big part. Let me give an example - about butterflies not birds.

I glanced out of mour bedroom window and saw a butterfly on a bush in our yard. I only know a handful of butterflies and it wasn't one of them. I grabbed my camera, rushed out and took a photo just before the butterfly flew off. Checked some internet sites of US butterflies but no luck with an ID. On a whim, I posted a photo on the web and asked for an ID. Turns out it was just the third sighting ever in the USA of a Rusty-tipped Page. Makes me wonder how many rare butterflies and birds are flitting around all the time without anyone noticing them!

Jeff

well done Jeff

[Bananafishbones]

Originally Posted by bongofury

Dunnock resting with its wings and tail spread flat on the lawn. Possibly a juvenile, but after a few minutes it got up and went foraging again. It may have been 'sunbathing' - I've seen other birds do this occasionally too.

You are correct Bongo - here are two sunbathing yesterday in the garden, The Robin fluffs up and sits as if it is sat on eggs, while the Blackbird spreads itself flat to the ground, both trying to cool off......unfortunatly no sunshine today

also added a Greenfinch Juv for EB as all his have gone

[Bananafishbones]

2012 Garden Species No 53
Willow Warbler

first sighting since May 2009

We have just had a long and heavy downpour and as it has brightened up a little a mini bird wave has just come through into the garden including the Warbler. Stuck around for 10 minutes or so certainly a garden Mega for me

a mad 5 minutes as a Wren has just turned up, first sighting since feb this year.

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by Bananafishbones

2012 Garden Species No 53
Willow Warbler
first sighting since May 2009
We have just had a long and heavy downpour and as it has brightened up a little a mini bird wave has just come through into the garden including the Warbler. Stuck around for 10 minutes or so certainly a garden Mega for me

Nice one, Dave!

Your warblers are very different from those in the USA. We have a lot more, too - I missed a lot of warblers this spring but still spotted 25 species.

Jeff

[Bananafishbones]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

Nice one, Dave!

Your warblers are very different from those in the USA. We have a lot more, too - I missed a lot of warblers this spring but still spotted 25 species.

Jeff

which 25 Jeff? - only to whet my appetite

[JeffMoh]

Originally Posted by Bananafishbones

which 25 Jeff? - only to whet my appetite

Here you go, Dave.

Ovenbird
Blue-winged W(arbler)
Golden-winged W
Black-and-white W
Prothonotary W
Tennessee W
Orange-crowned W
Nashville W
Mourning W
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded W
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia W
Bay-breasted W
Blackburnian W
Yellow W
Chestnut-sided W
Pine W
Yellow-rumped W
Yellow-throated W
Black-throated Green W
Canada W
Wilson's W
Yellow-breasted Chat

Some people saw more than this in half-a-day this spring.

Amazingly, I didn't see a single warbler in a weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area or in a week in sw Utah. Partly time of year, partly bad luck.

My favorite is Blackburnian Warbler. They could do with some of those in Blackburn to brighten the place up.

Jeff

[bongofury]

Originally Posted by Bananafishbones

You are correct Bongo - here are two sunbathing yesterday in the garden,

Thanks - nice images

Originally Posted by Bananafishbones

2012 Garden Species No 53
Willow Warbler

Nice going

Siskins are still emptying the feeders daily. The white millet is proving popular with the squirrels, shock horror, but the Chaffinches like a nibble when the squirrels leave it alone.

The juv GSW is deffo a male, going by the size of the red cap.

[Bananafishbones]

Originally Posted by JeffMoh

Here you go, Dave.

Ovenbird
Blue-winged W(arbler)
Golden-winged W
Black-and-white W
Prothonotary W
Tennessee W
Orange-crowned W
Nashville W
Mourning W
Common Yellowthroat
Hooded W
American Redstart
Northern Parula
Magnolia W
Bay-breasted W
Blackburnian W
Yellow W
Chestnut-sided W
Pine W
Yellow-rumped W
Yellow-throated W
Black-throated Green W
Canada W
Wilson's W
Yellow-breasted Chat

Some people saw more than this in half-a-day this spring.

Amazingly, I didn't see a single warbler in a weekend in the San Francisco Bay Area or in a week in sw Utah. Partly time of year, partly bad luck.

My favorite is Blackburnian Warbler. They could do with some of those in Blackburn to brighten the place up.

Jeff

Excellent stuff Jeff
I can boast of seeing a few of those listed while in Venezuela, with the bottom 3 in the garden where Goyter and myself stayed

Blackburnian
Black and White
Tennessee
American Redstart
Bay Breasted

Have to agree that the Blackburnian Warbler is beautiful - and here is my humble effort of 2 plus the Tennessee from the Garden.