Garden / Yard List 2023 (2 Viewers)

[dantheman]

Mute Swan possible??!

 

[Richard Prior]

Mute Swan possible??!

Yes, and Whooper, I guess we’ll have to be Scrooge - like on this occasion, we can’t risk having the er, string - free reputation of the thread called into question

 

[01101001]

Probably missed out on a Garden/Property tick yesterday. I was at one of our ponds, checking out a dead willow* that had fallen over, and is blocking a path. We'll need to clear that path, and we were figuring out how to do it. I saw a rather large white bird flying over in the distance and asked my 15 year old, who was holding the bins, to have a quick look at it. He confirmed my suspicion by telling me 'it's a large white bird'

Since we're of to the family house in town in a couple of hours (back here on Tuesday though), not sure if I manage to ad the Great Egret to the 2023 garden list. We'll try 2024 for sure !

* Only willow on the property, as far as I am aware ... there goes my change at some Willow Tits breeding on our place. Never seen them anywhere around here unfortunately.

I've had a Great Egret as well, and it took the same route to and fro around the same time of the day for a while, it seems. If it's got a feeding patch nearby, too, you should be able to connect with it with some luck. ATB with your Willow Tits, and may your wood rot proper and good!

 

[dantheman]

Yes, and Whooper, I guess we’ll have to be Scrooge - like on this occasion, we can’t risk having the er, string - free reputation of the thread called into question

Well, I straight away thought of Mute Swan because down in France years ago I tried stringing something (Spoonbill/GWE) flying away which I later realised was Mute Swan (or the other way around, I forget now).

;-)

Do you get Whoopers in Switzerland?

Have fairly regularly had singles of Little Egret and Great White and egret sp. - towards dusk when things go toward roost sites or mornings often.

 

[dantheman]

Down in France at the new pad in Tonneins (South West France) for the week.

It's about as grey and damp as Cornwall, but getting less damp next few days hopefully.

Garden list -

In

Robin
Blackbird
House Sparrow
Blackcap

From

Starling
Collared Dove
Magpie
Chaffinch
Carrion Crow

Did also see a Sparrowhawk swoosh over at the end of the road the other morning when leaving ;-)

 

[dantheman]

Probably missed out on a Garden/Property tick yesterday. I was at one of our ponds, checking out a dead willow* that had fallen over, and is blocking a path. We'll need to clear that path, and we were figuring out how to do it. I saw a rather large white bird flying over in the distance and asked my 15 year old, who was holding the bins, to have a quick look at it. He confirmed my suspicion by telling me 'it's a large white bird'

Since we're of to the family house in town in a couple of hours (back here on Tuesday though), not sure if I manage to ad the Great Egret to the 2023 garden list. We'll try 2024 for sure !

* Only willow on the property, as far as I am aware ... there goes my change at some Willow Tits breeding on our place. Never seen them anywhere around here unfortunately.

(Can't do both otherwise on the post) .

Good luck for next year ... ;-)

 

[Richard Prior]

Blimey, both you and Frank in France now, it’s an invasion!
Whooper Swan is a regular winterer in Switzerland, Bewick’s also, but in diminishing numbers. In France down towards the Camargue they get wintering Bewick’s and of course in central France, Lac d’Orient etc.
You may not know this, but Whooper Swan has bred for the past few years in Dombes region near Lyon. A slightly injured wintering adult that had been ringed in N Europe somewhere and therefore apparently unable to migrate was accompanied by its mate who refused to leave its side in the following spring so they started nesting, a small non migratory population seems to be now developing!
Still hoping for No. 90 for the year here, 7 Chamois and two Black Grouse visible on the mountain opposite us yesterday

 

[Frank van Drogen]

I was going to say that in the Spirit of Christmas I‘ll give you Great Egret Frank,

Thanks so much

I'll patiently wait until I am a bit more sure ... I hope to connect with one soon. Did escape for a bit this morning while my wife was loading the car. (Only goit in minor trouble). I didn't see a white bird, but a rather black one., LXXXVIII Great Cormorant.

 

[KenM]

Probably not the last for the year (gonna be a balmy 14 degrees tomorrow however….wasn’t expecting an “on the wing flapping and fluttering” Xmas Eve grdn.fly through.😮

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Came back yesterday afternoon to our French country side place. To my surprise, the black sunflower seed feeder was empty. I filled it up, and spend some time this morning looking at the birds feeding. I am hoping for some Crested Tits feeding there, but none so far.

There's however a flock of Great and Blue Tits and the occasional Marsh Tit. Chaffinches tend to feed in the ground below the feders. Also there are the bully Nuthatches, sometimes more busy chasing other birds away than feeding.

All of a sudden, all birds scattered. Initially, I thought my wife was passing. Much better though ... a (LXXXIX) Sparrowhawk, which actually landed on the well. It flew of before I got the camera, but I guess if I keep the feeders topped of, it might come around again.

 

[Frank van Drogen]

Got me two more garden ticks. Didn't even need the bins this morning, the (XC) Great Egret flew of less then 30 meters away.

Then this afternoon, while drinking coffee, my wife called me outside to have a look at migrating birds, heading South-West. I managed to get some photos. I assume they are (XCI) Cranes.

 

[Richard Prior]

Got me two more garden ticks. Didn't even need the bins this morning, the (XC) Great Egret flew of less then 30 meters away.

Then this afternoon, while drinking coffee, my wife called me outside to have a look at migrating birds, heading South-West. I managed to get some photos. I assume they are (XCI) Cranes.

They certainly are Frank, nice one!

 

[KenM]

Not a year tick, (have seen several flying over distantly during the year), however only the 2nd “ grdn.furniture” bird in 40 yrs!

 

[Richard Prior]

Smart looking birds, the mild weather has prompted one to start singing here in recent days, Green and Black Woodpeckers getting more vocal now as well.
It seems a few trees have either fallen or been chopped right down on the valley floor, meaning that I can see a 50m stretch of the river as it tumbles on its way, with the ‘scope I therefore have a chance in the future of perhaps adding the local Dippers or even Goosander to the Garden List. Onward and upward (or downstreamward in this case I suppose…)!

 

[birdmeister]

It's looking like I'll end up with 134 for the year, a fabulous total for me. There were so many great moments and good birds through the year. Certainly the best one was the Black Swift that stopped by in August, an amazing bird! It's kind of neat to look at the additions by month, considering that fall would naturally have fewer year additions than spring...

January - 34
February - 11
March - 25
April - 16
May - 4
June - 0
July - 5
August - 17
September - 7
October - 9
November - 5
December - 1

It will be very interesting to see what next year brings. I doubt it will top this one numbers-wise, but never say never

 

[KenM]

It's looking like I'll end up with 134 for the year, a fabulous total for me. There were so many great moments and good birds through the year. Certainly the best one was the Black Swift that stopped by in August, an amazing bird! It's kind of neat to look at the additions by month, considering that fall would naturally have fewer year additions than spring...

January - 34
February - 11
March - 25
April - 16
May - 4
June - 0
July - 5
August - 17
September - 7
October - 9
November - 5
December - 1

It will be very interesting to see what next year brings. I doubt it will top this one numbers-wise, but never say never

Probably my best garden and patch year ever quality wise BM, although nos. were down on previous years.
However, I’m certainly not complaining, as I’m sure 2024 will bring some surprises, perhaps a House Sparrow or two, after a two year absence I think I’m deserving.🤣

 

[halftwo]

Looks like I'll be on 90 for the year, unless something exceptional happens.

However, the 2nd Great White Egret for the year, just flew past.

 

[dantheman]

Down in France at the new pad in Tonneins (South West France) for the week.

It's about as grey and damp as Cornwall, but getting less damp next few days hopefully.

Garden list -

In

Robin
Blackbird
House Sparrow
Blackcap

From

Starling
Collared Dove
Magpie
Chaffinch
Carrion Crow

Did also see a Sparrowhawk swoosh over at the end of the road the other morning when leaving ;-)

Two more for the week - how could I have forgotten ... Yellow-legged Gull ... and then on the penultimate day, a Carrion Crow perched in a distant conifer.


Back in blighty now though.

 

[Steve Lister]

A Eureka moment at 0911 this morning.....
December 30th
76. Waxwing - one flew low east trilling twice as it went
It has taken me seven years to add this to my garden list, now on 106.

 

[Paul Chapman]

With an impeccable sense of timing, a Great White Egret is resting in the field opposite my house & viewable from my landing window this afternoon. It is obviously conserving its energy before departing before the New Year. 😀

Having identified Britain's 40th in 1990 in Sussex, the remarkable status change means that there are now in comparison in excess of 40 pairs breeding in my home county every year. This is not even a garden tick. Third different individual at least.

All the best

Paul