Very busy at the bird feeder today! (6 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

Dunnocks very busy collecting mouthfuls of food, non stop returns for more, so must be feeding some hungry young.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Our first juvenile blackbird has just been killed by a magpie. I heard the pair of blackbirds making a lot of noise and looked out to see them trying to attack the magpie. |=(|

sad news, but Blackbirds are very resilient and will try again straight away.

 

[samoyed76]

sad news, but Blackbirds are very resilient and will try again straight away.

Hopefully with a bit more luck.

She laid eggs twice last year but all were lost to the squirrels.

 

[bongofury]

I went to put some peanut cakes out this morning and an interesting bird caught my eye on the nijer seed. I stealthily made my way back into the house, grabbed the bins...and it had gone. Fortunately I found it preening in the trees at the back of the garden. Quite a pale bird, but no mistaking it...Nuthatch, first ever for the garden. It was inevitable one would appear eventually as they breed a few miles from here where 5 pairs are now established, but didn't expect it this time of year. Obviously I spent the rest of the day hoping it would return, but it never did.

In the process I saw a male Blackcap, 3 Bullfinches, Sparrowhawk, 12 Goldfinches (spread across my feeders and the neighbours'), 2 Redpolls, 6 Siskins (incl 1 juvenile), GSW, 30 Starlings and the usual multiple tits.

 

[Dan123]

Fantastic reads on here this evening with everyone either having something different in their garden or sharing cracking pictures, good stuff :t:

I had something exciting for me today too as the female GSW came back on more than one ocassion and fed for nearly 5 minutes each time. I don't know how long she was on the Nuts for as when I looked out she was already tucking into them. She then flew off and explored around each feeder in the garden, and exploring all the shrubs and trees before spending about 15 minutes in the Conifer before coming back down and spending another good few minutes on the suet treats. She then flew back off to the woods, but watching her looking at everything, just as she did the last time, it looked like she was really thinking lol she was so curious at everything.

Are woodpeckers known for being bold, intelligent? I don't really know that much about them, but was thrilled to see her again anyways :king:

Plus first juvenile of the year for us with a baby Dunnock. It seems only 1 has survived as there is only this little guy with the parents, never anymore than 3 together but this fella looks healthy and well so a success for this year none the less.

 

[roger1234]

Change from yesterday with 2 pair of bullfinches, chaffinches, blue and great tits, robin, dunnock,greenfinches,collared doves, blackbirds, and some movement from the house sparrows which appear to be on there way back.

 

[EK_Birds]

Been a good weekend here in East Kilbride.

Returnees to the garden have been goldfinches, a solitary greenfinch and the GSW. Nyjer seed will have contributed to the first two I'm sure.

Rooks and jackdaws have been having a go at the fatballs I mentioned previously. Rooks really are huge birds in a garden environment ! :eek!:

Pair of blue tits feeding each other, courting pair rather than an adult and juvenile.

However, by far the most exciting part of the weekend has been a new garden tick, namely a pair of redpolls :king:

Saw at them the nyjer this morning, initially squabbling with the goldies, but eventually settling down and taking turns.

Usual collections of starlings and house sparrows working their way through the food as well.

 

[bongofury]

Congrats on the Redpolls Glesga.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

3 Pheasants, Bullfinch and first House Martin of the year

CB

 

[EK_Birds]

Congrats on the Redpolls Glesga.

And to you with the nuthatch, successful weekend all round B

 

[michael23]

Noticeable change to my garden species the last few weeks.

Since the Bullfinch pair have been coming every day (since 17th April), I have noticed a huge decline in Greenfinch numbers. 12+ daily down to 3 or 4 now.

Bullfinch the dominant species? Bullfinch now the finch owner of this territory? Just a coincidence?

I have upto 3 pairs of Bullfinch visiting, my greenfinch numbers are down, not as numerous as usual. A jackdaw has found my fatballs now, seen one twice, it's quite funny watching it flap like mad while trying to eat the fatballs.

A wren has also been singing really well, which is great news as I hardly see them in the garden any more.

 

[roger1234]

Swallow over the garden

 

[grobble]

Something different

A bit of a thread swerve.........

While I was topping up the fatball supplies today I glanced at the ingredients list on the packet.

"Warning - Contains Nuts" it says ! So which of the garden birds are allergic to nuts, and how do we tip them off?

Made me smile anyway.

 

[eddy the eagle]

And since when can birds read.......Eddy

 

[LowellMills]

A very pale (but still brown) Redpoll in the garden with the Lessers this last couple weeks. Down in my logbook as Common/Lesser. If I ever get a free and calm day to put a net up to trap under license I will be measuring the heck out of any Redpolls I get!

Also great sight to see a (m) Siskin hold its own against a (m) Greenfinch double its size yesterday. What a bird.

 

[2slo]

Conversation in our house earlier this evening,

SWMBO: 'Come and see this bird sitting in the tree'

Me 'Is it another Chaffinch?'

SWMBO: 'No, it's twice the size of a Chaffinch and it's got blue wings'

Me: 'What the...' drops cutlery, grabs camera, hurries to window and gets a quick snap:



I never thought about a Jay when she described it, good to see it though.

 

[grobble]

I have had a solitary Jay in my garden for some months now.

It's making the other birds a bit twitchy now there's eggs and babies about, but he seems quite keen on bread and pastry - so far.....

 

[bongofury]

Well done with the Jay, Mark.

My Goldcrests have definitely disappeared now, but the male Blackcap is still around.

 

[2slo]

I have had a solitary Jay in my garden for some months now.

It's making the other birds a bit twitchy now there's eggs and babies about, but he seems quite keen on bread and pastry - so far.....

Well done with the Jay, Mark.

My Goldcrests have definitely disappeared now, but the male Blackcap is still around.

Well my wife reckons she's seen the Jay a few times over the last couple of days (good of her to mention it!) as per above apparently he's been on the ground eating the bread and stale cakes she puts out for the Pheasants!

Goldcrests and Blackcaps! I wish I could get you interested in photography Bongo!

 

[michael23]

Female blackcap on the fatballs this evening.