The Big Garden Birdwatch...30/01/2010 (1 Viewer)

The Big Garden Birdwatch was on the agenda today! The morning was a cold and frosty one with a temperature of -3.7c at 6.45am (ish)! The moon was almost eye height and dazzling as I looked out of my kitchen window, in fact so bright that I could not look at it full on, sunglasses were needed! A lovely start to the day nevertheless. After my brekkie I began to prepare the birds brekkie! Soaked sultanas and raisins, raisins because Asda had sold out of sultanas the previous week, I hope this was because folk had bought plenty for the birds during the cold spell we had. Scones, nuts, suet pellets, crumbled fatballs and mixed high energy seed was added to the birds brekkie! Magpies x 2 were the first to come down for food quickly followed by 13 Woodpigeons!!! Mmmm.. I thought, I hope they leave some food for a few other species. I needn't have worried as 8 Blackbirds soon arrived also Dunnock (3), Blue Tit (2), Feral Pigeon (3), Great Tit (1), Robin (1), Carrion Crow (10) and a surprise Black-headed Gull! I was pleased with the species count as it is a fair representation of my daily garden birds, though the Black-headed Gull was a rarity to land in the garden. I wished the Blackcaps had put in an appearance, though I knew this would be wishful thinking. The arrival of the Fieldfares during the middle two weeks of this month had sadly frightened them off, or I should say her off. Hopefully the female (who had visited daily before the Fieldfares took over) will return and enjoy once more the apples and pears I spike on the old apple tree. Two Long-tailed Tits arrived later in the morning but my BGBW hour had long been over so they were not added to my species count. Lovely to see them all the same. I am looking forward to seeing the results of this years BGBW after such a cold winter. Hopefully with all the publicity about the BGBW more people than ever before have spent an hour counting their garden birds.

I have added a few photo's of some of the birds in my garden during the BGBW hour this morning.....8.30am-9.30am, they were taken from behind a window so not too brilliant The Crow wondered what was happening I reckon when the Woodpigeon flew in.lol!