Fat Rat
Well-known member
Hi All
I have not been into the forum for a couple of months due to work and holidays but I have still been watching the birds.
We went to Austria in January and despite the cold and snow there was a good few birds still around although they usually stayed hidden in the bushes, we went to a place called Mondsee (The place where the Sound of music church is), just up the road from there is a public park and a huge lake that had frozen over but in a great many of the trees people had hung suet balls and a good few sparrows and tits were most greatful, I have been there about 4 times but had never really noticed just how many people helped feed the birds.
On the way down to Austria (we went by coach) we found out that one of the best places to see Buzzards was along the German Autobahn, there seemed to be 1 or 2 roosting in trees every mile or so.
Yesterday we went for a day out to Windermere and saw a good few waterfowl around the lake, my Daughter and I had a good laugh watching a Tufted Duck diving for food from the bottom, every time I pointed the camera at it, it dived, it must have taken about 6 attempts to catch it. On the way back along the A69 a large amount of feathers suddenly fell from the sky in front of the car, as we looked up to see what it was we saw a large Buzzard just overhead with something in its tallons, it looked like a female pheasant but we didn't get a really good look.
Things are now getting better on the garden feeders, just about all my food is going into the birds now and not the bin. I have got about 3 of 4 Goldfinches visiting daily, they seem to like the sunflower hearts as well as the niger seed, I seem to have a good few starlings visit as well now, they finish everything off on the bird table, I think I am up to about 10 different species visiting now, not many by some standards but I am happy enough. I seem to get mostly bigger birds like Collared Dove, Blackbirds, Thrush and Starlings but the Blue Tits are back in and out of the bird box so hopefully more chicks again this year.
Take care
I have not been into the forum for a couple of months due to work and holidays but I have still been watching the birds.
We went to Austria in January and despite the cold and snow there was a good few birds still around although they usually stayed hidden in the bushes, we went to a place called Mondsee (The place where the Sound of music church is), just up the road from there is a public park and a huge lake that had frozen over but in a great many of the trees people had hung suet balls and a good few sparrows and tits were most greatful, I have been there about 4 times but had never really noticed just how many people helped feed the birds.
On the way down to Austria (we went by coach) we found out that one of the best places to see Buzzards was along the German Autobahn, there seemed to be 1 or 2 roosting in trees every mile or so.
Yesterday we went for a day out to Windermere and saw a good few waterfowl around the lake, my Daughter and I had a good laugh watching a Tufted Duck diving for food from the bottom, every time I pointed the camera at it, it dived, it must have taken about 6 attempts to catch it. On the way back along the A69 a large amount of feathers suddenly fell from the sky in front of the car, as we looked up to see what it was we saw a large Buzzard just overhead with something in its tallons, it looked like a female pheasant but we didn't get a really good look.
Things are now getting better on the garden feeders, just about all my food is going into the birds now and not the bin. I have got about 3 of 4 Goldfinches visiting daily, they seem to like the sunflower hearts as well as the niger seed, I seem to have a good few starlings visit as well now, they finish everything off on the bird table, I think I am up to about 10 different species visiting now, not many by some standards but I am happy enough. I seem to get mostly bigger birds like Collared Dove, Blackbirds, Thrush and Starlings but the Blue Tits are back in and out of the bird box so hopefully more chicks again this year.
Take care
