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Wendy Morris
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My garden is very quiet at the moment. A few Starlings, the occasional Blackbird and some Goldfinches. Even the House Sparrows have deserted me, as have the Woodies. OH is pleased that the feed bill is less!!!
pstraughan
Well-known member
I recently made a very false economy with my feedstuff. I usually buy 12.5 kg bags of sunflower seeds from RSPB. This is too heavy for me to carry down to our shed, so when my husband was away recently and I ran out, I bought a smaller package of mixed seed and corn by Gardman from the local horticultural college garden centre. They didn't have any sunflower seeds. I get a discount!
The stuff was so lightweight, the squirrels learned to shake the squirrel-proof feeder and knock the food on the ground. The birds, especially the nuthatches, just picked out the seeds they liked and spat out the rest. Only the woodpigeons and collared doves ate some of the rejected bits.
Mess everywhere and it was obvious that some of the contents were dust, which didn't get eaten. Husband is now back from his sailing trip, so I've ordered my usual sunflower seeds!
Pat
palval147
Well-known member
We have had a GS Woodpecker in the large Scots pine at the bottom of the garden two doors up. It didn't come here, but we could plainly see it on the bare trunk. It was investigating the holes in the trunk, for insects I guess, as the breeding season must be over now.
pstraughan
Well-known member
Lots of butterflies today - Red Admiral, Peacock and many Gatekeepers flitting about the oregano. This little Chiffchaff was also about, very fidgety, this was the best shot I could get. Brief glimpse of the Spotted Flycatcher. A fox has been around, eating unripe windfall plums. Wish it would make the effort to catch some of the blooming rabbits, though it did sound like something was being murdered in the garden last night!
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Wendy Morris
Well-known member
You've obviously got a large garden with varied habitat, Pat. Lovely photos, even the fox looks in good nick!!!
Having commented about the lack of birds in the garden recently, it was all change this morning. In the pouring rain, the Goldfinches, Sparrows, Blackbirds and Collared Doves were back in force. Even had a Robin in and two Blue Tits. They all looked very bedragled after what had been a very wet night.
Having commented about the lack of birds in the garden recently, it was all change this morning. In the pouring rain, the Goldfinches, Sparrows, Blackbirds and Collared Doves were back in force. Even had a Robin in and two Blue Tits. They all looked very bedragled after what had been a very wet night.
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Fozzybear
Ich bin ein Vogelbeobachter
Superb! Greenfinch AND Goldfinch - good combo there!
Had a pleasant surprise a little earlier, one of the sparrows on the path was looking at the border with a strange expression (not that they're 'that' expressive!) and then a wood mouse came out and dashed across to my little wild area! Haven't seen the mice in the garden at all this year and thought the harsh winter had finished them off so great to know they're still about. Have been 'cultivating' a lot of cover so possibly just haven't seen them because they are able to keep out of sight better.
EDIT: and I forgot to post the other day - great pics Pat, have never seen a Chiffchaff on the ground!
Had a pleasant surprise a little earlier, one of the sparrows on the path was looking at the border with a strange expression (not that they're 'that' expressive!) and then a wood mouse came out and dashed across to my little wild area! Haven't seen the mice in the garden at all this year and thought the harsh winter had finished them off so great to know they're still about. Have been 'cultivating' a lot of cover so possibly just haven't seen them because they are able to keep out of sight better.
EDIT: and I forgot to post the other day - great pics Pat, have never seen a Chiffchaff on the ground!
Wendy Morris
Well-known member
pstraughan
Well-known member
Lovely photos Wendy.
I had a small party of Long tailed Tits on the fat balls today. They have been absent for several weeks. A new feeder attracted 8 Greenfinches, the most I've had for quite while. They all but died out a one point. I wonder why they prefer the new feeder?
Moorhens missing from my garden for 2 weeks after being every-present for several years. They raised a brood of 5 but I think all but one perished. A cat got one of the adults when they were working on a second brood, so maybe the other has gone off to find new friends.
Pheasants have also been missing for ages. There are definitely fewer in the area. I think they are not bred commercially around here any more.
Fox was back again, after the plums.
Pat
I had a small party of Long tailed Tits on the fat balls today. They have been absent for several weeks. A new feeder attracted 8 Greenfinches, the most I've had for quite while. They all but died out a one point. I wonder why they prefer the new feeder?
Moorhens missing from my garden for 2 weeks after being every-present for several years. They raised a brood of 5 but I think all but one perished. A cat got one of the adults when they were working on a second brood, so maybe the other has gone off to find new friends.
Pheasants have also been missing for ages. There are definitely fewer in the area. I think they are not bred commercially around here any more.
Fox was back again, after the plums.
Pat
pstraughan
Well-known member
My garden is L-shaped and in the angle of the L, right on the boundary and conveniently close to the conservatory, there is a big old hawthorn tree. I don't know how old it is, but it was already a big fella when we moved here nearly 19 years ago. Many of the birds coming into or leaving the garden perch in it.
This morning in the space of a few minutes it was host to: two Chiffchaffs, one juvenile and one adult I think though the latter might have been a Willow Warbler; a female Blackcap; a Jay and a Lesser Whitethroat. I don't get the latter in the garden very often and I didn't find any breeding sites locally this year.
Many of the usual crew were present, mostly finches and tits, plus Nuthatch, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Collared Doves.
Pat
This morning in the space of a few minutes it was host to: two Chiffchaffs, one juvenile and one adult I think though the latter might have been a Willow Warbler; a female Blackcap; a Jay and a Lesser Whitethroat. I don't get the latter in the garden very often and I didn't find any breeding sites locally this year.
Many of the usual crew were present, mostly finches and tits, plus Nuthatch, Magpie, Woodpigeon, Collared Doves.
Pat
palval147
Well-known member
Some photo's from today...
The young Robin again, starting to get his red breadt
This was brilliant, Greenfinch & a young Siskin on the sunflower hearts.
We have never had a young Siskin before, they are usually adult & Winter visitors, Greenfinches are good as we hadn't seen any for a while, there were two.
The young Robin again, starting to get his red breadt
This was brilliant, Greenfinch & a young Siskin on the sunflower hearts.
We have never had a young Siskin before, they are usually adult & Winter visitors, Greenfinches are good as we hadn't seen any for a while, there were two.
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Wendy Morris
Well-known member
Love the little Robin, Val! We have one here too, but not so obliging as to let me take his photo. Well done you.
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