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ZEISS DTI thermal imaging cameras. For more discoveries at night, and during the day.

Very busy at the bird feeder today! (7 Viewers)

Too wet for any serious bird movement today, the lawn overnight has turned into a small pond.

If by Wednesday the Lesser Redpolls dont arrive it will take me past the latest date of previous arrival years. Probably a sign of how mild it has been in November this year.

Lol ignore the above...... first 2 of the Winter have just arrived, well chuffed erm.... 3
 
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If by Wednesday the Lesser Redpolls dont arrive it will take me past the latest date of previous arrival years. Probably a sign of how mild it has been in November this year.
Lol ignore the above...... first 2 of the Winter have just arrived, well chuffed erm.... 3

Winter seems to be slow arriving here, too, Dave. However, Chipping Sparrows arrived Friday and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker yesterday. So all our normal winter yardbirds except American Goldfinch have made it - plus this year as a bonus we have lots of Red-breasted Nuthatches.

Jeff
 
Lol ignore the above...... first 2 of the Winter have just arrived, well chuffed[/COLOR] erm.... 3

Well done, BFB. Mine seem to have disappeared after their early appearance.

I have heard Willow Tit! It has been a long time since one was around, so hopefully it will return.

Also a Green Woodpecker, feeding on the fatballs, couldn't believe my eyes :t:

Superb garden birds:t:


A garden high count of 7 Bullfinches this afternoon, all feeding on the neighbour's plants that have been allowed to go to seed. Also 3 LTTs.
 
4 LTTs and 4 Lssr Redpoll in the garden this morning, overhead in the distance were 5 Skiens of Pink footed Geese flying SE, hard to count as all the skiens came together but would guess 300+
 
Standing room only on our bird feeder recently. Woodpeckers can't half eat some suet! Not that I'm complaining mind, suet lures them down from the trees and gives me a chance to photograph them so we're all happy! Male GSWs appear to take precedence over females, the female always flies as soon as the male approaches. When both GSWs are off elsewhere, the Nuthatches take up a defensive posture against the Tits (and other Nuthatches) and shriek when any other bird tries to get a look in. We even had a Dunnock on the feeder today. Not a rare bird to spot, just not usual to see one on a feeder, they much prefer feeding on the ground. Some pics below:

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Super photos, as always.

'My' male GSW always hangs around during the winter, but the female only appears after he starts his drumming in January. Well done in keeping both around.
 
Super photos, as always.

'My' male GSW always hangs around during the winter, but the female only appears after he starts his drumming in January. Well done in keeping both around.

Thanks Bongo. Unless it's sheer coincidence and we've attracted a M & F GSW of similar size, I think these are the two from the same brood produced this year which started coming to the feeder with their parents several months back, once they left the nest. I haven't seen the larger parent GSWs for a week or two so I'm wondering if the parents may have moved on and left the kids to the established territory. This M & F seem attached to each other. They feed in turn and today I was watching them chasing each other from branch to branch. Be nice to think we could have young Woodpeckers over successive years.
 
Thanks Bongo. Unless it's sheer coincidence and we've attracted a M & F GSW of similar size,

Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know, but male GSWs have red on the back of their necks (as visible in your photo above), but females don't. Juveniles have a red crown, male juvs with much larger crowns than female juvs - as someone on here pointed out to me recently (can't remember who, sorry!)

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greatspottedwoodpecker/index.aspx
 
Sorry if I'm telling you something you already know, but male GSWs have red on the back of their necks (as visible in your photo above), but females don't. Juveniles have a red crown, male juvs with much larger crowns than female juvs - as someone on here pointed out to me recently (can't remember who, sorry!)

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/greatspottedwoodpecker/index.aspx

I did know that (surprisingly!) but no problem, by all means keep me right |=)|

What I meant was (and probably didn't explain too well) was that the male bird pictured (and a similar sized female) were, I think, born this year. As I say, it could be a co incidence, but I watched two juvi Woodpeckers get introduced to our feeder by their parents (didn't get a shot sadly) and now the parents haven't been seen for a while. This could be confirmed or otherwise if I knew when GSWs developed their adult plumage. If it's within their first year then that would fit with what I reckon, if not and it's later, then my I.D. is wrong. Doesn't really matter, glad to have them in any event.
 
Redwing perched in a tree yday. Loads of the usual finches having some good scraps over the birdfood today but no unusual ones yet. I saw something on telly that suggested this is the beginning of another winter long freeze with good chances of snow coming over the winter period. We shall see if that holds true and what it pushes into the gardens again.
 
Had a male Blackcap visit my feeders this morning. I've had a female during the last two Winters, so maybe this male will hang around.

Nice bird to have over the winter. Quite a lot of reports this week with Blackcaps turning up in gardens.

First Brambling of the Season in the garden this morning.

Also a good garden visitor.

Hopefully tomorrow I will actually see my garden in daylight. I hate these dark mornings and evenings.
 

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