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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! (4 Viewers)

Hi Jeff,
Sad about your bird. I hand reared a baby pigeon once, it used to suck up watered down vegetable baby food, Milupa spring vegetable baby food infact, I'm not sure if you can still buy it let alone buy it in the states. My pigeon did very well on it.(unfortunately once grown and flying it was taken by a BOP)
 
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Natures loft insulation.....

Caught this male Housesparrow nest building, we have a large family living under the eaves o:)

This fellow is obviously spring cleaning.... I got a snap of his bedding he has gathered in his beak, then a snap as he flew upto the house. :t:

The bush pictured is outside the living room window to the rear of the house and all the Sparrows fly constantly from house to bush, when the sun is out they all sit atop enjoying the sun, however if a Sparrowhawk is in the area the lookout (sat in the gutter and very churpy) lets them know and they all drop two foot inside the depths of the bush for protection....

Its greaat to watch stuff like this in the garden :t:

Dave
 

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Jeff, what a shame about the Finch, let us know what happens.

Had a great start to the day today a pair of Mistle Thrush landed in the garden as we had breakfast they stayed quite a while and ate quite a bit too! A third Collared Dove appeared too but was soon chased off by the regular pair. We also had a m & f Blackbird, 2 squabbling Starlings all in the space of about ten minutes.

My daughter and I watched the Thrushes instead of eating breakfast, then had to rush about oops! I think the Thrush are nesting in little copse of trees at the end of the road as i've seen them there a few times over the past couple of weeks. Maybe they will visit a bit more now.
 
Two nice suprises this morning:
Return of a Coal tit, its partner should return soon hopefully
Male Bullfinch currently feeding on the nyger seed
 
Garden tick ............ Female Bullfinch currently feeding with the Male :t:

I know they are normally seen about a mile away at the Middlewood way, so they are traveling quite a way to feed here.
 
In Houston

The House Finch with the deformed beak hasn't re-appeared for a couple of days and so I'm thinking it didn't survive.
On a brighter note, our Downy Woodpeckers have started bringing their new offspring to our feeders. I haven't managed to get a photo of the youngster yet but the dad is always willing to pose for me.
Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com
 

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Lets hope your wrong Jeff....

Another garden tick (well life tick actualy), House Martin just gone over

Busy day on my update spreadsheet!!
 
Today in Texas

Walked out of the house today and was deafened by the male Northern Mockingbird that's been singing incessantly for days (and nights) trying for a mate. Looked up into our elm and thought, "That's bloody big for a mockingbird," then realized I was looking at was a Black-bellied Whistling Duck. Not a normal yardbird even in Texas and certainly a first in our garden. In case you don't know Whistling Ducks, I've attached a photo. (In case you think our front garden is appropriate duck habitat, I've attached a photo of that, too.)

The deformed House Finch has returned! It was at the hummingbird feeder and was then scavenging on our front lawn. So it's hanging on in there.

Jeff
 

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Good to hear the finch is still around, he must have figured out how to feed well enough.

I guess the Duck must have needed a rest! I bet there aren't many people who could tick a duck on their garden list :t:

There are a pair of Dunnocks hopping round in the garden right now, the Robin practically spends it's whole day here these days. As I hung the washing out half an hour ago there were 7 Goldfinch flying about a couple of trees a couple of gardens over and the Mistle Thrush flew right overhead. It's a gorgeous day today!
 
Usual blackbird, robin, blue tit, collared dove action here but while looking out early evening I spotted a Cormorant flying north-east. Possibly for one of the nearby farms where there are some reservoirs. Have seen Cormorants there, but there are also more reservoirs to the north where Cormorants supposedly gather.
 
Rain rain go away

Song Thrush early on, very noisy ontop of the trees, must have been trying to attract the attention of its mate.
Great tits, Blue tits, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Chaffinch, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Rook, Starling, Feral Pigeon, Collared Dove, Magpie, Carrion and Jackdaw... one of which was regurgitating some bread, once it was soft it flew off with the doughy substance... Chicks maybe??
 
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A proper garden watch

Not been watching the garden much over the last week so rather than go out before work this afternoon here is what came in 09.15 - 09.45................. then 10.30 - Noon

Blue tit 1
Carrion 1
Magpie 1
Greenfinch 3 (2 males displaying or fighting each other off)
Blackbird 1m (by late morning 2)
Rook 1
Woodpigeon 3
Starling 1 (by late morning 5)
Jackdaw 1 (by late morning 2)
Goldfinch 1 (by late morning 2)
Song Thrush 1 (2nd day) its a sin to have the backdoor closed while this bird sings, its amazing............ I have just counted at least a dozen song variations in 5 minutes, then ...... a second Song Thrush joins, how good is this. I cant recall seeing two in the garden together before. :t: both still here after 3hrs :t:
Great Tit 1
Dunnock 1
Collared Dove 2

Will update the count in a while
Dave


*Update*

Late morning visitors
Feral Pigeon 3
House Sparrow 2f 1m
Chaffinch 1m
Robin 1
Blackbird 1f

And there we go, a morning in an East Cheshire garden
 

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My back garden activity was most entertaining this afternoon. Mealworms had been put out for the Sparrows, who responded with alacrity, but they were not the only birds to benefit: first, a large Magpie scooped up half a dozen worms and made off with them, to the chagrin of the scattered Sparrows, who clearly were not amused; next, a Blackbird was the intending interloper, fluttering down to pick up a worm in its beak, but a plucky Sparrow darted in and stole the worm 'from right under its nose'; disconcerted, but not dismayed, the Blackbird persisted in stealing another worm, only to suffer a similar foray from another Sparrow, but the Blackbird would not be denied a second time and pursued the wee 'Spadger' all round the garden in a merry zig-zag 'catch-me-if-you-can' chase; then a speckled Thrush had a go, but the Blackbird 'had his dander up' by now and soon repelled the newcomer; a big arrogant Crow landed briefly to survey the scene, as the Blackbird scurried for cover, but moments later this larger 'black bird' noisily took off and left the field to an incoming new Blackbird, as the old Blackbird reappeared to defend its patch; a typical rising/falling fluttering/flapping fight ensued, with the original Blackbird winning the joust; meantime, the Sparrows hadn't been idle, had taken advantage of the Blackbirds' preoccupation, and had scoffed the remaining mealworms! When the Magpie returned for another top-up, it found the cupboard bare (almost). A quick hop round the garden revealed a sole surviving fatball, which was plucked from its tree and carried off by its plastic mesh, despite the inherent aerodynamic instability of this arrangement...
 
James isn't stuff like this just so entertaining to watch! Makes it all worthwhile. :t:

Dave you have had a busy garden! We have had a Great Tit yesterday and this morning for the first time in a few weeks. I put some food on the patio wall closer to the house so my little one can get a better look at some of the braver birds. It was on there first thing, along with a Robin and Blackbird too. Hubby tells me the Mistle Thrush were back yesterday, he has had a few days off and has been watching on my behalf! A pair of Dunnocks have been in often and we have even had House Sparrows eating round the bottom of the feeders, it's very rare they do that in my garden, they tend to stick to the neighbours seed feeder or the feed I sometimes put on the top of the shed.

All the usual birds too and hubby reports that there was a strange looking bird which he thought was a cross between a Collard Dove and something else, it wasn't quite like our usual pair so I said he should film it if he sees it again?

Pam
 
A World Away

Great Tits. Mistle Thrush. Dunnock. Your reports are making me homesick for the UK.:C We had very few birds in our yards yesterday and Monday because of a storm: 9" of rain in 24 hours. All we got were Blue Jays, House Finches, Carolina Chickadee, Northern Mockingbird, White-winged Doves and Downy Woodpeckers. The college where I worked had Indigo Buntings, though.|=)|

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com
 
The Great Tit has brought a friend this evening. Have just cleaned out all the feeders and scared all the birds off I think!

Jeff, think of all the wonderful birds you get to see over there. The Indigo Buntings are just gorgeous, their colour is amazing and I would be happy to see a Blue Jay.
 
Jeff
We all marvel at your yardbirds, but like you say the simple things in life such as Dunnocks are missed when you dont see them..... makes sure we dont take them for granted.

James
I agree with Pam regarding your garden escapades, fun to watch and a great learning experience of the simple things that happen under our noses. I really enjoyed watching the Song Thrushes feed the other day.

Pair of Song Thrushes for 4th day running.

Jackdaw just scared the life out of me, I have a hanging basket by the back door with a fat ball hanging from it, the House Sparrows and blue tits feed on it, however the jackdaw landed unceremoniously on the basket and is sat there peering in at me... face to face !!

Since the bread was put out, I have had 2 BH Gulls, 2 Rook, 5 Jackdaw, 20 Starling, 1 Magpie, 1 Carrion Crow, 5 House Sparrows all feeding on it...

Otherwise fairly quiet (in numbers, not in song) with a few tits, finches, Blackbirds

At least it is trying to stay dry, if not a tad windy

Dave
 
A garden first for me today - a Coal Tit. It appeared at lunchtime and I thought at first it was an odd looking Great Tit then realised what it was. It hung around quite a while and tried every feeder and the tray as well. Then it hopped around the fence a while quite close to the house so we got a very good look at it. So very pleased with that.:t:

Also had a steady flow of Starlings, Blackbirds, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Robin, Great Tits, Magpie, Wood Pigeon, Collared Dove and a couple of Goldfinch so far a good day!

Bit of a brave Jackdaw you have there Dave, our nesting Starling pair and the regular Robin don't bother if i'm out in the garden but don't let us get that close.
 
Hi, Pam and Dave.
I would certainly miss the Blue Jays and Northern Cardinals if I left. Plus the Ruby-throated Hummingbirds.
Jeff
 

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