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Garden / Yard List 2017 (4 Viewers)

Seeing Black kite overhead every day sometimes very low and sometimes very high .

You may still be having migrating Black Kites passing over high Brenda, but just as likely is you're seeing the 2 styles of food searching they seem to have, I call them the 'workers' and the 'loafers'.
The 'workers' patrol up and down fields at low level, rivers and roads,working hard looking to find food, the 'loafers' drift up and up in the sky until they can see for scores of kilometres any other kites or vultures diving down to feed on something, they then zoom off in that direction to see if they can profit from the 'workers' efforts!

Obviously my theory is not in the least bit scientifically watertight, but I like it:t:

Anyway, a couple of weeks after I saw an unidentified crest sp, not one, but a pair of:

53 Firecrest

getting all frisky in the sunshine this morning, after a chilly night with some snow a bit further up on the mountains.
 
Nice warm day today - first butterflies of the year on the wing in recent days - Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell and Brimstone three days ago, Yellow-legged Tortoiseshell, Small Tortoiseshell and Brimstone today.

Nice trickle of migrants today - one male Hen Harrier, two Great White Egrets northbound, three more Greylag Geese, a Brambling, etc. Also first Song Thrushes and Mistle Thrush.

55. Great White Egret
56. Hen Harrier
57. Black-headed Gull
58. Mistle Thrush
59. Song Thrush
60. Brambling


Also a Moose today, and Red Fox and Roe Deer.
 
Still no Feral Pigeon - they all turn out to be Stock Doves or something.
Find that unbelievable! Probably the most abundant flyover species from my garden.
28. Meadow pipit - a Morpeth garden lifer (species 66!), singing over hedgerows on the adjacent farmland (so another that I'm unlikely to see/hear again once it's a new housing estate...). I'm guessing this wouldn't be a lifer if I were a better birder, but my ability to pick out different songs is improving, so I get to add new species to the list that have probably been around for years!
Learn the flight call, and you'll pick them up easily on autumn passage in September / October :t:
 
Clear and calm this morning - ideal for sounds to reach my garden - & an unexpected turn up - a garden tick...

63 : Moorhen

shouting from the stream.
 
Clear and calm this morning - ideal for sounds to reach my garden - & an unexpected turn up - a garden tick...

63 : Moorhen

shouting from the stream.

I've got one of those behind my place....only ever seen it from the house once in 34 years. :-C
 
No butterflies here yet. +3 Celsius degrees, but sunny (at least today is).

#17. Wood Pigeon - My local couple is back plus one other also. Maybe their offspring from last summer?
 
My 2017 Backyard List
___________________________

Lesser Goldfinch
House Finch
White-Crowned Sparrow
House Sparrow
Western Bluebird
Dark-Eyed Junco
Black Phoebe
American Robin
American Crow
California Scrub Jay
Northern Flicker
Cedar Waxwing
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Sharp-Shinned Hawk
 
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My 2017 Backyard List
___________________________

Lesser Goldfinch
House Finch
White-Crowned Sparrow
House Sparrow
Western Bluebird
Dark-Eyed Junco
Black Phoebe
American Robin
American Crow
California Scrub Jay
Northern Flicker
Cedar Waxwing
Mourning Dove
Anna's Hummingbird
Sharp-Shinned Hawk

Welcome to the Garden/Yard thread ATBF, what kind of habitat do you have around your place?
 
Welcome to the Garden/Yard thread ATBF, what kind of habitat do you have around your place?

Hi,

Thanks!

We're in the middle of a large suburban area (Roseville, CA). Our particular neighborhood is older, so the trees and other growth are mature. Our city has a number of riparian greenbelts that follow creeks that cross the area, the nearest being about a half mile away. I believe these natural areas would be classified as valley oak woodlands.

We have a small backyard flanked by a pair of large sycamores. There are various low shrubs along the fence. The feeders are all hung in a fruitless plum tree in the middle of the yard. That tree provides nice cover for birds while also being ideal for hanging feeders.

Regards,
Alan
 
Hi,

Thanks!

We're in the middle of a large suburban area (Roseville, CA). Our particular neighborhood is older, so the trees and other growth are mature. Our city has a number of riparian greenbelts that follow creeks that cross the area, the nearest being about a half mile away. I believe these natural areas would be classified as valley oak woodlands.

We have a small backyard flanked by a pair of large sycamores. There are various low shrubs along the fence. The feeders are all hung in a fruitless plum tree in the middle of the yard. That tree provides nice cover for birds while also being ideal for hanging feeders.

Regards,
Alan

Thanks Alan, it's nice to be able to imagine each other's gardens/yards/ country estate (Jos;))

Snow overnight, but yesterday a gale force foehn was a'blowing on a sunny afternoon, and a female

54 Kestrel

was enjoying flying in the gusts.
 
...it's nice to be able to imagine each other's gardens/yards/ country estate (Jos;))

Snow overnight...

Snow at the 'country estate' today :t:

On and off flurries, but pleasant all the same. Ice beginning to thin and vanish ...and with it the return of Goldeneyes and Green Sandpipers to territory, Snipe and Goosander flying over, four Wigeon too settling on a flood pool in the meadow (4th record for my land, after one last week). Also a Woodlark singing.

61. Goosander
62. Common Snipe
63. Green Sandpiper
 
Snow at the 'country estate' today :t:

On and off flurries, but pleasant all the same. Ice beginning to thin and vanish ...and with it the return of Goldeneyes and Green Sandpipers to territory, Snipe and Goosander flying over, four Wigeon too settling on a flood pool in the meadow (4th record for my land, after one last week). Also a Woodlark singing.

61. Goosander
62. Common Snipe
63. Green Sandpiper

Aaargh, each time I see one for the year ,you see three :-C
I was interested to see it was only the other day that you had your first Brambling of the year Jos, do they all leave for the winter then?
 
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