Brambling 2019 (1 Viewer)

Hi,

For the past 51 days I have had 1 - 3 Brambling in the garden every day consisting of two females and one male, I feel very honoured! As they are not a common garden bird, it crossed my mind if other people are getting them for this length of time.

It was January 31st the snow was on ground and had two dozen Chaffinch in back garden, then noticed two were slightly different, they turned out to be female brambling, for a few days one or more fed on the ground, then when the male joined them they mostly fed from the feeders and it's not an easy task with upwards of one hundred birds coming to the feeders at that time, but they got stuck in and fought their corner and got as many sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds as the rest. Over the weeks I try to capture photos and videos most days, not brilliant ones but good enough to show the doubting thomas in us what they are.

I start searching for the birds as soon as I get up, sometimes it takes nearly all day to find them among all my trees and shrubs, but seeing them every day and has done wonders for my health.

I live in North Lincs on the edge of an housing estate and have been feeding the birds etc for twenty-five years, at present I have sixteen assorted feeders up. Also this year had two Tree Sparrows on the same day the Brambling arrived, sadly they only stayed thirty minutes, also had a male Siskin and regular visits from the male/female Sprawk. Also had a male Reed Bunting for a few days.

Strangest species I had in garden was a Woodcock which landed next to lounge window under cover of a potentilla.

Cheers

Max

March 31st: today it's sixty days that the Brambling have visited my garden without a break! With all the trees and shrubs getting leaves and flowers on it is getting much harder to spot the two females and one male, sometimes I only see one female and one male, today managed to see the male and two females. It makes my day each time I see one or more.

Regards

Max

April 9th: The Bramblings will have been here ten weeks tomorrow
On the 6th & 7th saw four of them each day, yesterday it was back to normal with 3 and today 4 (two pairs), I keep the 16 feeders well stocked with sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds etc, but the birds much prefer two particular feeders no idea why, one is in the Rowan and other in the Magnolia.

Regards

Max

The Bramblings stayed a total of 79 days, finally leaving on the 19th April as far as I know, that was last day I saw one. All last week it was either one or two males each day. I'll miss them. With a bit of luck they will return next back-end.

Cheers

Max

Up to 12 visited my garden to feed on sunflower hearts, peanut nibs and seeds, both from feeders and scattered alongside and under hedges. There were 3 males in full summer plumage of which 2 were singing during the last week of their stay. My notes show they left on the 19th or first thing the following day.

PYRTLE said:

Up to 12 visited my garden to feed on sunflower hearts, peanut nibs and seeds, both from feeders and scattered alongside and under hedges. There were 3 males in full summer plumage of which 2 were singing during the last week of their stay. My notes show they left on the 19th or first thing the following day.

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Thanks for the info it has been noted mine fed on mainly sunflower hearts and black sunflower seeds, when they first arrived in the snow they were feeding on the ground, I'd put out a finch mix, then after a few days they mainly used the feeders, but with so many other birds fighting to feed that is when they fed to ground sort to speak.

I wouldn't have heard them singing cos am a bit deaf unless they used a loud-hailer lol.

Kind regards

Max