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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! (8 Viewers)

Bananafishbones - love the Sparrowhawk pic! A lovely male.....I haven't seen one for ages in the garden.

Howard - your Bahrain garden list will have us drooling! I love your avatar pic of a Grey Hypocolius, this is a bird I'd love to see. Also, the mention of Tenby is making me homesick, I really miss Wales!

Pam - this is exactly what happens whenever I put the mealworms out. The Starlings descend and eat the lot within just a few minutes, the other birds don't really get a look in!

All the usual birds were around today, including the lovely little Wren. A Kestrel flew over briefly and I went out to watch it being mobbed further along. Really miserable weather today!
 
It's the first time i've put the mealworms out and got them after a suggestion on here. I was surprised how quickly the Starlings picked up on them!

Unfortunately I don't get to see what's in my garden today, this time of the year, 4 days of the week I only see it in darkness at the beginning and end of the day, that's the problem with working !

Pam
 
My garden's absolutely packed today, I have :

10 Goldfinches
6 Redpolls (4 male, 2 female)
8 Chaffinches (4 male, 4 female)
3 Greenfinches (2 males, 1 female)
1 Siskin (female)
15 Long-tailed Tits
6 Blue Tits
2 Great Tits
3 Coal Tits
1 Stock Dove
2 Woodpigeons
2 Collared Doves
3 Magpies
4 Carrion Crows
2 Pied Wagtails
1 Wren
1 Goldcrest
1 Robin
1 Song Thrush
6 Blackbirds (4 female, 2 male)
8 Starlings
1 Dunnock

You can barely see the feeders for birds! I just love it when the Long-tails descend in a big party every afternoon. I thought I heard Redpolls yesterday when I went out in the garden, and this morning had it confirmed by 6 of the lovely little things on my Nyjer and Sunflower heart feeders. The Goldfinches are not very happy about it and are chasing them off at regular intervals, but they keep returning. The lone Siskin didn't stay for too long, I hope she comes back, with a male in tow!
 
Didnt manage to spend much time over the weekend with the garden birds as I spent most of Saturday tidying, cleaning and replenishing the feeding area, I could just sense / hear them wishing I was quicker!!

However Sunday I did have my first male Siskin on the Nyjer feeder:t:, and the Goldfinchs have increased to 12+, Greenfinches 12+, and always the last bird of the day is one of the Coal tits.

Goldcrest still a daily visitor

Getting 2 redwing daily sat above the feeders atop of the tallest tree.

White kite, agreed you have a lovely list, will be intresting to see peoples list in 4 or 5 weeks time as we leave the cold and begin the step into spring.

Dave
 
Would love some Redwing in the garden. Flocks of Redwing and Fieldfare have been about close to the house, but haven't had any in the garden yet. This morning I have 2 Siskins on the nyger feeder, a male and a female. I love working from home. ;)
 
been ages since i checked into this thread but i am pleased to report my feeders are still doing the business and i've now got a regular great spotted woodpecker visitor as well as a blackcap who i ticked today and a lovely wee goldcrest who forages underneath them. it feels like i've got the full array of aberdeenshire birdlife coming to my wee garden just now, i'm struggling to think of any who haven't visited anyway. guess a sparrowhawk may yet turn up or even a red kite(wishful thinking!).

my next mission is to get a picture of the woodpecker. he's a bit shy and scarpers even when i approach the kitchen window.
 
These past 2 days, we've had redpoll (2), and brambling (2 female). Re. attracting these species, you need to have small feeding trays attached beneath tubular feeders; these birds are not as agile as goldfinches therefore uneasy on perching rods. I've also seen today one male greenfinch and a female house sparrow! Sparrows are as rare as hens' teeth in this small garden currently dominated by goldfinch, siskin, chaffinch and collared dove. Redpolls can be easily missed among female siskins without careful viewing. The redpolls were feeding on nyger seed feeders by the way.
 
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Back in Bahrain for a week - and not so hot temperature wise it barely made 20c today and with a low of 11c it feels cold - I don't have a heater either. January are our quietest month so not much today - had the following today

Palm Dove 15 plus
Collared Dove 10 plus
Common Mynah 20 plus - a pest
Indian House Crow 7 - bigger pest
Cattle Egret 1 - first garden record
Night Heron 1
White-cheeked Bulbul 7
Red Vented Bulbul 4
Graceful Warber 4
Chiffchaff 2
Thrush 1
Lesser Whitethroat? unknown ssp 1
Blackcap 1
almost forgot the thousands of House Sparrows

Over the top various Gulls YLG types too high for ID
2 Flamingo
7 Western Reef Herons
1 Grey Heron
Hundred of domestic pigeons
 
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Yeah whatever

Welcome back Howard, nice selection there some I have never heard of but will look up later, you did forget to mention the Robin didnt you:-O

Been away this weekend but first couple of hours of light in my own "backyard" this morning with Sunshine and a chill: Nothing out of the ordinary except a lovely Song Thrush that sat in the tree for 5 minutes or so before being chased off by the female Blackbirds, it does keep returning under cover of different trees ...
Goldfinch 6
Blackbird 4m+3f
House sparrows 2m 3f
Blue tit 2
Collared dove 3
Starling 10
Carrion Crow 4
B H Gull 4
Robin (3 now)
Wood pigeon
Greenfinch 1m+2f
Magpie 3
Chaffinch 3m+1f
Song Thrush
Stock Dove 2
Coal Tit
Dunnock 2
Goldcrest (Still visits daily but always on its own, I wonder if it gets lonely)
Rook
Jackdaw 3

A nice suprise 30 minutes after this original post, a single male Siskin on the nyger feeder:t: which was happy to go to ground to feed after it was nudged off by the Greenfinch also a single redwing foraging on the ground amongst the leaves, then to top it off a huge Great black backed gull chasing the BH Gulls through the garden, after a neighbour has probably put out some bread, forgot how big these gulls are especially when you only see BH gulls regularly.
 
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I may still be off work ill and feeling rather rough* but I had an absolutely superb bird day today! This morning I saw two Dunnocks in the garden rather than the usual single, and they started courtship displaying with lots of following around and wing flapping going on - brilliant! My male and young female Blackbird are looking a little more together too.

To top that just a little while ago I was doing a little washing up and I looked out to see... three Long-Tailed Tits in my Elderberry! First ones I've ever seen in the garden and a bird I've been longing to get as I know they are in the neighbourhood. That really, really cheered me up! Probably the only time I've ever been glad I've been ill too - I'd have missed them if I'd been well as I'd have been at work.

Yay!!! :king:




*cold/virus thing that's going around. Have shifted most of the symptoms but am still feeling pretty weak and woozy
 
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Very envious of the Bahrain list! Some lovely species there.

Congrats on the Long-tailed Tits Fozzy, they're about my favourite bird to see in the garden. I get a flock of about 10 daily, they descend every afternoon and I just love watching them!

I have around 8 Redpolls daily too, about 10 Goldfinches and 4 Siskins now. The male is just so beautiful, he stands out like a little beacon on the nyger feeder. The Goldfinches had given up on the nyger and were sticking to sunflower hearts until the Redpolls turned up the other week - now you can't move them from the nyger. When they're around, they spend half their time chasing off the Redpolls and Siskins from the nyger.

Haven't seen the Nuthatch again yet, but the Stock Dove is still here every day. I never see it during the summer.
 
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The sub-freezing weather here in Missouri for the last couple of weeks really has the birds coming to our backyard bird feeders here in Missouri.

Today we had the ever present House Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos, American Goldfinches, with a smattering of House Finches, Red-bellied Woodpeckers, Downy Woodpeckers, also a Carolina Wren and three RED CROSSBILLS. * This is the seventh (7th) consecutive day that the crossbills have been at the feeders. They seem to arrive about 8 AM and come back at around one hour intervals until 1 PM. There are always three crossbills coming, one male and two females. The red male and one olive-yellow female seem to be a typical (type 3 or 4 Red Crossbills). The other female is much larger than either of these, is much, much grayer and has a larger, stouter bill. I believe it may be one of the those considered to be a distinct species. *I have not heard any of them vocalize though!
 
Fozzybear said:
To top that just a little while ago I was doing a little washing up and I looked out to see... three Long-Tailed Tits in my Elderberry! First ones I've ever seen in the garden and a bird I've been longing to get as I know they are in the neighbourhood. That really, really cheered me up! Probably the only time I've ever been glad I've been ill too - I'd have missed them if I'd been well as I'd have been at work.

Yay!!! :king:
Click to expand...

Hi Fozzy ,so glad you have had some long tails at last!!! Such beautiful little birds. Sounds like you've had the Flu, hope you are feeling better soon.

I did the garden birdwatch at the weekend. An hour to sit watching the birds, what luxury!
Saw all the usual birds. But very surprised when I counted up the dunnocks as there were six of them, we haven't had that many before.
 
its nice to see new contributers to this thread as well as the new birds to the gardens...:t:
I like Larrys "with a smattering of woodpeckers" not one but two species!! and heres me not seeing the Greater spotted since late 2008.

After my last post today the Redwings had numbered 3 all sat in the tree togather although 2 did come to ground, the most I have seen at once in the garden. (I love this thrush, great markings)

Dave & Richat I would still be incredibly happy to get the Blackcap and Brambling

Fozzy, hope your feeling better soon.

Dave
 
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White*Kite said:
Congrats on the Long-tailed Tits Fozzy, they're about my favourite bird to see in the garden. I get a flock of about 10 daily, they descend every afternoon and I just love watching them!
Click to expand...

Thanks White Kite, really great to see them here, really love Long-tails and have been hoping for ages to get some visiting. If they stick around I might get some decent photos... hopefully!

Moraybirdlover said:
Hi Fozzy ,so glad you have had some long tails at last!!! Such beautiful little birds. Sounds like you've had the Flu, hope you are feeling better soon.

I did the garden birdwatch at the weekend. An hour to sit watching the birds, what luxury!
Saw all the usual birds. But very surprised when I counted up the dunnocks as there were six of them, we haven't had that many before.
Click to expand...

Thanks MBL. Not sure it's the flu as I've had full-blown flu before and while this was pretty nasty it wasn't as bad - I wasn't confined to my bed. It's certainly viral though and has knocked me for six! I came down with it on Monday with lots of regular cold symptoms, and stuck it out at work until Thursday. I was getting weaker through the week and Thursday was when I finally gave in to it and left work at lunchtime to come home. Have been stuck in the house on my own over the weekend (thank god for the telephone and internet!) and yesterday was my first attempt as a short walk. Was pretty weedy still, it was very hard going just walking the two minutes to the shops, but I managed that and in the afternoon took a slightly longer walk along a little old footpath just round the corner (tons of birds singing there, Spring's on it's way!). Am off work again today but if I take it easy but try one or two very short walks again I'm hoping I'll build up my strength a bit. Would like to go back to work tomorrow or thursday but will have to see how it goes - really must make sure I don't overdo it or go back too soon, which I've a tendency to do!
 
Today in addition to the House Sparrows, House Finches, American Goldfinches, Dark-eyed Juncos, RED CROSSBILLS, Carolina Wren, Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers we had a Northern Flicker come into our backyard feeder.
 
Redpoll visit

Nice view at my feeder this morning 2 male & 2 female Redpoll:t: also single female Siskin

Song Thrush in the tree, Goldfinch 8, Greenfinch 12, Goldcrest still on its own

Good morning all:-O
 
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Very busy day all day here. We've had Sparrows, Starlings, 6 Long Tailed Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Magpies, Collard Doves, Blackbirds, Robin, Dunnocks and best of all the Grey Wagtail too, he was in the garden for a while, I barely breathed while he was there, the slightest movement even in the house and he is off!

I love having a day off!

Pam
 

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