jape
Well-known member
As a new birder and participant I have been asked, rightly, to remove my extended observations and rambles from my intro to here.
Background, a small patch of garden, 40 sq m or so, grass with oliander, hawthorn, conifer, ivy around back and side fences all backed onto a football park with mature sycamore, conifer, cypress mixed trees in clumps and belts within 50 metres. Canal nearby with some side foliage. suburban, semi-rural fringe.
I do not intend to list or twitch in any form other than reasonably competent identification, observation and questions related to that. I am retired, housebound pretty much and seated often by french window to garden. I have a table at 3m hanging from tree and a feeder pole with dishes and hangers also a bird bath. Watching the birds and their behaviours is a large part now of my limited perceptions of the world. It calms me, informs me and has become a daily delight.
Initial list of identified species is quite usual. At present I do not include the many gulls as they do not often come into my close observation zone. That may change.
When I state 'variant' it is my own observation of colour variation and I certainly do not proclaim hybrid or other status, just definite perceptual difference or contrast to majority. Some I would call resident as frequency of visit, territorial behaviour and possible nesting
in garden or closeby would suggest.
blackbirds, resident, four of each sex including juveniles. an interesting dark grey variant.
thrush, mistle and song,, infrequent
starlings by the dozen with a couple of interesting silver and gold variants
sparrows by half dozen or so, rarer than i expected
dunnock, two, resident
robin, both sexes, up to four at a time, resident
great tit, infrequent
coal tits, nearby small groups, frequent
blue tits, nearby small groups, frequent
long-tailed tits, resident
wrens, resident
hawfinch, infrequent
chaffinch, infrequent
goldfinch, infrequent
bullfinch, once
greenfinch, infrequent
black cap, frequent, single or pair, upto four or five, infrequent
jackdaw, infrequent
rook, infrequent
magpie, infrequent
wood pigeon, pair frequent, upto four, infrequent
collared dove, pair frequent
sparrow hawk, male taking prey, once, female visit, once, both photo.
greater spotted woodpecker, infrequent. photo.
nuthatch, infrequent
in sight and or close but rare in garden
common crows and rooks
various gulls for later id
passing ducks, geese and swan. they will became ID project later if mobility allows visit to local canal, brook and reservoir
unidentified owl, close nearby, seen at dusk
possible raven, well identified by sound, not seen yet
wildlife: hedgehog, rabbit, grey squirrel
domestic: seven local cats, half a dozen dogs in garden in passing.
human: within 10 metres but fenced off include domestic walkers with young, footballers, drunks, druggies and some sex trade. a neighbour that feeds white bread daily.
visitors: very, very rare, single females invited...
I am 67, retired, literate but autistic and sometimes offend by accident or miscue.
thank you.
Background, a small patch of garden, 40 sq m or so, grass with oliander, hawthorn, conifer, ivy around back and side fences all backed onto a football park with mature sycamore, conifer, cypress mixed trees in clumps and belts within 50 metres. Canal nearby with some side foliage. suburban, semi-rural fringe.
I do not intend to list or twitch in any form other than reasonably competent identification, observation and questions related to that. I am retired, housebound pretty much and seated often by french window to garden. I have a table at 3m hanging from tree and a feeder pole with dishes and hangers also a bird bath. Watching the birds and their behaviours is a large part now of my limited perceptions of the world. It calms me, informs me and has become a daily delight.
Initial list of identified species is quite usual. At present I do not include the many gulls as they do not often come into my close observation zone. That may change.
When I state 'variant' it is my own observation of colour variation and I certainly do not proclaim hybrid or other status, just definite perceptual difference or contrast to majority. Some I would call resident as frequency of visit, territorial behaviour and possible nesting
in garden or closeby would suggest.
blackbirds, resident, four of each sex including juveniles. an interesting dark grey variant.
thrush, mistle and song,, infrequent
starlings by the dozen with a couple of interesting silver and gold variants
sparrows by half dozen or so, rarer than i expected
dunnock, two, resident
robin, both sexes, up to four at a time, resident
great tit, infrequent
coal tits, nearby small groups, frequent
blue tits, nearby small groups, frequent
long-tailed tits, resident
wrens, resident
hawfinch, infrequent
chaffinch, infrequent
goldfinch, infrequent
bullfinch, once
greenfinch, infrequent
black cap, frequent, single or pair, upto four or five, infrequent
jackdaw, infrequent
rook, infrequent
magpie, infrequent
wood pigeon, pair frequent, upto four, infrequent
collared dove, pair frequent
sparrow hawk, male taking prey, once, female visit, once, both photo.
greater spotted woodpecker, infrequent. photo.
nuthatch, infrequent
in sight and or close but rare in garden
common crows and rooks
various gulls for later id
passing ducks, geese and swan. they will became ID project later if mobility allows visit to local canal, brook and reservoir
unidentified owl, close nearby, seen at dusk
possible raven, well identified by sound, not seen yet
wildlife: hedgehog, rabbit, grey squirrel
domestic: seven local cats, half a dozen dogs in garden in passing.
human: within 10 metres but fenced off include domestic walkers with young, footballers, drunks, druggies and some sex trade. a neighbour that feeds white bread daily.
visitors: very, very rare, single females invited...
I am 67, retired, literate but autistic and sometimes offend by accident or miscue.
thank you.
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