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Garden List 2011 (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter halftwo
- Start date
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Temperature rose today, and in swarmed new species for the garden year list ...Mallard, Hawfinch, Starling, Song Thrush, Robin, White Wagtail all year birds today. Need to total up soon...
also Crested Tit, Buzzard and Tree Sparrows checking the boxes out,
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Quality stuff, Jos.
Just got home from work to see & hear a
70 : Willow warbler
bubbling away in...willows! First date by two days for the species here.
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Hi Halftwo, haven't been on in a while, just flicking through and saw your thread, glad to see the garden listing is catching on, it's about the only birding I do these days.
I ended up with 77 last year, way more than I expected thanks to a late run and actually ended up beating my arch-rival Steve by two.
Am being more casual about it this year but have 52 so far including two lifers in mute swan and mealy redpoll, first swallow today.
Cheers
Alan M
I ended up with 77 last year, way more than I expected thanks to a late run and actually ended up beating my arch-rival Steve by two.
Am being more casual about it this year but have 52 so far including two lifers in mute swan and mealy redpoll, first swallow today.
Cheers
Alan M
JWN Andrewes
Poor Judge of Pasta.
Hi Alan
You pipped me by one last year; a record breaking 76 from my wee garden in Flintshire (and it's about the only birding I do these days too, although I'm hoping once the little one's in school I'll get the chance to go a bit further afield). Whereabouts is your garden? Always nice to get some context!
Cheers
James
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Well time to step into the fray 
Till a week ago, in the icy grips of winter, the species total for my feeding station (Labanoras site, not Vilnius) was an 'impressive' 26 species, hardy residents all, a few nice'uns amongst them, but not a whiff on the giddy heights being acheived in Cheshire and Sussex et al ...
Then in crept a very late spring, boosting totals by 11. Yay, a grand total of 37 species in three months.
January to mid-March
1. Sparrowhawk (occasional attacks at the feeding station)
2. Common Buzzard (periodic, adjacent to feeders)
3. Hazel Grouse (tracks in the snow near, then later at, feeding station)
4. Eagle Owl (one bird adjacent to feeders)
5. Pygmy Owl (one bird wintered around feeders, Great Tits make handy lunch)
6. Black Woodpecker (daily, pair wintered in forest)
7. Grey-headed Woodpecker (female occasional at feeders, male less commonly)
8. White-backed Woodpecker (male and female at feeders, male daily)
9. Great Spotted Woodpecker (approx eight at feeders)
10. Middle Spotted Woodpecker (approx six at feeders)
11. Long-tailed Tit (rare flocks moving through, on feeders once)
12. Marsh Tit (8-12 at feeders)
13. Willow Tit (regular at feeders, max four)
14. Blue Tit (common at feeders)
15. Great Tit (abundant at feeders)
16. Nuthatch (pair at feeders)
17. Treecreeper (one frequently around feeders)
18. Great Grey Shrike (occasional. even hunting at feeders)
19. Jay (common at feeders, up to ten birds)
20. Magpie (rare, in meadow shrubs)
21. Hooded Crow (common around)
22. Raven (daily overhead, one occasion dropping down to feeders)
23. Goldfinch (occasional in area)
24. Siskin (arrived in March, feeding beneath feeders)
25. Mealy Redpoll (as Siskin)
26. Bullfinch (occasional pairs through)
Then, temperatures crept above freezing for the first time in months, little patches of grass appeared in the snow...
Second half of March
migrants begin to arrive, song breaks the winter silence...
27. Bean Goose (migrating flocks over)
28. Crane. (resident pair returned, trumpeting in the meadows)
29. Lapwing (first migrants)
30. Wood Pigeon (several return to the forest)
31. Skylark (heaps pour in, grasslands alive again ...between the snow)
32. Blackbird (first ones and twos in the forest)
33. Fieldfare (chacking flocks over)
34. Song Thrush (couple)
35. Starlings (the first of the onslaught)
36. Chaffinch (first few)
37. Greenfinch (not a migrant, but first of the year anyhow)
Time to deploy the secret weapon ...aka spring. Today was the first warm sunny day of the year, a splendid 15 C (was minus eight a week ago!) and what a good day it was ...new birds galore, update later :t:
Till a week ago, in the icy grips of winter, the species total for my feeding station (Labanoras site, not Vilnius) was an 'impressive' 26 species, hardy residents all, a few nice'uns amongst them, but not a whiff on the giddy heights being acheived in Cheshire and Sussex et al ...
Then in crept a very late spring, boosting totals by 11. Yay, a grand total of 37 species in three months.
January to mid-March
1. Sparrowhawk (occasional attacks at the feeding station)
2. Common Buzzard (periodic, adjacent to feeders)
3. Hazel Grouse (tracks in the snow near, then later at, feeding station)
4. Eagle Owl (one bird adjacent to feeders)
5. Pygmy Owl (one bird wintered around feeders, Great Tits make handy lunch)
6. Black Woodpecker (daily, pair wintered in forest)
7. Grey-headed Woodpecker (female occasional at feeders, male less commonly)
8. White-backed Woodpecker (male and female at feeders, male daily)
9. Great Spotted Woodpecker (approx eight at feeders)
10. Middle Spotted Woodpecker (approx six at feeders)
11. Long-tailed Tit (rare flocks moving through, on feeders once)
12. Marsh Tit (8-12 at feeders)
13. Willow Tit (regular at feeders, max four)
14. Blue Tit (common at feeders)
15. Great Tit (abundant at feeders)
16. Nuthatch (pair at feeders)
17. Treecreeper (one frequently around feeders)
18. Great Grey Shrike (occasional. even hunting at feeders)
19. Jay (common at feeders, up to ten birds)
20. Magpie (rare, in meadow shrubs)
21. Hooded Crow (common around)
22. Raven (daily overhead, one occasion dropping down to feeders)
23. Goldfinch (occasional in area)
24. Siskin (arrived in March, feeding beneath feeders)
25. Mealy Redpoll (as Siskin)
26. Bullfinch (occasional pairs through)
Then, temperatures crept above freezing for the first time in months, little patches of grass appeared in the snow...
Second half of March
migrants begin to arrive, song breaks the winter silence...
27. Bean Goose (migrating flocks over)
28. Crane. (resident pair returned, trumpeting in the meadows)
29. Lapwing (first migrants)
30. Wood Pigeon (several return to the forest)
31. Skylark (heaps pour in, grasslands alive again ...between the snow)
32. Blackbird (first ones and twos in the forest)
33. Fieldfare (chacking flocks over)
34. Song Thrush (couple)
35. Starlings (the first of the onslaught)
36. Chaffinch (first few)
37. Greenfinch (not a migrant, but first of the year anyhow)
Time to deploy the secret weapon ...aka spring. Today was the first warm sunny day of the year, a splendid 15 C (was minus eight a week ago!) and what a good day it was ...new birds galore, update later :t:
Larry Lade
Moderator
While sitting on our front porch stoop, I just watched a tiny brown bird "creep" up our huge Yellow Poplar Tree:
29. Brown Creeper
29. Brown Creeper
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Four world ticks for me there: nice!
How does the Pygmy owl take the Great tits? Snatched from the feeder itself?
H
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
This year and past, most occasions I have encoutered this bird it has been waiting 100 metres or so from the feeders and presumably is taking birds en route to the feeder, probably a good strategy as the sheer volume of birds in the immediate area of the feeders makes for a not very peaceful time for the owl if he lurks near. On one occasion though I did see him come bulleting in to scatter everything off the feeders.
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
3 April
A cracking day, first warm sunshine of the day, White Storks returned to the nest in the garden, Grey Herons back at the heronry, Cranes in the meadow, Green Sandpipers displaying directly above the feeders and a raft of migrants passing over or pausing to stop. First-ever record of a Serin, highest ever counts of Lapwings and Cormorants (190 and nine respectively), a surprise flock of 55 Waxwings feeding on fallen apples, added extras such as Mute Swan and Curlew, neither very frequent on my land.
Plus light raptor migration, Sparrowhawk and Buzzards over, also two Marsh Harriers and one male Hen Harrier.
38. Cormorant
39. Grey Heron
40. White Stork
41. Mute Swan
42. White-fronted Goose
43. Mallard
44. Marsh Harrier
45. Hen Harrier
46. Curlew
47. Green Sandpiper
48. Black-headed Gull
49. Common Gull
50. Meadow Pipit
51. White Wagtail
52. Waxwing
53. Wren
54. Robin
55. Redwing
56. Tree Sparrow
57. Serin
58. Linnet
59. Yellowhammer
Also first butterflies on the wing (Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshell) and Common Frogs all lines up on the edge of the ice croaking away/
A cracking day, first warm sunshine of the day, White Storks returned to the nest in the garden, Grey Herons back at the heronry, Cranes in the meadow, Green Sandpipers displaying directly above the feeders and a raft of migrants passing over or pausing to stop. First-ever record of a Serin, highest ever counts of Lapwings and Cormorants (190 and nine respectively), a surprise flock of 55 Waxwings feeding on fallen apples, added extras such as Mute Swan and Curlew, neither very frequent on my land.
Plus light raptor migration, Sparrowhawk and Buzzards over, also two Marsh Harriers and one male Hen Harrier.
38. Cormorant
39. Grey Heron
40. White Stork
41. Mute Swan
42. White-fronted Goose
43. Mallard
44. Marsh Harrier
45. Hen Harrier
46. Curlew
47. Green Sandpiper
48. Black-headed Gull
49. Common Gull
50. Meadow Pipit
51. White Wagtail
52. Waxwing
53. Wren
54. Robin
55. Redwing
56. Tree Sparrow
57. Serin
58. Linnet
59. Yellowhammer
Also first butterflies on the wing (Brimstones and Small Tortoiseshell) and Common Frogs all lines up on the edge of the ice croaking away/
Last edited:
Mouldy
skywatcher, dragonhunter
Hi James, I'm in a village in the lower Derwent Valley west of Gateshead just south of the Tyne in northeast England. Surrounding habitats include river, mixed woods, country parks and farmland. A tad too far inland to get many rarities but always worth keeping an eye on the skies at passage times for raptors and wildfowl, and of course we are home to the northeast red kite reintroduction scheme which took place last decade and now boast a thriving population. Sky watching is my forte, just love watching the kites and buzzards in the skies above the village, and I work from home so take every opportunity to gaze out the windows (perk of the job).
Lovely part of the country you're at, I used to visit Chester regularly a few years back and explored the north coast area even getting as far as Anglessey once for chough.
Cheers
Alan
Larry Lade
Moderator
I just looked out a window from the back of our home into our backyard and saw a new 2011 yard bird:
30. Hermit Thrush
30. Hermit Thrush
Larry Lade
Moderator
This morning there was a new Missouri 2011 garden bird flitting around in our backyard:
31. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
31. Ruby-crowned Kinglet
halftwo
Wird Batcher
Best Garden Day Ever?
Started well - though not early enough for the Peregrine on the steeple (must check tonight.) Fog rolling off as the sun rose, a Curlew calling overhead, a Canada goose flying past and, not long after, a Heron, also vocal.
The fog was just about gone when three probable Linnets went west - not stopping, and only calling briefly, so I decided not to count them, hoping they would make a return.
As the day warmed a
73 : Yellowhammer's unmistakable call came three times from close by.
The
74 : Linnets went by for the second of four times in the day.
From the south a Sand martin, accompanied by a
75 : House martin, singing as it went!
Scanning my neighbour's field I decided to scope what turned out to be two Pheasants - I'd hoped the were partridges. But while scoping them a little bright bird hopping in the turf turned out not just to be a year tick, but a garden tick:
76 : Wheatear! A male too.
But the day wasn't done by a long way. The thermals were beginning and three raptors were up straight away: Kestrel, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk - all three with repeated sightings during the day: especially the Buzzards.
But it's always worth watching raptors to see what else might accompany the common stuff...
The first Lesser redpolls in a week or more made a flyover, and a Siskin settled briefly. But the most unexpected finch of the day showed off in the near poplars - a female Brambling! Eight finches in a day!
Butterflies too were out - four year ticks and a second Brimstone: Holly blue the seventh species of the day.
Chiffchaffs chased and sang, Blackcaps too, a Goldcrest sang for the first time in weeks, but I was still missing a few eminently possible birds: Mistle thrush and Greater 'pecker still not seen, and, though it's over a week since the first and last Swallow, that has yet to show.
Things to do - the garden had to wait for two hours in the afternoon, but when I returned a Mistle thrush finally put in an appearance. Buzzards were still up and thermalling; but wait. What was this with them?
Only a female
77 : Marsh harrier! Another garden tick (and only my third ever on patch!)
She went, circling, westwards, watched by several Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk.
And that's the day so far - the harrier making 50 for the day, and becoming the second garden tick of the day!
Now, will that Peregrine come in to roost tonight?
Started well - though not early enough for the Peregrine on the steeple (must check tonight.) Fog rolling off as the sun rose, a Curlew calling overhead, a Canada goose flying past and, not long after, a Heron, also vocal.
The fog was just about gone when three probable Linnets went west - not stopping, and only calling briefly, so I decided not to count them, hoping they would make a return.
As the day warmed a
73 : Yellowhammer's unmistakable call came three times from close by.
The
74 : Linnets went by for the second of four times in the day.
From the south a Sand martin, accompanied by a
75 : House martin, singing as it went!
Scanning my neighbour's field I decided to scope what turned out to be two Pheasants - I'd hoped the were partridges. But while scoping them a little bright bird hopping in the turf turned out not just to be a year tick, but a garden tick:
76 : Wheatear! A male too.
But the day wasn't done by a long way. The thermals were beginning and three raptors were up straight away: Kestrel, Buzzard and Sparrowhawk - all three with repeated sightings during the day: especially the Buzzards.
But it's always worth watching raptors to see what else might accompany the common stuff...
The first Lesser redpolls in a week or more made a flyover, and a Siskin settled briefly. But the most unexpected finch of the day showed off in the near poplars - a female Brambling! Eight finches in a day!
Butterflies too were out - four year ticks and a second Brimstone: Holly blue the seventh species of the day.
Chiffchaffs chased and sang, Blackcaps too, a Goldcrest sang for the first time in weeks, but I was still missing a few eminently possible birds: Mistle thrush and Greater 'pecker still not seen, and, though it's over a week since the first and last Swallow, that has yet to show.
Things to do - the garden had to wait for two hours in the afternoon, but when I returned a Mistle thrush finally put in an appearance. Buzzards were still up and thermalling; but wait. What was this with them?
Only a female
77 : Marsh harrier! Another garden tick (and only my third ever on patch!)
She went, circling, westwards, watched by several Buzzards and a Sparrowhawk.
And that's the day so far - the harrier making 50 for the day, and becoming the second garden tick of the day!
Now, will that Peregrine come in to roost tonight?
dantheman
Bah humbug
Not bad ... !!!
Some excellent birds there.(Should make more effort myself - I reckon 50 in a year is possible ...)
