Garden / Yard List 2024 (3 Viewers)

[birdmeister]

Low cloud and sleety rain meant that I didn’t see but only heard a a garden mega this morning, just the 2nd ever

61 Red-billed Chough

‘achaaaing’ past. Other oddities were a Grey Heron directly over the house and the first visit of a Great Spotted Woodpecker since winter 22/23 to the suet balls feeder.

Richard, your next challenge I guess is to photograph a Grey Heron against one of those striking mountains? That would be so neat!

 

[birdmeister]

Nothing new for me today as I was out and about, but I was told that a waterbird flew north in the afternoon. Oof! So far my grand total for large "waterbirds" all-time is Common Merganser, Sandhill Crane, American White Pelican, Great Egret, and Great Blue Heron. Near misses have included goose sp., cormorant sp., and egret sp.

My guess is that today's was a cormorant or a White-faced Ibis. I'm really hoping for the latter this month!


Today was rainy, possibly one of our last good rain days until July. I got through a few photos from 2 days ago, including a very low imm. Red-tailed Hawk. I'm really pleased that a male Lucy's Warbler came in to bathe in a dish. One photo even shows the little russet crown. And a close-up digiscope of the Hooded Oriole, a bit blurry but such a nice bird.

 

[Richard Prior]

Richard, your next challenge I guess is to photograph a Grey Heron against one of those striking mountains? That would be so neat!

I'll try, but Grey Heron almost always pass by down below in the valley, yesterday was exceptional as I had to look up at the bird, unfortunately it suddenly loomed out of the cloud and mist and I just managed one shot by the back door (not one of my better efforts as you can see).
No Easter Bunny here but an Easter Brown Hare on Good Friday, looking a little anxious as a Roe Deer passed it by!

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

The dire year continues. So far behind where I would expect to be by this time. However a brief look at the garden this morning delivered a floppy #67 Lapwing making its way East. Just recorded once last year, a flock of 12 in the autumn, it’s always a welcome addition.



The dot at the top of the photo is the bird. I’m not proud. 🥹

A small group of Redpolls joined the continuing Siskin flock which has been around for weeks, sadly only seen in flight or in the top of the tallest trees, they defied specific identification. Lesser is the default around here, but I have had Common on a couple of occasions in spring before.

 

[halftwo]

A singing

66: Blackcap

most welcome in the pouring rain this morning, as 15 Fieldfares went over.

 

[Richard Prior]

A singing

66: Blackcap

most welcome in the pouring rain this morning, as 15 Fieldfares went over.

Same here H, one kept singing throughout our downpours yesterday. Much nicer now the rain has finally stopped and two different males are singing in the sunshine. Tetley the lonely Tetras (Black Grouse) decided to celebrate by wandering around a clearing near the tree line on the distant mountain between 6 and 7 this morning and solo displaying. A Grey Heron perched way, way down in the valley and just now the first

62 Willow Warbler

played hide and seek in the Forsythia. With no records in 2022 and only one Autumn one last year it's good to get a Spring one again. Silent, so a good job I was standing near the bush when it pitched in!

 

[halftwo]

My dedicated scope search paid off dividends this afternoon with a

67: Hen Harrier

distant, but definite, high & westward.
Also today: 6 Siskins, 3 Redwings.

 

[halftwo]

Another vigil, another bird:

68: Yellowhammer

 

[Jos Stratford]

A very productive day - male Brambling on my bird table all day (and Greenfinches, Chaffinches, Yellowhammers and Reed Bunting), plus male Hen Harrier from the comfort of my sofa and more duck action - three Shoveler (my seventh ever record), six Wigeon, two Mallard, two Teal and two Goldeneye on the house pool. Also Common Redshank (earliest ever here) and two Curlew at the same pool.

Also first returning Chiffchaff, first Marsh Harrier back in the evening and, a considerable surprise, a singing Spotted Crake in the evening (this species first occurred on my land in 2020, but has been almost annual since and breeds - but today's bird is a full two weeks earlier than I have ever heard before). Roding Woodcock too, plus Whooper Swans appear to be nest building.

79. Shoveler
80. Common Redshank
81. Curlew
82. Spotted Crake
83. Hen Harrier
84. Marsh Harrier
85. Chiffchaff

 

[pete wragg]

First day back after a couple of weeks away.
Just two new for year,singles of
91 - Swallow
92 - House Martin

There's been a Green-winged Teal on LBM all day,frustratingly on the bit that's obscured by trees for me. The Teal flock moved to a viewable area late evening, but looking straight into sun they were just silhouettes,hopefully tomorrow morning.

 

[birdmeister]

I had another near miss last night, when an unearthly screech after dark was most likely a Barn Owl. This would be a new yard bird, but it didn't sound quite right to me and I couldn't place whether it was coming from above or not. I'd like a more classic example for an "official" addition, but it was neat to hear regardless.

 

[pete wragg]

There are 2 Green-winged Teals on Long Bank Marsh this morning. 1 is visible from garage roof, 93.
There's been a lot more water that normal on LBM this winter,and it's still very wet now,it's usually almost dry by now. Could be an interesting spring.

 

[Richard Prior]

I had another near miss last night, when an unearthly screech after dark was most likely a Barn Owl. This would be a new yard bird, but it didn't sound quite right to me and I couldn't place whether it was coming from above or not. I'd like a more classic example for an "official" addition, but it was neat to hear regardless.

That Grey Heron returned to taunt me again this morning, flying behind the house and on towards the Aravis mountain chain, looking great against the blue sky, snow capped peaks, you get the picture. Which was more than I did as I was up a ladder at the time

Anyway, the hot air coming up from the Med sent two new arrivals my way:

63 Wryneck
64 European Serin

 

[halftwo]

A very expected

69: Swallow,

at last, then, within 2 minutes, a

70: Merlin!

carrying prey (hopefully not the Swallow!)
being pursued by a Crow.

 

[Richard Prior]

A very expected

69: Swallow,

at last, then, within 2 minutes, a

70: Merlin!

carrying prey (hopefully not the Swallow!)
being pursued by a Crow.

Excellent H, I was just scanning for a hoped for Merlin on migration, late March to mid April is when I have had the odd one in the past. I was just trying to focus on a Buzzard to see what prey it was carrying when a lone

65 Great Cormorant

passed behind it heading North, only my fourth record here and the first since 2021!

 

[halftwo]

On the heals of the Swallow, a

71: House Martin

it, too going south!

 

[Steve Lister]

April 6th
58. Chiffchaff - singing on and off all morning, though distant and never seen
59. Curlew - heard 'singing' distantly, presumably a passage bird inspired by the sight of Lufbra

 

[Farnboro John]

An afternoon garden watch yielded the first House Martin of the year, over North without a backward glance.

53. House Martin

It feels an uphill struggle at the moment though!

John

 

[pete wragg]

a few more this afternoon
94 - Wheatear, 1 LBM
95 - LRP, 1 LBM
96 - Siskin, 2 on feeders
97 - Sand Martin, 1 over Kilnsea Wetlands

also first butterflies, 2 Peacocks and a Small White, and my earliest by far Hummingbird Hawk-moth.

 

[Jos Stratford]

Two more today - first Meadow Pipit back and my third ever record of Lesser Black-backed Gull - nine years and two days after the last one

86. Lesser Black-backed Gull
87. Meadow Pipit