Garden / Yard List 2025 (2 Viewers)

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

A long overdue one this morning. #75 Kingfisher, seen in the river across the road.

With our millstream virtually a trickle, I’m not totally surprised it took a while to get. But it is also my 1st Kingfisher anywhere this year, and I ought to have seen one at most of the sites I cover locally. Perhaps they moved out this winter, but why?

 

[halftwo]

Had a Kingfisher following an Otter on patch last night.

 

[Oregonian]

#54 Rufous Hummingbird, pretty much on schedule

 

[An Caislín Dearg]

Spring is slowly getting into gear here. Not much in the way of migrants yet but Greenfinch and Dunnock singing in the garden and Skylarks overhead. Lots of sea birds gathering in the bay prior to heading to breeding grounds in the next month or so. Among them several flocks of Red-Breasted Merganser, several hundred Brent geese and 5 or 6 Great Northern Divers most mornings. Had a few distant Gannets the week before last too but nothing new until yesterday when No. 66, a male Common Pheasant, perched briefly on a nearby wall oblivious to the Buzzard pair that have been hunting locally. Looking forward to migration kicking off in next few weeks.

 

[hookem2010]

#39 Barn swallow, a group of 5 chittering way overhead

 

[hookem2010]

#40 Crested caracara, flying over the house after dropping the kiddo off at daycare. I'm hoping that with the coming time change, I'll get some more dawn flyovers

 

[Farnboro John]

From my back door: a daily species but not so often in view from the house, perched.

John

 

[Jos Stratford]

Sudden switch from near zero to 15 C and sun, big spring arrival - a lot of migrants this morning - singing Skylarks everywhere, plenty of Starlings and Lapwings, four pairs of displaying Cranes.

Plus, all new for the year, singing Woodlark, a flock of five Wood Pigeons (earliest return ever), Blackbird and Mistle Thrush, several Linnets and, in the skies above, a few skeins of Tundra Bean Geese and one zooming over Goldeneye.

43. Tundra Bean Goose
44. Goldeneye
45. Wood Pigeon
46. Blackbird
47. Mistle Thrush
48. Linnet

 

[KenM]

Having had 2 pairs of Teal outback in the stream on the 17th Feb…and none since!
A silhouetted flyover bird at sunset (18.10pm) doubling back for seconds, was most welcome no.49.

 

[Steve Lister]

March 8th
50. Nuthatch - one calling nearby for ages but never showed

I thought I heard one briefly a few days ago but definite today. Unfortunately so many of my neighbours have cleared bushes, shrubs and small trees recently - including the 'magic' apple tree - that I am going to struggle with a lot of species such as this.

 

[Jos Stratford]

More spring arrivals:

49. Grey Heron
50. Mallard
51. Wren

Plus Lynx overnight killing a Roe Deer. Not a huge amount of the deer left at dawn, but soon became centre of attention for corvids, upwards of 30 Ravens gathering, a bunch of Hooded Crows and several Magpies.

 

[KenM]

Always grateful for the “sudden sound of raucous Herring Gulls!”…..no.50….Peregrine over the house.

 

[Richard Prior]

Welcome sight of four

52 Redwing

in the elm tree early this morning, they soon flew off so it was fortunate that I popped outside at that moment, a Short-toed Treecreeper was climbing the trunk, singing as it went, a nice start to the day!

 

[dantheman]

#40 Crested caracara, flying over the house after dropping the kiddo off at daycare. I'm hoping that with the coming time change, I'll get some more dawn flyovers

Good to see that some birds are still responsible parents these days.

 

[An Caislín Dearg]

Nice sunny weather here over the weekend resulted in more time spent in the yard and consequently a few more new birds for the year. First off was No. 67 as a flock of about 100 Linnets arrived in a nearby stubble field. I'd have expected to see them before now as they are pretty common around here. Yesterday brought No 68 and 69 in quick succession in the form of a Lesser Black-Backed Gull (not at all common here) and a much overdue Sparrowhawk circling high overhead. Chiffchaffs and Wheatear being reported nearby so hopefully not too long to wait for them.

 

[Richard Prior]

Good to see that some birds are still responsible parents these days.

You beat me to it Dan!


"I think I can see a warbler" said my wife at lunchtime. And she was right!

53 Common Chiffchaff

Earliest ever date for here by 4 days.

 

[KenM]

You beat me to it Dan!


"I think I can see a warbler" said my wife at lunchtime. And she was right!

53 Common Chiffchaff

Earliest ever date for here by 4 days.

Got my “earliest evah!” Chiffy today on Ching Plain, hoping I get one in the grdn.tomorrow 🙏

 

[Bismarck Honeyeater]

The age old battle between Man & Mattress was fought, and narrowly won, by Man this morning! Though I did roll over for 10 minutes.

Just as well I did win, as at c.07:45 two #76 Shelduck flew in from the South-east, right overhead and off to the North-west. Picking them up at a distance enabled me to fumble with my phone and get some sort of record shot.

View attachment IMG_5481.mov

I have 8 previous records of 14 individuals, and was considering them to be just about an annual bird, but 2023 & 2024 were blanks. So I am grateful to get these back on the scorecard for 2025.

 

[Euan Buchan]

Watching Woodpigeons & Magpies.

 

[KenM]

Hanging out the window…with hearing aids “a bristling” this am listening for Chiffies, against the sound of sanders, drills and power saws from a neighbours extension.
Nevertheless resulted in some good shots of availing Long-tailed Tits, only to hit the buffers on the SD card, which meant an unscheduled panic deletion session!

Whilst sitting down well into triple figure deletions, I glanced up to see three high flying Southbound UFO ducks.
Needless to say by the time I’d picked up the bins they were already behind my juxtapositioned window frames.

Didn’t recognise them, to be fair they were smaller than Mallard (bigger than Teal), attenuated, pale and mid tone, with faster wing beats, views too brief and foreshortening.
Not a duck species that I’ve ever had before, def a tick…but which one.😩
Then moments later a Red Kite drifted over with a Buzby and a Legret beneath!….almost all in the same frame and so close….40 years ago!
can’t be accused of living in the past 😮
…..and still no Chiffies!