Pleasantly surprised by all this activity! (1 Viewer)

[James Bean]

I've been nurturing a family of Sparrows in my back garden for the last year or so, and was rewarded yesterday by the sight of 8 'spadgers' having a communal 'dust bath', all in a row, in the border at the edge of the lawn; they were really enjoying themselves, wings flapping as they twittered in unison. Fat balls seem to be the main attraction for these 'LBJs'; Little Brown Jobbies playing Let's Be Joyful...

 

[Stuarty]

For some reason beyond my comprehension we just had a Reed Bunting visit the garden.... :eek!:

Easily the most surprising addition to the list yet.

 

[captaincarot]

For some reason beyond my comprehension we just had a Reed Bunting visit the garden.... :eek!:

Easily the most surprising addition to the list yet.

not entirely unprecedented bananafishbones on the feeders thread is also a lucky sod too, but he's got them in cheshire. congratulations on managing to attract them though.B

 

[Stuarty]

not entirely unprecedented bananafishbones on the feeders thread is also a lucky sod too, but he's got them in cheshire. congratulations on managing to attract them though.B

Think my feeders are the only ones in the area which aren't caked with snow! Was only a fleeting visit, landed on the fence, swooped towards the feeder and then shot off to the bushes outside of the garden, where it sat for a few minutes. Haven't seen it since

 

[Stuarty]

Three Reed Buntings in the garden next door. Had a good look at them this time!

 

[Stuarty]

Brief visit from a yellowhammer this morning, eating the seed which rested on top of the frozen snow!

 

[Stuarty]

We've been lucky enough to have a flock of around five Redpolls visiting the garden each day this year, long may it continue!

 

[mary99]

New Garden bird

Hi Guys

We have red kites circling over head every day here in Berks. A couple of people had told me at the hide that had put out the sunday roast carcass and got them to feed, so for the last few days Ive been tempting them with sundays lamb left overs and they have been circling quite low and dipping then pulling out of the dive again.

Today one of them went for it, it was so quick. They just swoop in lift and away agin in a flash. I tried to take a picture but just got a tail on the edge of the photograph!

What a thrill though.

 

[Stuarty]

That's awesome! Kinda makes my Redpolls and Reed Buntings look guff! :eat:

 

[Stuarty]

Had our first Brambling today, a male! Unfortunately, due to the presence of our Sparrowhawk it was only there for a matter of seconds, but a good "tick" nonetheless.

Redpoll numbers are now in their 50s, with at least two Mealys and a handful of Siskins in amongst them. Also tripled our number of Chaffinches over the past few days!

 

[mary99]

That's awesome! Kinda makes my Redpolls and Reed Buntings look guff! :eat:

Not guff, BUFF! I've never seen a Redpoll yet, I'd love to see one of those : ) and Reed buntings are fab.

Mary

 

[Stuarty]

Just a wee Spring update. Redpoll numbers peaked at over 100 birds (around 150 finches in total in the garden at one point, the others being Goldfinches and Siskins), however one day a few weeks ago they just disappeared without a trace, so I think that's it until (hopefully) next winter.

Had three Linnets on the road outside the front garden yesterday morning. Had one last year at around the same time, very surprising considering the area I live in.

Other winter highlights include Redwings, Fieldfares, and a Dipper I almost missed due to gawping at Waxwings! Not quite in our garden, however within a few hundred yards of it, and certainly visible from the house.