Very busy at the bird feeder today! (1 Viewer)

[Fozzybear]

That's a good shot of the siskin, great bird to see in the garden.

Not too much going on here really, no return of the Sparrowhawk that I've seen, although it's still flying around as I saw it glide over fairly high up this afternoon. No sign of my dunnock so I fear that was the taken bird, but the starlings, blackbirds, robin and blue tits are still very much in residence so they haven't been scared away.

Have seen a great spotted woodpecker about two minutes walk from my house and heard a green woodpecker somewhere in the area too - we have an ancient footpath which has some huge oaks and is well lined with trees and shrubs, very green! Also along the footpath I've seen coal tits (my first ever sighting of these!), long-tailed tits, a big flock of greenfinches (no idea of size, probably a normal flock but is the most greenies I've ever seen at once) and some goldcrests. Ok so not 'in' my garden but close by, which is pretty cool!

Took these shots through my kitchen window today, one of my female House Sparrows and my resident female Blackbird, who is rather territorial to say the least!

 

[Disneynut1973]

That's a great shot of the Siskin BFB.

I rescued what was left of the nyjer see and brought it in. Today is gorgeous and no wind thankfully. Quiet morning so far, just one each Collard Dove, Magpie, Starling, Robin, Dunnock and about 8 or 9 Sparrows but it's early yet!

Pam

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Had 1/2 an hour watching the feeders this morning;
5 Goldfinches, 5 Greenfinches( 4m 1f), 8 Chaffinch(4m 4f), 3 Dunnock, 3 Robins,
3 Blackbirds(1m 2f), 2 Blue T's, 2 Great T's , 2 Coal T's.
No sign of Long Tailed T's this a.m.
Several Jackdaws in large oak tree overlooking garden. 3 Buzzards circling overhead being mobbed by corvids.

 

[White*Kite]

Yes, beautiful Siskin shot BFB! Lovely pics too Fozzy. I had a female House Sparrow in the garden today, and as I haven't seen one in the garden for ages I was more excited about that than seeing the Common Redpoll again amongst my flock of Lessers!

Beautiful day today, lots of Goldies, Siskins and Redpolls on the nyger and sunflower heart feeders. Also 6 Greenfinches, 4 Chaffinches, 8 Long-tailed Tits, 2 Coal Tits, 7 Blue Tits, 3 Great Tits, 1 Song Thrush, 1 Mistle Thrush, 4 Blackbirds, 2 Robins, 1 Goldcrest, 4 Carrion Crows, 2 Magpies, 3 Collared Doves, 2 Woodpigeons, 1 Stock Dove, 6 Starlings, 1 Pied Wagtail, 2 Dunnocks, 1 Wren and a brief visit from the Great Spotted Woodpecker. Fly-overs included Jackdaw, Grey Heron, Kestrel, Black-headed Gull and Common Gull.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Nice pics Fozzy, cheers.

A couple of gems mixed into your list WK, especialy like to see the Mistle Thrush and Wren visit the garden

Good stuff

 

[Bananafishbones]

Long Tails today, a lovely pair chasing each other around (like they dont do that all year!!)

First visit for 5 weeks.....

It must be the summer weather.

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks BFB and White*Kite, glad you like the photos... some more below from this evening (although not of birds, but still on a feeder). I managed to snag some snaps of my resident field mouse. Taken from inside the kitchen through the double glazing looking right down the far end of the garden it was getting dark in that corner so had to use high film speed (ISO 3200!) and since I had to crop in quite a bit the shots are rather noisy, but you can clearly see it's a Field or Wood Mouse rather than a House Mouse. It came out quite early in the evening today, it was still reasonably light or I'd not have stood a chance of photographing it. It was seen off by a starling at one point and also spent a short while hiding underneath the tray with it's little nose poking out, which was rather cute. ||

I also found yesterday that the culprit tossing moss out of my gutter onto my doorstep is my pair of blackbirds, who it seems are nesting in the conifers in my garden. While watching them moss-hunting on the roof of my ground floor extension I also saw a pair of Dunnocks fly onto the roof just in front of me and engage in a little mutual wing-flapping - very cool! :t:

 

[Moraybirdlover]

What a cutie!!
I had a vole running around under the feeders last week but no where near as cute as your wee mouse.:t:
I also saw 4 Dunnocks flapping their wings today. Are they trying to attract a mate or trying to intimidate each other??

Also another question , which bird will it be that sings like a frog? It just sounds like ribbit, ribbit, I can never catch the culprit but would love to know!

 

[Bananafishbones]

Love the mouse as moray says a proper cute thing.

Song thrush this morning before I left the house, being harrased by a female Blackbird, then just got back to see the male Sparrowhawk glide through the garden.

The first returning bird was a Great tit
All 3 birds have been infrequent visitors recently

What a nice start to the day, now off to Macclesfield forest for a walk and to see the Grey herons nesting in the Heronry, about 8 nests in good view over the weekend, dont know how many more there are that I cant see.
Also about 6 cormorants in good views last week, I will report back (even though its not the garden!!)

Dave

 

[Bananafishbones]

Listen up, i`m shouting from the roof-tops

Just got back from Macc forest and found a male Brambling on the feeder,

Not good photos, but I dont care............... Happy day

going for Guiness to celebrate B Nobody could upset me for the rest of the day.....:t:

All the bits to report on Macc forest will wait B :-O:-O:-O

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks BFB and MBL - yes, rather cute. The distance scale on my lens puts this at over 40 feet away, so was pushing it somewhat but am pleased enough with the results. Not National Geographic for sure but good enough for ID and to see a bit of detail.

Not sure about the Dunnock wing-flapping, I think they may use it both for intimidation and in courtship but am guessing there!

Nice catch of the Brambling BFB - have yet to see one of those! Definitely a Guinness moment - all good things come to those that wait (by their feeder).

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Just got back from Macc forest and found a male Brambling on the feeder,

:-O:-O:-O

Well done you!:t:
I still haven't seen one this winter!

 

[Bananafishbones]

Hey up everyone

I have had a drink (St Pats day excuse), but will try not to be too sentimental....
I became curious about birds in the summer of 2007 when I was best man at a friends wedding on the Isle of Arran.
Buzzards were Eagles, Eagles were Buzzards..... and none of them would let you get close, I was fascinated.
I came home and saw an Eagle... NO.... a Buzzard.....Wow.

I was driving across the moor at Buxton and spotted these things with rather long bills, I get home look them up and find the name Curlew....fascinating thing, rather handsome when studied.

Then I put up some feeders, and life becomes so much more colourful, not only the birds them selves but everything attached to them... the songs, the peaceful walks....the books and the cross referencing....the garden ticks...

Today sums it realy quite nicely, Wake up to a Song Thrush (albeit harased by a female Blackbird), then get a quick glimpse of a "gliding" Sparrowhawk through the garden, a walk around Macc forest to see Buzzards, Herons and then finish off with a garden first Brambling....

Oh happy days

PS
Pam the Heron is for you..... 14 nesting today with many more noisily out of sight. agreat spectacle

 

[White*Kite]

Love the mouse Fozzy! Lovely Heron pic too BFB. Don't worry about getting too sentimental, hehe. My grandad (who died when I was 4) started my lifelong interest in birds, 29 years ago....there's nothing like seeing a new or favourite bird to cheer you up, or just hearing a Blackbird singing at dusk to make you feel glad to be alive.

I spotted a female Goosander on the canal nearby today, who was remarkably confiding, so took loads of pics of her close-up - normally Goosanders are off the moment you look at them! (In my experience anyway!). Also been watching our local feral population of Mandarins, who are all paired up again now. (There are about 4 males and 4 females, at least that's how many I've seen altogether in one place). One pair nest in a tree quite close to the house. This year though, one of the males has paired up with a female Mallard. He's spending all day every day glued to her side, defending her from every other duck that comes close. Looks quite funny because he's so much smaller than her! Got some nice pics.

The garden has been fairly quiet today - mainly Redpolls on the feeders. BFB - I am SO envious of your Brambling!! I'm still waiting for one - send it my way when you've finished with it! Congrats on such a great garden bird!

 

[Bananafishbones]

Cheers WK..

Funny story, during the winter when we had the cold realy set in. I visisted the reservoirs at macc forest and 3 of the 4 reservoirs were frozen solid, when I aproached the only one with some clear water the single male Goosander flew off, it soon returned when if found out everywhere else was frozen........ there was no escape!! he he

 

[Disneynut1973]

Great shot of the Heron BFB, thanks for that,:t: I have never seen any nesting, would be there watching for hours if I did! Such elegant birds.

Wish we had a cute little mouse, unfortunately the closest we have is two rats that we have spotted living in the next door neighbours garden, not seen them in ours though, they feed on the bird food under his bird table. Hubby is going to mention them next time we see him! Quite nice to watch but I don't know if i'd be too happy if I saw them in my garden,

This morning was beautiful in the garden with the early sunrise (before the fog hit!) there were two Goldfinch on the feeder, Collard Dove underneath, Starlings on the fat balls, several Sparrows chasing each other around. It was a struggle to get up from the table and get ready for work today, my little one soon spoilt the peace though :eek!:

Pam

 

[jayuk]

are feeders are very busy

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Saw a wren in the garden when I returned from work. First time I've seen it since the start of winter. So pleased it has survived!:t:

 

[Fozzybear]

Haven't seen a Wren in my garden for a while, although I saw my first Great Tit in the garden for ages this evening while filling the feeders (although I've probably had loads in but haven't seen them due to being at work). It made a bit of a tour of the garden, calling all the time, and then flew off.

The mouse was out again this evening but by the time I noticed it that corner was too dark to try for more photos. Spent a bit of time watching it while cooking dinner though, really nice to see some small mammals around in the garden.

My feeders are getting blitzed at the moment, the tube seed feeder level dropping dramatically over the last day or two and they've gobbled two or three fat balls - the fb feeder was empty when I came home tonight, I've never had that before! Peanuts aren't really being touched much though, perhaps the birds are changing diet preference again now spring is kicking in.

 

[White*Kite]

Same here - my peanut feeders are for the most part ignored. The odd Blue Tit and Long-tailed Tit will have a look, but not very often. The last thing to touch them was a GS Woodpecker, but it didn't stay long. They seem to be going through the fat balls very quickly at the moment, and the nyger seed - also the blocks of insect and seed fat cake are disappearing rapidly! I put them in a little cage in the tree, and have recently had to resort to tying them shut tightly with string - a pair of Magpies had worked out how to lift the catch and open the cage so that the fat block fell to the ground, where they could promptly make off with the whole thing! You've got to admire their intelligence I suppose!