I've neglected this thread a bit lately, so I guess it's time for an update on my garden:
I'll list the numbers at the end, but basically the birds have gone mad. I was left with about 30+ Starlings in the new year, which is quite a drop from the 70+ I had earlier in the year. But I needn't have worried, they were still around. They must have been visiting in smaller groups, but now they're arriving together again and eating all that's on offer.
There's still over 30 House Sparrows, lot's of noisy squabbling, but no sign of nest building yet.
The female Blackbird, that's been hiding in the bush for months, has vanished (probably taken by a Sparrowhawk). There are 2 regular male Blackbirds that are fighting, one is an adult, the other only a 1st Winter bird (still brown in plumage and no eye-ring to speak of). One strange thing; Blackbirds started singing on the 17th February; heard them every evening, but not for the last few days.
Magpies are still collecting mud for nest building, and are bullying the Starlings off of the bread feeder.
Crows (2 - 4) are still daily visitors. Jays (5+) are in the garden most days; they seem to have the odd few days off at this time of year.
I'm not sure how many Chaffinches there are, but I've seen 2 different males and females each day.
Blue (3+) and Great Tits (4+) still visiting each day, I've still not managed a decent picture of the Great Tits flying off with whole monkey nuts, too quick for me.
Collard Doves numbers vary between about 26 and 8, it depends whether they all turn up at the same time. At least 3 pairs have mated; I know because the males act like Pigeons after mating and follow the female like they are attached by invisible string.
There's at least 3 Wood Pigeons each day, and lots of wing-slapping between them.
I've seen 2 Robins, but always alone, and at different times. One appears in the morning, the other throughout the day and before Dusk.
Pigeons, well I think you can guess they are doing well. The last time that I counted there was about 60. Oh, and Squeaky flew off with a twig; but I think it was just wishful thinking as he still roosts on the bathroom window-sill. He has been throwing his weight about though (bit of a contradiction of terms as he's still not much bigger than a Collard Dove), and dances for every female.
Sparrowhawks still visit, and there's also something else that spooks everything, including the Squirrels. I've not seen it, but I'm pretty sure that it's been chasing the Pigeons in flight for minutes at a time. I think I'd better explain that better.
When Pigeons are spooked, they just fly in a circle and return to the garden, the more spooked, the larger the circle. If they are unsure, then they keep flying in a circle and check the garden each time round. Whereas if they see a Sparrowhawk in the garden, they just fly off in a panic to another area until they've forgotten why they flew off in the first place. What they never do, and what they've been doing lately, is fly backwards and forwards at high speed for minutes as if being chased. They aren't panicking and all flying in different directions, they are flying as a flock away from whatever is chasing them. The problem is it's at a high speed that my eyes can't keep up with, so I've no clue what's chasing them. I don't think it's a Sparrowhawk, I've never seen them chase Pigeons in flight; I'm pretty sure that there's not much can take a healthy Pigeon in flight, apart from a Peregrine of course, but that's usually from above, isn't it? In fact I'm pretty sure that no other bird can catch up to a healthy Pigeon in-flight, but I'll have to check that later.
Oh, and of course, there's still at least 6 Squirrels. I've a feeling that I've missed a species out, if so I'll edit this post later.
I've changed my mind about listing species numbers, as I've already mentioned the numbers above. If anyone is wondering what I've had to feed to keep up with all these birds and Squirrels:
I'm now using 25kg mixed seed in 18 days - 20kg Nuts in Shells a month - 4kg loose Peanuts a week - 8 Loaves of bread a week (Wholemeal with mixed seed in it from Tesco) - 2 bags of Apples a week - 6 blocks of lard a week - 1 jar of Peanut Butter a week.
I won't even attempt to catch up with the posts that I've missed, as I'll be typing all night.|=)|
The mockingbirds are quite the characters though
