Very busy at the bird feeder today! (9 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

Mega sunny, just like an old summers day

Welcome jayuk, hope you can provide updates from the new forest.

Didnt see any of the garden yesterday so not sure if the Brambling returned, but have attached a better pic from the other day.

I had a Wren on new years day but not since, the Great Tit is making more appearances again, Siskins still showing well and the Green / Gold finches still prominant.

2 long tails being chased around by the 2 Blue tits:eek!: I didnt know they were that teritorial (or they just dont like LTT).

I have just bought some red millat seed to try, I will report on who likes it or if any do for that matter.

Dave

Not garden related but attached a pic of a Short eared Owl taken yesterday:t:

 

[LindaBuckell]

Hi again - sorry I havent had time to add in here for a few weeks, so just a quick update.

My feeders are very busy at the mo, Siskins getting through lots of nyjer seed, I still have all my usual visitors, GSW, greens, chaffs, nuthatch, the odd sparrow, a couple of blue tits, great tits and coal tits. I see the goldcrest now and then too.

My Mr Rob is getting closer and closer to me and now expects his piece of cheese when I go into the garden lol, so Im hoping one day he will take some from something I am holding.

Not sure whats going on with my Mr & Mrs Blackbirds at the moment. She was building a nest in a huge bay on the side of our garden but havent seen much of her lately. Not sure which Mr B I am seeing at the mo - there seems to be two, although one was injured on Sunday when a cat nearby caught one but it escaped. I saw it in the garden Monday morning and it can fly perfectly ok but something is wrong around one leg area and on the ground he is in a bit of difficulty. I saw the healthy one late in the day having a bath, but still cant quite see which is which at the moment.

I have done away with my peanut feeder, its really not worth having one if you have sunflower hearts as they all seem to prefer them to peanuts.

Anyway, thats my quick update :t:

Linda

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Amazing photo of the owl BFB!
I didn't realise that they had such long legs and wings! But I have never seen a Short Eared Owl!(Yet!)

 

[Fozzybear]

Nice catch BFB! I've seen a SEO once, when I visited Skomer Island, but at a very great distance and I didn't really recognise it - some other people pointed it out.

Blue tits were out feeding while I was putting out some food this evening so I grabbed a shot but as with the mouse it was quite late so had to use ISO3200 again. Was a bit fazed by the sound of the shutter but hung around for a little while. When I first went out I started off refreshing the water baths but turning around noticed my female blackbird standing by the ground feeder tray with a rather "well?!" stance. || I grabbed some suet pellets and put them in the tray for her and she backed off behind the holly while I was close but quickly came back to snaffle some of the pellets.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Cheers Moray & Fozzy

I have attached a pic of the same owl, it just goes to show the difference two pics can give, as this pic gives an indication of a short wing span.

Back to the garden:
I bought a small nest box today and within 5 minutes of putting it up the pair of Blue tits spent some time inspecting it both inside and out, not sure if they are going to move in or not therefore not sure if I am a bit too late putting it up, I guess time will tell.

The red millet seed went down well with the female Greenfinch:t:

Dave

 

[Tree Sparrow]

I have attached a pic of the same owl, it just goes to show the difference two pics can give, as this pic gives an indication of a short wing span.


Dave

Those seo pics are great. I've only seen them once, about 3 years ago, and of course I didn't have a camera with me!

TS

 

[Bananafishbones]

Cheers TS

Congrats on the Siskin :t:

No garden watching today:C but been out and seen wheatear :t:

Hopefully spend some time next week in the mornings to catch up with my feeders

Dave

 

[White*Kite]

Yes, stunning pic of the SEO! I used to watch these around Pembrey in S.Wales a lot. Never managed a photo, but did some sketches.

Haven't had time to watch my feeders today, though when I have been here it's been pretty quiet! Still chasing off those Feral Pigeons!!

 

[Disneynut1973]

Well we had a busy bird day yesterday, the Goldfinch were around most of the day we have three regulars and though there is enough space on the feeder for all three, when there are two on it they always chase the third off and make it wait. They swap around so it's not always the same bird that is waiting?!

We had a Great Tit too yesterday for the first time in a few weeks, 1 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 5 Starlings which are taking small twigs every time they land, 3 Magpies, 2 Crows, 2 Blue Tits, 4 Sparrows, 2 Blackbirds, 2 Pairs of Collard Doves although the first pair always chase off the second pair as soon as they land.

Hubby has reported Goldfinch this morning but I actually got a lie in so I haven't seen much yet.

Pam

 

[Bananafishbones]

Strong winds and driving rain in Cheshire

07.30 this morning and a new garden flyover, the unmistakable shape of a Cormorant :t: flying quiet low.

Never seen one so close to this area before.

2 Siskins on the feeder until the strong gusts of wind scared them off.
2 Greenfinch, 2 Blue Tit....... and some flying plant pots :storm:

We seem to have "inherited" two very young looking Blackbirds, One male one female. They are mixing in with our regulars, they look like first winter age, they are very sociable and come to the backdoor for biscuits :eek!:

Dont tell the kids:-O

Dave

 

[Bananafishbones]

A pleasant day at this Cheshire feeding station

Sunny with broken cloud but still abit quiet, a few species about but not the numbers:
Buzzard over head at 8.30am, soared for a while, good veiw of its underside as it circled over the close for a while.
Starlings on the suet /fat, again small in numbers 5 max upto now, while the House Sparrows take in the sun atop of their favorite bush.
Carrion keeping look out (this comes in handy later) and flying from tree to television aerial and back again. Only 3 Greenfinch today, 2 stayed most of the morning eating the sunflower hearts, the Blackbirds are showing well, right upto the backdoor 2 male 1 female. Blue tit pair still chasing while the now regular Siskin pair ignore the nyjer today and eat the sunflower hearts. Chaffinch 3 male 1 female were late arrivals and pinch some sunflower but go back to ground again, only disturbed by the clumsy 3 Woodpigeon, Feral pigeon and the more subtle 2 Collared Doves.

The last movement has just been the mobbing of a female Sparrowhawk high above the garden before she flew off in the distance.

Not bad for 90 minutes watching

 

[Tree Sparrow]

07.30 this morning and a new garden flyover, the unmistakable shape of a Cormorant :t: flying quiet low.

Never seen one so close to this area before.

2 Siskins on the feeder until the strong gusts of wind scared them off.
2 Greenfinch, 2 Blue Tit....... and some flying plant pots :storm:

We seem to have "inherited" two very young looking Blackbirds, One male one female. They are mixing in with our regulars, they look like first winter age, they are very sociable and come to the backdoor for biscuits :eek!:

Dont tell the kids:-O

Dave

Well I can't compete with a cormorant but I certainly can with flying plant pots, they obviously breed very well here lol.

I'm wary of getting too familiar with the blackbirds although I have to say that they seem pretty astute at recognising predators. When they were nesting last year they totally accepted me, OH and the dog but if the cat appeared there was a warning note sounded that went on and on and on until the cat came back inside.

So tell me..............have the kids cottoned on to feeding the blackbirds at the back door?

TS

 

[Bananafishbones]

Garden pics

Hi TS
I took advantage of a break in the weather to take a couiple of snaps. The Mags were taken from inside the kitchen so pretty pleased with the result. Looks like Mum and a Juv, There are always 2 mags in the garden so I guess we have 3 now. The Juv looks very "downy".

The Siskin pair are now daily garden visitors, although the Male always takes the plaudits, I really think the female is spectacular, I hope this pic does her justice.

Regarding the Blackbirds, It is hard not to get to be too familiar with them, but I reckon they have the wherabouts better than most, especially as they seem to spend so much time on the garden floor in easier grasp of pretators,.... oh...the kids havent missed the biscuits yet

Dave

 

[Tree Sparrow]

Hi TS
I took advantage of a break in the weather to take a couiple of snaps. The Mags were taken from inside the kitchen so pretty pleased with the result. Looks like Mum and a Juv, There are always 2 mags in the garden so I guess we have 3 now. The Juv looks very "downy".

The Siskin pair are now daily garden visitors, although the Male always takes the plaudits, I really think the female is spectacular, I hope this pic does her justice.

Regarding the Blackbirds, It is hard not to get to be too familiar with them, but I reckon they have the wherabouts better than most, especially as they seem to spend so much time on the garden floor in easier grasp of pretators,.... oh...the kids havent missed the biscuits yet

Dave

Lovely pics. I'm often amazed at how well photos through windows come out, you really can't tell in those two.

Funnily enough I've just had a garden first of a magpie. They're not common around here although I occasionally see them in the valley below where I live. Got quite a shock when I saw one below the feeder.

I bet the kids will cotton on to the disappearing biscuits pretty soon lol.

It's been pretty quiet at my feeders today although the nuts have gone very quickly! I wonder if the woodpeckers have been about whilst I've been painting upstairs..........that would be typical lol.

TS

 

[White*Kite]

Hi TS
I took advantage of a break in the weather to take a couiple of snaps. The Mags were taken from inside the kitchen so pretty pleased with the result. Looks like Mum and a Juv, There are always 2 mags in the garden so I guess we have 3 now. The Juv looks very "downy".

The Siskin pair are now daily garden visitors, although the Male always takes the plaudits, I really think the female is spectacular, I hope this pic does her justice.

Regarding the Blackbirds, It is hard not to get to be too familiar with them, but I reckon they have the wherabouts better than most, especially as they seem to spend so much time on the garden floor in easier grasp of pretators,.... oh...the kids havent missed the biscuits yet

Dave

Lovely pics BFB! However, the Magpies are both adults. It's too early for juvenile Magpies yet, and the downy look is just the bird fluffing it's feathers up. Juveniles have a pronounced gape and a very short tail, no doubt you'll be seeing them in a couple of months!

Lovely Siskin pic too! I've had the Bullfinches every day for ages now! Just 1 male and 1 female mostly. The female stuck around for ages this afternoon. The wind has been moving my feeders around, not that it seems to have bothered the birds!

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Lovely photos BFB!
Like TS I rarely see a Magpie let alone have one in the garden. I do have 4 siskins visiting daily though.
Last week when the weather was warmer we were treated to the aerial displays of our spring/summer visiting bats, at dusk. They have a maternity roost under the eaves, so when most of the birds have gone to bed they take over the skies around our cottage..

 

[Bananafishbones]

Cheers everyone

WK thanks for the update on the Mags, what was also unusual about the downy looking bird was also its manner, It didnt act like a wary adult and flyoff when I got a little closer, it also looks alot younger in the face than the more mature looking bird next to it or maybe she is just aging better than he!!. I am jelous of your Bullfinchs, to have regulars is quiet an achievment, I had a male for one day in the summer, it came twice in a day and must not have fancied what he saw and never returned.

Moray, we have a couple of Pipestrel bats that fly around the back garden very near to the back door in the summer months, we are able to watch them for long periods darting left and right catching prey, I have no idea where they nest, must be close though. You got me thinking now and with the longer nights coming i am looking forward to opening the back door and sitting out of an evening. The Swifts always flew around over the garden early evenings.... cant wait!!

Very windy today to so alot of nervous birds when big gusts startle them.

The carrions, Rooks and Jackdaws really enjoying the blusery conditions as they all take to the sky and perform acrobatics.

Thought I saw the Coal tit early on but cant be sure, but got the 2 Dunnocks back after a short absence. A single Long Tail tit for 2 days running now. Two pairs of Siskins (female currently holding my vote for most beautiful garden bird..... Male Blackbird for most handsome and LTT as cutest), oops I digress!!
Blue tits, Greenfinch, no Goldfinch this morning. Blackbirds looking well, 2 magpies, 3 female Chaffinch but no males with them and 2 Woodpigeon and Feral Pigeon.
House sparrows still sat in their favourite bush 3 female 2 male today.

No one resident in the new bird box yet

Yesterday evening the female Sparrowhawk got caught up in the wind above the garden and for a second had me thinking a Kestral was over, not hovering as a kestrel but certainly using the wind rather than shooting over on a hunt, of course by the time I reached for the camera she was gone.

I wonder where Larry & Howard are?

Happy garden watching all

 

[Disneynut1973]

It's been very windy here to nearly all week. I think the birds have all gone on holiday somewhere nicer! My day off yesterday, I spotted one lone Goldfinch, 2 magpies, 1 Collard Dove, 1 Crow, 6 Sparrows, 2 Blackbirds, 1 Robin & 1 Dunnock. That was it and even those I only spotted once or twice all day!

This morning we had one Collard Dove, one Wood Pigeon and a Blackbird. then I had to go to work. Here's hoping the wind goes away for the weekend and the birds come back and I can refill the nyjer seed without it being blown out the feeder!

Pam

 

[barnstormer]

Been really busy today.
Goldfinch 10+
chaffinch 2
greenfinch 6+
blackbirds 8
starlings 6
robin 4
wren 1
great tit 2
blue tit 3
willow tit 1
dunnock 4
tree sparrow 2
house sparrow 2
collar doves 4
not bad for a new garden and 6x7 yards but there is plenty for them to eat.........

 

[Fozzybear]

Have been watching the blackbirds in my garden - I think they're nesting in a variegated ivy growing up my neighbour's garage, I've seen them going in and out of it a bit in the last day or two and it's something they've not done before.

I've just bought myself a new toy, a big lens for my camera, so was trying it out earlier in the back garden. The image quality is not drop-dead fantastic, but it's got possibilities. I need to do some techy tweaks to my camera to adjust the focusing for it (it doesn't quite focus at the right spot, there's a setting I can tweak to hopefully correct it) but it has a lot of reach compared to my other lenses and so 'hopefully' will be good enough to take with me to north Norfolk when I go there on holiday. The in-focus parts of the first test shots (in pretty awful light!) weren't too bad at all, I just need to get it focusing right to be sure it's ok. I've attached some of the test photos I took...