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

[Cheshire Birder]

Managed some window watching yesterday evening and was quite surprised to see a large roost of 40+ Magpies had gathered along the hedge out the back of my place. They roost in winter but I would have expected them to have dispersed for breeding by now.

CB

 

[earleybird]

i'm still laid up with a rotten cold so able to monitor my feeders a bit today. a good start with 5 siskin , collared dove, wood pigeon, coal tit, 2 starling, chaffinch and 2 randy dunnock chasing each other through the bushes. chuffed with the collared dove as they're a rare visitor to my garden.

hoping for bullfinch again today and i've put out some apple to try and attract a few other birds but that'll probably just result in carrion crows or rooks. better day today though with just a little bit of snow left in the garden and the sun's out.

hope you feel better soon Dave.:t:

its a funny thing about garden visitors. We have 3x pairs of collar doves ,sucessive offspring ,and all six birds visit together several times a day.
So I think nothing unusual about seeing them. They are practically a fixture . Yet I've not seen a siskin for a couple of years ! :-C

 

[earleybird]

Get well soon Dave

I have a soft spot for Rooks... magnificant birds:t: currently got 2 here over the garden

I am suposed to be decorating but have been watching the female Sparrowhawk in the tree, she is back and now eating the Dove/Pigeon

Our neighbours have a nesting pair of sparrowhawks in their garden. I've witnessed 3x kills and they are not pleasant as the prey are not killed for quite some time.
One sparrowhawk took a blackbird and came down crashing into the kitchen catflap. I opened the door to see the bird gaping on the step with a stunned BB in its talons. Not sure who was more surprised.

There is a pair of sparrowhawks nesting in the trees overlooking a large residential home in Weymouth. They swoop and take birds at the numerous bird feeders in the gardens of the residential home.
They also frequently sit on the road signs at the busy Chickerell Rd /Radipole Rd intersection 5-6 feet from the cars :eek!:
I've blocked the cross rds several times trying to get a picture out the car window.
Sorry for the long post.....and going off topic.
I'll get me coat......

 

[Bananafishbones]

New 2010 species for my garden:

No. 40 Cormorant
Just flown directly over the house, very low and on a course for Poynton Pool a mile away.

Both Collared doves here this morning so looks like the Sparrowhawk took a feral pigeon yesterday. The Sparrowhawk got very comfortable yesterday evening and spent some time perched and preening, she was the last to leave.

This morning as well as the Cormorant and Collared Doves, 4 Redpolls, 3 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch, 3 Ferals, Dunnock, 2 Blue tit, 2 Great tit, 2 LTT, Wren, Blackbirds, Starlings, 2 Woodpigeion Carrion criows, 100s Jackdaw over.. dispersing to their feeding grounds, 4 Housesparrows

Last leg of the decorating to do then hopefully a free weekend to go and find a spring migrant or two....

 

[ChrisKten]

I thought that I'd post a few breeding/nesting details:

• Saw the first House Sparrow carrying a feather a few days ago.
• Magpies have stopped collecting mud, so the nests must be finished.
• Jays aren't visiting as often, which usually happens when they are breeding.
• Starling numbers are down, like the Jays, it happens for a few weeks at this time of year.
• Carrion Crows have been nesting for a few weeks. I saw a Crow carry off bread, and ignore the nuts in shells, this morning. I don't usually see this unless they are feeding young, but it seems a bit early for that.

All of the other birds are still visiting, with no obvious signs of breeding (apart from the Pigeons and Collys).

Oh, and Squeaky has left home. He roosted on the bathroom window-sill for 6 months, now he's roosting elsewhere. He's still in the garden every day, but I think he's got a mate, and young on the way.

 

[Azzy]

Go squeaky! Sounds like there's lots of acitivty to be had.

Today, there were two willy wagtails and 3 new holland honeyeaters bickering between each other in the front yard, over what I don't know.

Had the usual fly overs, rainbow and musk lorikeets. A red wattlebird or two in the gum tree, along with a female mistletoebird. Usual crested pigeon and spotted turtle dove in the front yard, sifting through the straw on the garden. Female blackbird was also around and the sparrows have been nestbuilding under the verandah again....

 

[Cheshire Birder]

New 2010 species for my garden:

No. 40 Cormorant
Just flown directly over the house, very low and on a course for Poynton Pool a mile away.

They often fly North-South heading towards Macc Forrest from the pool, although don't often see them flying over. Had my first record over Adlington last week.

CB

 

[Disneynut1973]

A quick post from me today. The House Sparrows are still gathering nesting materials in our front garden non stop, they are funny to watch struggling with dried grass so much bigger than they are!

I think one of the Starlings has done better than that as there is a long piece of string/material hanging down from my guttering where they are nesting that wasn't there a few days ago!

Plenty of activity in the back garden too, Goldfinch, Blue Tits, Blackbirds, Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Starlings, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Great Tits but still no sign of the Robin.

We're spending the holiday weekend decorating |8(| so not sure if we'll get out anywhere but plenty of garden watching though.

Hope everyone enjoys their holiday and i'm looking forward to trying to catch up with all the posts.

 

[Bananafishbones]

We're spending the holiday weekend decorating |8(| so not sure if we'll get out anywhere but plenty of garden watching though.

I can relate to that Pam

 

[daveofficer]

garden watching is where it's at though. i got my first spotting scope yesterday and it's turned my garden into a whole new world of amazing stuff! watching siskins, goldfinch and starlings on my feeders with a whole new level of detail really shows how beautiful these birds can be. i realise a lot of you probably already know this, i'm just excited by the newness of it all for me

so long as their there that is! i had a dull day garden watching today as all the birds seemed to be elsewhere, probably chasing each other and being frisky. still had a few regulars but not in their usual numbers.

 

[Azzy]

I'm still hearing the mistletoebird in the garden in the mornings, saw the cormorant overhead again and other usual guests.

My drive to work was more bird-filled. A pair of wedge-tailed eagles soaring, grey shrike-thrush, scarlet robin, a rabbit and a kangaroo. What was really sad though was i saw a dead crested pigeon, obviously hit by a car, and what I assume was it's mate, was just standing next to it, looking lost. It made me sad.

 

[Bananafishbones]

garden watching is where it's at though. i got my first spotting scope yesterday and it's turned my garden into a whole new world of amazing stuff! watching siskins, goldfinch and starlings on my feeders with a whole new level of detail really shows how beautiful these birds can be.

Your right, I had a Coal tit come right upto the back door and perch on the door handle while it decided where to go next, the detail was stunning, how small too, different perspective when not looking through glass

What was really sad though was i saw a dead crested pigeon, obviously hit by a car, and what I assume was it's mate, was just standing next to it, looking lost. It made me sad.

:-C Always a down side to anything that is good :-C

4 Redpolls again this morning also the now regular pair of Bullfinch. Just had 2 Buzzards soaring together overhead... very high though. Female Sparrowhawk flythrough the garden and a Rook in the tree. Wren and a single LTT

Have added an image from the last rays of sunshine yesterday evening at the local canal just to cheer you up Azzy :t:

 

[Dan123]

I'm so glad that we don't have a Sparrowhawk around here lol I would hate to see that sort of stuff! Though I do agree they are amazing birds in their own right.

Good couple of days of bird activity. Yesterday was a real treat because we had the Goldfinches return who I had not seen for a week and the pair of Jay's came back who again, I had not seen for a week. They stayed for at least an hour as well. One feeding on the Bird Table which I was thrilled about, eating the mixed seed and Suet pellets and the other I think was keeping watch. They then stayed in the Confifer for a good half hour relaxing before moving to the Tree next door whilst it was raining. No sign of them today yet but hopefully they may continue to visit when they are around!

Today so far has also been another interesting day. The Goldfinches have been in more than once already and the Long Tailed Tits have been here all morning and don't seem to be planning on going for the moment. Ususlly they breifly call in every other day and at times, not even stopping for food. But so far, they have been one of the most regulary seen today and flying down to pick up remians of the Suet Coconut. Also flying around all the shrubs and different parts of the garden. They obviously seem to be getting to know the place properly this time which is great! They are very funny to watch, as not all birds fly in all parts of the Garden, where as these seem too. Don't know what they are going to do next lol

Also the Robin after not seening him all day yesterday, has made an appearence. Only seen him the once mind, but atleast he got a couple pecks of suet.

Yesterday:
Jays, Blackbirds, Magpies, Woodpigeons, Collard Doves, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Dunnocks.

Today so far:
Robin, Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Goldfinches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Blackbirds, Woodies and Doves.

 

[squidge]

Birds starting to come back after about a month of little activity. Today there have been siskins,redpolls,house sparrows,greenfinches,linnets,starlings,woodpigeon,jackdaws and blackbirds visiting my feeders. I'm a happy chappy that things are getting back to normal after my ratty episode.

 

[JeffMoh]

We were away watching alligators yesterday, so not much time to gardenwatch.

Since squirrels broke yet another feeder (and its squirrel-baffle) last week, I put up a new squirrel-be-gone feeder. It seems to be working.

I felt bad yesterday, though, when I saw a squirrel looking over our fence and wistfully watching the House Finches eating from the new feeder.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[daveofficer]

good start today with 8 siskin, 3 goldfinch, 2 collared doves, 5 chaffinch, 2 blackbirds getting territorial, a robin, 9 starling, woodpigeon, bluetit, coal tit and a greenfinch.

not bad for a saturday morning. not seen a gs woodpecker for a while though so hoping she comes back soon and hopefully some long tailed tits in the next month too.

 

[hectorzaza]

The birds seem to have discovered our feeding station at our new bunglow had our first Goldfinches 3 of them on the niger seeds today.list of birds on feeders and flying over today,
Pied Wagtail,
Jackdaw,
Woodpigeon,
Goldfinch,
House Sparrow,
Carrion Crow,
Blue Tit,
Pheasant,
Magpie,
Black-Headed Gull,
Mallard,
Robin,
Starling,
Chaffinch,
Blackbird,
still keeping my eyes open for Tree Sparrow and Yellowhammer which supposed to be in this area.

 

[Bananafishbones]

2010 Garden species
No. 41 Lesser Black Backed Gull

Just had 3 over, good species for around here :t:

Also just had only my second ever ringed bird in the garden.... Redpoll with a silver leg ring :t::t:
5 Redpolls at the moment in the trees, the ringed one was taking water from the bird bath.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

2010 Garden species
No. 41 Lesser Black Backed Gull

Just had 3 over, good species for around here :t:

Also just had only my second ever ringed bird in the garden.... Redpoll with a silver leg ring :t::t:
5 Redpolls at the moment in the trees, the ringed one was taking water from the bird bath.

Very good Dave. :t:

Two Chiffchaffs singing this morning after the rain stopped.

CB

 

[JeffMoh]

Had some nice views of wading birds on a day-trip on Friday but a visit to a local hotspot for migrating songbirds didn't produce anything noteworthy.

I thought all our winter garden visitors had left but a couple of American Goldfinch surprised me by turning up at the feeders yesterday.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com