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

[Disneynut1973]

You've got some great photos there Fozzybear even as test shots they are way better than my little camera could ever do! I love the 'action' shot of the blackbird eating!

Barnstormer certainly busier than my garden all week!

It has picked up a little today, we've had 3 Blackbirds, 11 House Sparrows, 2 Magpies, 1 Robin, 2 Blue Tits, 6 Starlings, 1 Collard Dove, 1 Wood Pigeon & 2 Crows which look like they are building in a nest in one of the trees at the back of the garden, difficult to tell as it's a fir, but they are flying in with some pretty big twigs!

Two of the Starlings are taking more twigs up into our guttering!

Pam

 

[barnstormer]

The high wind doesn't seem to be putting any of the birds off,it seems to be pretty constant with the odd 10 min break in between.

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks a lot Pam - really liked that blackbird/suet pellet one, just a shame that it's out of focus. |8(| Will have to try again now I've adjusted the focus - seems to be working better now, but might still end up taking it back for exchange as the focusing was really off.

This lens is huge, makes my Nikon D300 look rather small - and that's no mean feat. I haven't taken a pic of the lens on the camera but found someone with the same kit on flickr:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/3354136496/

...and when you zoom in the lens gets even longer! :eek!:

Apologies for turning the garden bird thread into a camera geek thread!

 

[Bananafishbones]

Summers day

Hope everyone else got some good weather today.

Fozzy (and the weather) inspired me to take a few pics of the feeders today, Siskins showing really well, but had a great suprise when the Goldcrest showed up again and let me get my best shot yet :t:

Didnt do any counts today but was happy to be able to potter around in the garden without distrurbing the birds too much.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Mmmmm

Have just noticed that I have not seen any Black headed gulls over the garden for nearly 3 weeks, not sure if that is strange or not, but I am so used to seeing them, especialy if I put bread out.

I must get out more

 

[Disneynut1973]

gosh everyone is getting such good shots (even if they are not happy with the focus ) I am going to have to start saving harder for that camera i'm quite jealous!

I've only seen a Goldcrest once in our garden, not so long back but haven't seen it since.

We had a much better day yesterday, all the gardens were full of birds most of the day. Didn't even bother that next doors new cat was learning how to stalk them and failing miserably, I think the Sparrows were really teasing him flitting about on the feeders just out of reach.

So the Goldfinch were back on and off all day, 2 magpies, 3 blackbirds, 6 Starlings, 2 Dunnock, 1 Robin, 2 Collard Doves, 2 Blue Tits, 2 Crows, 12 Sparrows. I think that was it.

Even managed to watch the Goldfinch, Blue Tits and Starlings for a while before leaving for work this morning.

Pam

 

[Fozzybear]

Loads of activity here, mostly the usual although on Sunday morning I had a Greenfinch in the garden inspecting all the feeders. A very rare visitor to my garden, I think I've only seen one here before!

Loads of House Sparrows, plenty of mad Blackbird comings-and-goings, Dunnocks, Robins, Collared Doves, Woodpigeons, Blue Tits and my little field mouse (I'm pretty sure it's a Yellow Necked Field Mouse).

Looked out about half five this afternoon to see the mouse dashing out to the ground feeder, grab a mouthful of seeds and suet pellets and dash back to the holly tree, only to appear again and repeat. I think that it was caching the seeds back in it's hideaway and as it was pretty confident I thought I'd see if I could get closer so I got out my little folding stool and when it went into the holly I crept into the garden and sat behind the cotoneaster, looking through it at the feeder. The little thing appeared again and a couple more times visited the feeder, so I moved around the side of the bush and into full view, a little closer. No difference so I came closer, now in full view and about 8-10 feet from the feeder. The bold little thing came out and grabbed a mouthful to take back, then returned and grabbed a sunflower heart and sat there in the feeder and munched away without a care in the world! With my binoculars I had a wonderful view of it and it was a really lovely sight. I know a lot of people don't like mice anywhere near their house but it really is a gorgeous little creature. I crept away and left it in peace... when I next looked a woodpigeon was snaffling the remnants - the canny little mouse was probably feeling rather smug about it's little stash! :t:

 

[Bananafishbones]

Disney do you have any fir trees in the garden? if so the Goldcrest will be back.

Fozzy.... lovely picture your words painted about the mouse... Cheers

 

[Fozzybear]

Thanks BFB. Greenfinch back again this morning!

 

[Disneynut1973]

We do have fir trees just at the back of our garden, the Goldcrest may well have been back when I wasn't looking of course. I hope I do get to see it again they are very pretty to watch.

Fozzybear, we have only had a Greenfinch in our garden a couple of times this year. It's lovely that you get to watch the mouse too, mice don't bother me, in fact i'm quite happy with any wildlife that decides to turn up! We had quite a bold little mouse the last place we lived and it was quite happy to come out and pinch rabbit food when we were in the garden. There are mice here as our cats have brought them in the house - chasing mice around the kitchen is not fun though!

Pam

 

[Fozzybear]

Goldcrests are a big fave of mine (but I do have many big faves!), they're wonderful little things and I always get a buzz when I see one - very jealous that you've got them in the garden.

Just got home from exchanging my iffy lens for another (which 'seems' on the camera screen to be much, much better - the original definitely was a bad'un) and looked out to see the Greenfinch back on the black sunflower seeds again! If it becomes a regular then that will be really great! Male Blackbird was having a go at the ivy berries too, which the woodpigeons also really like... but are not very elegant at landing on them!

edit: and looking out as I make dinner I can see loads and loads of house sparrows feeding and having dust baths, a blackbird eating ivy berries, starlings and sparrows on the fatballs and suet block, collared doves on the ground, a field mouse on my ground feeder, a dunnock in the sheltered corner and two greenfinches on my black sunflower seed feeder. Pretty busy out there! ||

 

[Bananafishbones]

Been to get some shrubs today to spruce and colour the garden a bit, started to look for berry growing plants.... this birding has got a hold of me

Goldcrest again today, eating the peanuts, and a great tit on the table :t:

Other usual suspects continue to make my garden a better place, Blue tits Greenfinch, Siskins, Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Woodpigeons, Carrion, Jackdaw, Rook, Magpies, Starlings, LTT, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbirds.....erm cant recall anymore!!

Would really like to see the return of the Coal tits and GS Woody.

Would like a Warbler soon as well :eek!:

I know..................... greedy

Dave

 

[Fozzybear]

So Goldcrest, Great Tit, Blue tits, Greenfinch, Siskins, Goldfinch, Collared Dove, Woodpigeons, Carrion, Jackdaw, Rook, Magpies, Starlings, LTT, Dunnock, Robin and Blackbirds...

...well, you could do worse I suppose. :t:

Looked out just now to lots of House Sparrows, a couple of Blackbirds, couple of Collared Doves and the female Greenfinch back yet again! I really hope they're sticking around... I know I've banged on about it but getting a new regular is pretty cool for me. Greenfinches are very common but there's something about them that's got me all excited at the prospect of seeing them here regularly. I really like the calls and song they make too.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Fozzy if your now getting a Greenfinch daily she will certainly be bringing more into your garden pretty soon.

This morning I have my highest ever count of Siskin, 1m 4f. Now I often get 2m and 2f, so I know there is at least 1 more male fairly close.... This is cool!

Grey Heron this morning over the top of the house, starlings 20+ all feeding on the lawn and the borders.

Blue tit acting very strange for these parts, since I replanted the window planter at the side of the house it is gripping to the wall and climbing up and down the wall, flying into the window planter then back to the wall, very close to watch. ****edit**** Now I know what is going on, A female house Sparrow has just lande on the planter and is gathering the mossy liner for her bedding!!! ****

Forgot to mention the House Sparrows yesterday, very vocal at the moment, very noisy in the eaves, I can here them scurrying around when I am in the bedroom and this morning a lovely female is happily eating on the nut feeder while 2 males seriously squabble about who should eat next to here, she hasnt batted an eyelid!!

Blackbirds really singing now and chasing each other around the garden, Greenfinch also singing from the top of the tree, againunusual so must really be courting now.

Have not seen anything use the birdbox yet, although the Blue tits gave it a right going over the day I put it up

Dave

 

[Fozzybear]

The Sparrows here are very noisy and quarrelsome too, lots of squabbling and flying around and tugging at grass and old plant clippings.

Greenfinches back yet again, both the male and female were in the garden when I got home from work, I had to top up the black sunflower seeds as they've eaten most of what I'd put out the other day, which is great to see.

Tried to take some photos without scaring them off and they came out ok, but I was hampered a bit shooting at 45 degrees through a sunlit grubby double-glazed window!

 

[Bananafishbones]

Male Bullfinch today, first time on the feeder, and a Wren first time since January 2nd
See what the sun does!!

Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Blue tits currently on the feeders.

Woodpigeon, Collared Dove and plenty of Jackdaw pinching the bread, House Sparrows in there too.

Song Thrush just visited for a few minutes, Starling numbers upto 20+, Chaffinch numbers up also.

 

[Disneynut1973]

Well we've had all the usuals over the past two days including a Robin, haven't seen one in a while.

Also we've had a Song Thrush for the first time, it's been around a bit todayand a pair of Greenfinch right at the end of the day.

Right now there is a lot of squabbling going on between the Sparrows roosting in the fir trees at the top of the garden I think they keep kicking each other out of the tree!

Pam

 

[paddyenglishman]

i spent a while trying to digiscope the kestrel in the field behind the house today . lots of missed shots and the only thanks i get is that he chased my goldfinches off the bird table whilst i was stood 10 feet away after i had but the Dslr down . All in all a good day .........

 

[Kal]

Hey guys - thought I might list my weekends worth of watching:
10 Starlings
2 Wood Pigeons
4 Sparrows
2 Blue Tits
2 Robins
1M Blackbird
1f Blackbird
1 Collared Dove
1 Cariion Crow.

Not a bad little mix!

 

[JeffMoh]

Yard birds in southeast Texas

Our suburban yard northwest of Houston was busy yesterday. In an hour we had 14 species:
Northern Cardinals
House Finches
Carolina Chickadees
Chipping Sparrows
Ruby-crowned Kinglet
House Sparrow
White-winged Doves
Downy Woodpeckers
Red-bellied Woodpecker
American Goldfinches
Yellow-rumped Warbler
Blue Jays
Mourning Dove
Common Grackles
Northern Mockingbirds.

Also flyovers by:
Crested Caracara
Turkey Vulture
Great Egret
Black Vultures.

Jeff