Catsfur
Member
Yes, they are messy feeders to say the least!
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Very busy at the bird feeder today! (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter Moraybirdlover
- Start date
Yes, they are messy feeders to say the least!
How brilliant! I sometimes see buzzards soaring around the countryside nearby, and once quite close to my house, but not over it yet!
Cheshire Birder
Well-known member
Looks like I need to spend more time in the garden this weekend as your catching me up!!
CB
wildlifelove
Hopefully Birding...
Looking Forward to see what's going to come for a sociably meal and drink tomorrow. Saw the Goldfinch which is making him self a usual on the sunflower heart's today before i was of out and hoping to see maybe more than one in the morning and the weekend. Most viewed was 4 at once but don't get much viewing time in the week so might of missed them. Lets just hope they make a good appearance. Oh and i have posted a short new blog if anyone is interested. Any feed back would be much thanked. Feed me back my my message or inbox or you can comment on the post.
Thanks
Thanks
Jaff
Registered Member
Had two Reed Buntings in just now one of which was a male in full br. plumage and the heads on the male Bramblings are getting darker. One looked like he wasn't far off from being all the way there actually. I wonder how much longer they're going to stay.
Not a bird but I've just seen my first frog of the year in the pond. Yay!
Further news. I can only speculate at Brambling numbers but they're the most numerous finch in the garden right now. At least 15 if I had to guess.
Not a bird but I've just seen my first frog of the year in the pond. Yay!
Further news. I can only speculate at Brambling numbers but they're the most numerous finch in the garden right now. At least 15 if I had to guess.
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Just stole a few minutes watching the feeders, and I'm a bit worried about the absence of goldfinches - normally there would be at least 6 feeding at this time, today there are none! Sparrows, blackbird and blue tits (and a group of rowdy starlings) are all here as usual though.
captaincarot
Well-known member
this weeks developments
the sparrows have have finally worked out how to use the feeder, not bad it only took them 2 and a half weeks. as i write this one of them has just gone on the fat block feeder for the first time, (they must be getting brave)
blue tit numbers remain at 2 and the coal tit seems to pop in daily.
the jackdaws have now worked out how to hang upside down to get at the fat block feeder too, which is entertaining to watch.
we have gold finches in front of the house where there's no food but they haven't yet come to the back where there is.
the sparrows have have finally worked out how to use the feeder, not bad it only took them 2 and a half weeks. as i write this one of them has just gone on the fat block feeder for the first time, (they must be getting brave)
blue tit numbers remain at 2 and the coal tit seems to pop in daily.
the jackdaws have now worked out how to hang upside down to get at the fat block feeder too, which is entertaining to watch.
we have gold finches in front of the house where there's no food but they haven't yet come to the back where there is.
wildlifelove
Hopefully Birding...
Had a good surprise which was the return of the great tit's which i have not viewed for about 2 weeks. They might of came in the week when my garden birding is sadly only about 1 hour a day due to over things. But when i have been watching i have not seen them so it was a great surprise to see them turn up for some peanuts.
Cracking stuff!
Cracking stuff!
Jaff
Registered Member
Well that was an exciting half hour. Firstly, Reedy count up to 3.
So I spotted that poorly Woodpigeon out there again looking sorry for himself as usual and not doing much and lots of other birds around. Next time I look 5mins later everything's dissappeared and I can spy something down in the border which turned out to be the bird in the first pic naturally. Now from my bedroom I couldn't see what the kill was so naturally I ssumed it was that poorly Woodpigeon, in fact I was hoping/praying it was really but it turned out to be a Blackbird instead. I managed to sneak round the side of the garage to get a better angle on and closer to the Sprawk compare to the attached as well and it nearly worked but for my own greed in so much as the extra few seconds it took me to crouch down for the low angle rather than just taking a shot meant the damned thing flew off with it's prize. :C
So with that drama over I was then just mooching around checking on stuff like where the kill had been made, could see a couple of drops of blood on the fallen leaves BTW when I heard a loud shriek. Looked up and there was 6 Buzzards circling around the sky above me! (Second pic, a bit ropey but it's just a record shot and they were pretty high).
So all this combined with ealier makes this quite a decent days birding and without even leaving the house and there's still half a day left!!! :-O
So I spotted that poorly Woodpigeon out there again looking sorry for himself as usual and not doing much and lots of other birds around. Next time I look 5mins later everything's dissappeared and I can spy something down in the border which turned out to be the bird in the first pic naturally. Now from my bedroom I couldn't see what the kill was so naturally I ssumed it was that poorly Woodpigeon, in fact I was hoping/praying it was really but it turned out to be a Blackbird instead. I managed to sneak round the side of the garage to get a better angle on and closer to the Sprawk compare to the attached as well and it nearly worked but for my own greed in so much as the extra few seconds it took me to crouch down for the low angle rather than just taking a shot meant the damned thing flew off with it's prize. :C
So with that drama over I was then just mooching around checking on stuff like where the kill had been made, could see a couple of drops of blood on the fallen leaves BTW when I heard a loud shriek. Looked up and there was 6 Buzzards circling around the sky above me! (Second pic, a bit ropey but it's just a record shot and they were pretty high).
So all this combined with ealier makes this quite a decent days birding and without even leaving the house and there's still half a day left!!! :-O
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briH
New member
First post so thought I would share my excitement by the arrival of LTTs (2) on my feeder.
Never had much luck on any of my standard feeders, only starlings. I mentioned this to the guy at the garden centre and he sold me a feeder with a cage so that only small birds could feed from that one. Also sold me some wild bird seed especially for tits and hey presto, blue, great, coal and now long tailed tits. They are the only ones that use the feeder apart from a dunnock and green finch. Many finches will go on the post feeder and the ground so nothing is wasted.
Starlings have the fat balls and its quite funny to see them trying to get through the cage bars on the tit feeder.
Never had much luck on any of my standard feeders, only starlings. I mentioned this to the guy at the garden centre and he sold me a feeder with a cage so that only small birds could feed from that one. Also sold me some wild bird seed especially for tits and hey presto, blue, great, coal and now long tailed tits. They are the only ones that use the feeder apart from a dunnock and green finch. Many finches will go on the post feeder and the ground so nothing is wasted.
Starlings have the fat balls and its quite funny to see them trying to get through the cage bars on the tit feeder.
Larry Lade
Moderator
Jaff, were the buzzards the light morph Rough-legged variety? Your photo looks like the Rough-legged Hawk, Buteo lagopus, I see here in Missouri.
Larry Lade
Moderator
Hi, briH, and as I see this is your first post on BirdForum, may I extend to you a warm welcome on behalf of the administrators and moderators. We are glad to have you aboard! Looking forward to hearing about all the birds coming to your feeders.
bongofury
Well-known member
Well done on your new arrivals! LTTs are great birds to have visiting.
Dan123
Well-known member
Welcome to the board and thread briH! Good tick with the LTT's, they seem to be weekly visitors for me, they'll swoop in suddenly when you least expect!
Wonderfull input Jaff and pics. Must of been very exciting for ya
Spring is defo in the air as nearly all types of birds round here are beginning to sing. Lovely evening songs and I could detect a Song Thrush in the distance and the cry of a Green Woodpecker, a sure sign of Spring!
Highlights for me today are:
Jays returning now for 2 days in a row
Brambling is still visiting
Highest Goldfinch count is now 7
Goldfinches seem to be alot more regular now, has been as regular as the Greenfinch and are now starting to suabble back and squabble with each other, which they never use to. Maybe a sign they are making this area of food part of their new territories ready for Spring.
Wonderfull input Jaff and pics. Must of been very exciting for ya
Spring is defo in the air as nearly all types of birds round here are beginning to sing. Lovely evening songs and I could detect a Song Thrush in the distance and the cry of a Green Woodpecker, a sure sign of Spring!
Highlights for me today are:
Jays returning now for 2 days in a row
Brambling is still visiting
Highest Goldfinch count is now 7
Goldfinches seem to be alot more regular now, has been as regular as the Greenfinch and are now starting to suabble back and squabble with each other, which they never use to. Maybe a sign they are making this area of food part of their new territories ready for Spring.
Jos Stratford
Beast from the East
Sure is, snowed all day, minus 14 C outside, minus 24 on the forecast!
Mister and missus on the feeders today, see below (male left, female right), plus all the regulars in good numbers - male White-backed Woodpecker hogging one feeder for 20 minutes at a time.
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Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
Gardens seem very lively with everyone at the mo.... I havent seen that much of mine this week.
This evening just as the light had faded into complete darkness 14 very noisy and very low Canada Geese flew over the garden, superb sillouettes against the neighbouring window lit houses.
The second Mealy Redpoll visited today... although nowhere as near cut and dried on the ID as the regular Mealy. 7 Lesser Redpoll, Male Siskin, 2 Great Tit and 2 Coal Tit
I havent seen the garden in the morning for over a week now so I have no idea of the numbers of Redpoll visiting for thier early feed, the afternoon visitors have really dropped off now with less than 10 on each of the last three evenings. The Nyger seed is still going down at a rate of knots though.
Great tits are really singing as are the Dunnocks
CC
I got to see the Great Tit pair adding nesting materials inside the outlet pipe at work
This evening just as the light had faded into complete darkness 14 very noisy and very low Canada Geese flew over the garden, superb sillouettes against the neighbouring window lit houses.
The second Mealy Redpoll visited today... although nowhere as near cut and dried on the ID as the regular Mealy. 7 Lesser Redpoll, Male Siskin, 2 Great Tit and 2 Coal Tit
I havent seen the garden in the morning for over a week now so I have no idea of the numbers of Redpoll visiting for thier early feed, the afternoon visitors have really dropped off now with less than 10 on each of the last three evenings. The Nyger seed is still going down at a rate of knots though.
Great tits are really singing as are the Dunnocks
CC
I got to see the Great Tit pair adding nesting materials inside the outlet pipe at work
Bananafishbones
Incoherently Rambling .....
well cute Woodies Jos.... the second image is fab mate :t:
Jaff
Registered Member
Sounds like you're off to a good start with the new feeders and welcome to the site. :t:
The Common Buzzards over here Larry vary enormously in morph and some are very pale indeed. Rough-leggeds do occasionally show up in the area but when that's the case it's just the odd one passing through. All of these ones were Common's probably gearing up for the breeding season. Not that I'd be able to tell the difference mind you.
I think the record count I've had was 8 occupying the same space in the sky over the house.PS I forgot the 3 Tree Sparrows as well
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Catsfur
Member
Siskin
Bit of a finch fest this morning on the bird table with greenfinch, bullfinch, goldfinch and brambling. Best of all though was a siskin and there's a short film of the bird here
http://vimeo.com/19863817
I'm always struck by how small they are, certainly compared to brambling, but even goldfinch. Not such a common bird in our garden, but a little more frequent since Christmas.
Bit of a finch fest this morning on the bird table with greenfinch, bullfinch, goldfinch and brambling. Best of all though was a siskin and there's a short film of the bird here
http://vimeo.com/19863817
I'm always struck by how small they are, certainly compared to brambling, but even goldfinch. Not such a common bird in our garden, but a little more frequent since Christmas.