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

[bongofury]

JAs a conservation driven person it really quite hurt to see this wonderful habitat ruined, I doubt I will have many warblers next year.

it is sad Johny and unfortunatly not everyone gets it..... shrubs and bushes, trees and hedges, and guess what I bet they end up flagging the lot. Some people just dont have a clue. (I am still smarting a little from my neighbour who took out a whole row of trees in his garden)

Yep, totally agree with this. I have a gripe about decking too. Some people think this is Australia:-C I live in a suburban area and its amazing how few lawns are left in our street. Of course it means the Blackbirds and Magpies come to our garden more, but I'd rather they had more choice.

Will be reporting from Bryn near Bishop's Castle in January as we hope to exchange on our purchase on Monday. Comes with an acre of garden.

Congratulations:t: I had to look up where it was; an acre of garden in Shropshire sounds superb. All the excitement of starting a new garden list - can't wait to see how quickly it comes along.

I had a couple of hours out birding this morning looking for Tree Sparrows but failing. However, got my best views of Skylarks to date and saw my first ever BOP (a Buzzard in this case) hovering, then swooping down taking its prey (a mouse-type mammal) then sitting on a fence post to eat it without many Magpies looking on.

Back in the garden, Goldie numbers hover around the 8-10 mark, but a male Bullfinch popped in today. First since spring.

 

[Johny121]

it is sad Johny and unfortunatly not everyone gets it..... shrubs and bushes, trees and hedges, and guess what I bet they end up flagging the lot. Some people just dont have a clue. (I am still smarting a little from my neighbour who took out a whole row of trees in his garden)

Yep, totally agree with this. I have a gripe about decking too. Some people think this is Australia:-C I live in a suburban area and its amazing how few lawns are left in our street. Of course it means the Blackbirds and Magpies come to our garden more, but I'd rather they had more choice.



thanks guys, nice to see others agree!

Great blue tit image, really makes it stand out.

Looking forward to dissertation procrastination and some garden birding tomorrow

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Just back from a few days birding at the coast, the person who lives next door, neighbour is not the term Id use, has flattened and hacked to pieces their garden, removing countless shrubs, hedges, plum trees, bramble patches, a massive laurel hedge, flowers everything

I know this is not a place to rant and that it is their garden - but I was so saddened to see this. SO many bird species lived in there. As a conservation driven person it really quite hurt to see this wonderful habitat ruined, I doubt I will have many warblers next year.

I think I will go by lots of nest boxes with the old student loan in hope that something will stick about.

I am always saddened to hear stories like this. I know it sounds and looks like bad news at the moment but wildlife is often more resilient than we give it credit for. At my local lake the council butchers the hedge with a mechanical tractor driven cutter every August but every year the hedge grows back. Some years ago a similar incident happened to another hedge on my local patch but after a few years it was better than before. It may be that the owner doesn't realise the damage he/she has done to the local wildlife and you could you whats happened to explain the damage he/she has caused. Education is the best way to get someone to change their behaviour.

CB

 

[Cheshire Birder]

Bought some new feeders from Aldi today for my parents garden. A globe feeder, a nut ball feeder and a bucket of fat balls. Hopefully they will get well used.

CB

 

[birdleg]

New record for the garden today - 31 House Sparrows! Never seen so many before in the garden!

 

[Johny121]

I am always saddened to hear stories like this. I know it sounds and looks like bad news at the moment but wildlife is often more resilient than we give it credit for.

CB

I guess so , it was just a nasty shock as its been there for the 15 years I have lived in this house and has brought great benefit to the local wildlife, Ill just have to go wild with bird boxes and new shrubs for my garden this year.

Saddening to hear about the hedges, driving through the norfolk countryside this week, I saw the remains of many hedges, their colourful leaves and berries shredded away, I even saw a tractor in the act of cutting a hedge... it seems such a bad time of year to do it, what with all the hungry migrants and all the fantastic colours. .

 

[Scopey]

Having to take our feeders down for a few days as we now have our fifth dead greenfinch in 2 weeks. Hopefully our regulars will get plenty of food elsewhere

 

[Laurie93]

I had about 5 Meadow pipits in the tree in my garden the other day and a grey wagtail today. Both of which were firsts for my garden.

 

[bongofury]

Having to take our feeders down for a few days as we now have our fifth dead greenfinch in 2 weeks. Hopefully our regulars will get plenty of food elsewhere

That's a real shame, but you are doing the right thing. I really fear for the spread of trichomonosis.

I had about 5 Meadow pipits in the tree in my garden the other day and a grey wagtail today. Both of which were firsts for my garden.

Wow - great garden birds. Well done:t:

 

[michael23]

Slowly getting back to the normal routine after having a couple of weeks over on the scillies. Filled the feeders up on monday, the birds are once again happy with me! Had upto 4 Coal Tit, maybe 3 as I couldn't quite nail the 4th bird as another individual. Long Tailed Tits through yesterday, around 12 I think. Today had a flythrough Hobby which was a cracking bird. I now have 2 pairs of Bullfinch on the feeders today as well. Grey Wagtail flyover as were 40+ Black Headed Gulls.

 

[Bananafishbones]

welcome to a few newbies on this thread. and good birds too with Grey wags and Mipits

Hobby though probably takes the days finest sighting... well done michael

 

[Bananafishbones]

Home is where the heart is.....
Redpoll returning.... a single female :t:


5 (possibly 6) Coal tits - Highest year count

 

[Bananafishbones]

3 Pipistril bats feeding in the garden this evening

 

[bongofury]

Home is where the heart is.....
Redpoll returning.... a single female :t:

Well done! (A Lesser, presumably:t

Busy in the garden today with all the usual suspects. 4 Coal Tits here stocking up their stash. 4 Squirrels are busy stashing away peanut cake in the flower pots. How they expect the lard to survive, I really don't know

 

[Cheshire Birder]

The new feeders at my parents seem to be attacting the birds. The regular 2-3 Coal Tits didn't bat an eyelid at the new feeder but it did take them a while to get used to hanging onto the globe feeder.

CB

 

[Bird spotter]

The seed feeders this weekend have been completely dominated by Goldfinches.Never seen so many. They swoop down in large numbers feeding from the feeders and on the ground.Have just counted 38 sitting in a tree nearby.

 

[Bananafishbones]

The seed feeders this weekend have been completely dominated by Goldfinches.Never seen so many. They swoop down in large numbers feeding from the feeders and on the ground.Have just counted 38 sitting in a tree nearby.

The Goldfinch have been arriving in-land in large numbers, with the onset of unsettled weather it will be getting very busy in our gardens now.

I am going to do an hours garden watch later and will report species and numbers

09.45 - 10.45
Windy and overcast:
Blue Tit 5
Great Tit 2
Dunnock 2
Greenfinch 5
Carrion Crow 4
Magpie 2
Feral Pigs 13 - arrrggg
Housesparrow 6
Jackdaw 2
Starling 5
Coal Tit 2
Pink Footed Geese 71
Blackbird 2
Goldcrest 1
Redwing 30+
Goldfinch 1
B H Gull 3
Robin 1
GBB Gull 1
Woodpigeon 1


Racing Pigeon 1
Grey Sqirrel 1

and a neighbours cat

 

[Bananafishbones]

2011 Garden species - No. 58
Pink Footed Goose

71 just flown over in one very large Skien ....... almost silent as they went over.


The return of the Goldcrest too

 

[michael23]

Bullfinch count went upto 6 today!

 

[roger1234]

28 goldfinches today+ 18 collard doves,26 house sparrows and a partridge in a pear tree.