Where have all our garden birds gone?

[DDolfelin]

Should have remembered where you live, no Choughs then?

 

No, that condition has improved since I used the liniment.

[melmerby]

Seen in the garden of a hospital close to the fishpond.

 

Mrs Mallard with her nine offspring about 2 weeks old:

 

 

Meanwhile Mr Mallard was keeping a watchful eye on things from a few feet away:

 

 

Keith

[steve1]

Saw a heron flapping its lazy way across the sky as I drove to work this morning.

 

steve

[jetmorgan]

Saw a heron flapping its lazy way across the sky as I drove to work this morning.

 

steve

We've had a Heron having a look about as well. decided to sit in a nearby tree for a few minutes until some of the Jackdaws took an exception

[jonny777]

It was too hot for me in the sun this afternoon, so I took my chair into the dappled shade and sat under the plum tree where the breeze made such a difference.

 

I have two fat ball feeders hanging from the branches of that tree, and thought "oh well, my need trumps theirs, so the birds will have to go without for a quarter of an hour or so".

 

After a few minutes of sitting quietly, I was amazed that in spite of my proximity a blue tit flew onto the feeders and began pecking away at the fat balls no more than three feet away from my face. I was taken aback at the speed it consumed part of the fatball.

 

A couple of minutes later, the bird stopped; looked at me for a couple of seconds as if to say"thanks for keeping so still" and flew off.

[jetmorgan]

It was too hot for me in the sun this afternoon, so I took my chair into the dappled shade and sat under the plum tree where the breeze made such a difference.

 

I have two fat ball feeders hanging from the branches of that tree, and thought "oh well, my need trumps theirs, so the birds will have to go without for a quarter of an hour or so".

 

After a few minutes of sitting quietly, I was amazed that in spite of my proximity a blue tit flew onto the feeders and began pecking away at the fat balls no more than three feet away from my face. I was taken aback at the speed it consumed part of the fatball.

 

A couple of minutes later, the bird stopped; looked at me for a couple of seconds as if to say"thanks for keeping so still" and flew off.

You'll find most small birds will be quite happy to have you in close proximity as long as there is food in front of them. My bird table is only 3 to 4ft away from my living room window and I often sit by the window with camera at the ready and they are quite happy to be on the table while I move about and take pics. The only flighty bird we have are the woodpeckers...those you have to be really still for and they are clever by always getting the peanut feeder between them and you. You can also get another feeder and put it closer to where you sit to get them even closer...they will get used to the idea of you being there.

[Downendian]

Last weekend was spent at the cottage in South Devon, I had two jobs on the to do list that could not be completed. First was to remove a Norway spruce that is getting too large. Found a nest in it, I think Dunnocks and has hatchlings in it yesterday after I saw mum fly off.

 

Second was a replacement pane of glass in the garden shed which has fallen out earlier this year. Around a light fitting inside the shed I found a house Martin nest complete with 4 eggs. I had to just sit in the garden instead soaking up the sun with a few beers and family BBQ.

I've placed five nest boxes in strategic positions - not one is taken.

Neil

Edited June 15, 2017 by Downendian

[jetmorgan]

Been having a tidy up weekend in the garden as it's too hot for any major work...and I don't have the money for it. But I have been watching some Bluetit youngsters having a paddle in the back garden bird bath. apologies but they were moving to quick to get in focus pics.

[The Blue Streak]

Something a little bit different today.

Not in My Garden exactly, but only a mile or so up the road.

 

I spotted this as I was on my way out this morning, it was a fair way off the road I was driving down and I had to do a bit of a double take as I've never seen one this near to where I live. But lo and behold an Emu cruising around in a nearby paddock - sorry about the picture quality, but that's the best I could do out of several I took.

It would have been nice if He / She would have lifted his/her head but it was busy feeding.

 

 

 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

The heat is producing results. My wife had heard the strange 'whee waah' calling on Saturday while working in the garden, and on Sunday morning I got five seconds view of a female golden oriole. Just want the rollers now, on a visit from Affrreeecah...

[coachmann]

Probably the same blackbirds come back to our garden every year. When I was digging holes and constructing the garden railway, the pesky male kept getting under my feet. Nothing phases him.

[jonny777]

Yesterday, while sitting outside in the shade from this heat; I heard the shriek of swifts  and looked up to find 10-15 of them mobbing a Sparrowhawk.

 

 

Marvellous.

[The Lurker]

It's been busy in the garden at Lurker Towers. I have seen Blue Tits, Goldfinches, Wrens, a dunnock, the blackbirds and a very scruffy robin. So scruffy that I wondered if it was in fact some other small red bibbed bird, but I couldn't see anything that might be a candidate in my bird book. And also what I think was a buzzard soaring far above - banded wings from the underneath. I must look that up to see if I can identify at all

[Fat Controller]

It's been busy in the garden at Lurker Towers. I have seen Blue Tits, Goldfinches, Wrens, a dunnock, the blackbirds and a very scruffy robin. So scruffy that I wondered if it was in fact some other small red bibbed bird, but I couldn't see anything that might be a candidate in my bird book. And also what I think was a buzzard soaring far above - banded wings from the underneath. I must look that up to see if I can identify at all

Might the robin be a recently-fledged one? We've had one perching on the tree by the back door this week. The red bib was quite light and ill-defined.

[Mallard60022]

It's been busy in the garden at Lurker Towers. I have seen Blue Tits, Goldfinches, Wrens, a dunnock, the blackbirds and a very scruffy robin. So scruffy that I wondered if it was in fact some other small red bibbed bird, but I couldn't see anything that might be a candidate in my bird book. And also what I think was a buzzard soaring far above - banded wings from the underneath. I must look that up to see if I can identify at all

Linnet?

[bluebottle]

Hearing the sounds of magpies squabbling earlier today, I looked out of my back bedroom window to see a furious altercation between three birds at the bottom of next door's yard. Two were attacking the third, and quickly had it sprawling on the paving, trampling it while they stabbed down with their beaks. It weakened and lay still until one then the other of its assailants flew off, then painfully dragged itself off out of sight behind the shed.

God knows what it had done to deserve that ...

 

 

 

[melmerby]

Hearing the sounds of magpies squabbling earlier today, I looked out of my back bedroom window to see a furious altercation between three birds at the bottom of next door's yard. Two were attacking the third, and quickly had it sprawling on the paving, trampling it while they stabbed down with their beaks. It weakened and lay still until one then the other of its assailants flew off, then painfully dragged itself off out of sight behind the shed.

God knows what it had done to deserve that ...

 

 

Wrong Time, Wrong Place!

 

Probably an intruder from outside the patch.

 

Keith

[melmerby]

Meanwhile Mrs Mallard watching over her nine ducklings as they rapidly grow up.

 

Pictured at 3:30PM today:

 

The Drake seems to be paying less attention now they are running around independently and can paddle around the pool quite confidently

 

Keith

[Downendian]

I patiently waited for one of the parents to leave, and quickly grabbed a poorly focussed shot of what I think are Dunnockettes. Less than seven feet from my kitchen window. Slightly nervous as a greater spotted woodpecker and sparrow hawk are regular garden visitors, but fortunately magpies are not. A recent pile of pigeon feathers on the lawn confirms this. Keeping a watchful eye on "my babies".

Neil

Edited June 21, 2017 by Downendian

[jetmorgan]

Wrong Time, Wrong Place!

 

Probably an intruder from outside the patch.

 

Keith

Or a husband just back from the model railway shop!!!

[Budgie]

My next door neighbour has a large cherry tree at the bottom of his garden. In the last few years no cherries have been harvested from this tree because the birds got them all before they were anywhere near ripe. This year the cherries were and are delicious, because very few birds have had any of them.

[The Lurker]

Might the robin be a recently-fledged one? We've had one perching on the tree by the back door this week. The red bib was quite light and ill-defined.

 

 

Linnet?

Thanks for your suggestions. I have had a look at images brought up by google and have decided that it is definitely not a juvenile robin, and that actually the male linnet might be a good candidate. It was certainly a lot less confident than our local robins are around a human. That's definitely a first for me. Seems suburban Sidcup / Bexley areas keep throwing up surprises.

[The Blue Streak]

Hello All,

These are not from my backyard.   So I hope I'm forgiven

But Today I was lucky enough to go on a boat cruise around the Penguin Island South of Perth. We were privileged to stop for a while on the Island, where We were allowed to (under strict supervision) take a guided tour of some parts. It's currently breeding season and so the Island is normally off limits to the public, but We were some of the lucky few who got to attend one of the limited tours the conservation dept. has authorised.

Anyway We saw some lovely birds (although no Penguins - all hidden in their burrows) and I thought some of you would like to see a little of it.

Obviously We weren't allowed too close, so had to use a lot of zoom so some are a bit grainy.

 

Osprey

 

Pair of Ospreys

 

Cormorant (with fish still in its neck - see the bulge)

 

Pelican rookery

 

Pelicans

 

Crested Tern

 

Silver Gull and chick

 

Gulls Nest (don"t worry Mum was only a few feet away))

 

Various Birds around a Big Sea Lion

 

Young Sea Lion (not a bird )

 

I Hope You like them.

Edited July 8, 2017 by The Blue Streak

[chris p bacon]

 Today I was lucky enough to go on a boat cruise around the Penguin Island South of Perth. 

 

Scotland has so much to offer with global warming.

 

Excellent day out by the looks of it. 

[melmerby]

Plenty of birds in our garden recently.

Loads of Long Tailed Tits (at least 8 at once)

Similar numbers of recently fledged Blue Tits along with some Great Tits, Blackbirds, Thrushes, Dunnock,

the odd Sparrow (don't see many now), GoldfInch, Greenfinch, Robins, Bullfinch, Crow, Jackdaw, Magpie, Wood Pigeons, a couple of Wrens (one who investigated the inside of the shed!).

Plus the Swifts swooping in and around (up to 9 at once).

 

Some must be feeding on the blackcurrant bushes as there is plenty of purple bird poo around!

 

A month ago the garden was quiet with hardly a bird to be seen but currently all the feeders are attracting lots of customers.

 

Keith

Edited July 9, 2017 by melmerby