Where have all our garden birds gone?

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

At least one blue tit straight into the birdbox I had just restored to its accustomed place after annual maintenance this afternoon. Now with new camera (wife's birthday present) installed as the previous one went phut. I don't know why I went along with this project as she always becomes upset by the inside view when 2 or 3 die early, so that 'only' five or six actually fly. (Then more upset when the local sparrowhawk bags one during their first week out.)

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Deffo had another one in the box as the camera test target (a cunning folded post it note carrying the words BLUE TIT  ) is now lying on the ground.

 

I'll have to try the experiment if we ever sell a house again. Do the prospective purchasers throw out any pieces of paper reading 'Human Being' left lying about the property? 

[dhjgreen]

Heard a curlew today, sounded like it was on the aerial, looked up; starling!  Clever blighters.

[melmerby]

Starlings are actually quite good mimics, they are related to the Mynah (also a type of Starling) which is noted for it's mimicry

[AndyID]

Not your average garden bird.

 

 

Sorry about the poor image. Taken from our dining room window during a snowstorm.

 

It's an immature bald eagle. Probably a female from the size. It's guarding the remains of a deer that expired in our neighbor's garden. There were several eagles keeping the ravens away.

[Wacol]

 

One of the adult Butcher Birds that I can hand feed. The've taken to bringing their young

along, but they aren't game to be hand fed yet so I drop a bit of food on a nearby ledge for them.

 

 

[Downendian]

Signs of spring. Blue tits now visiting nesting box 3 in my garden, and blackcap buried in a bush singing its heart out.

Neil 

[MikeHemmings]

We have a pair of Robin's taking  residence  in the garden they have been hear about 4 weeks.

 

Mike

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Among the other events of gardening this afternoon, a territorially jealous wren let us know every time we went near a nest site it is constructing. They always do this, build three or four and then settle in what was sold as a robin box and has now disappeared under a covering of parthenocissus henryana. The robins meanwhile perched hopefully nearby wherever we were clearing the last of this winter's leaf litter. They will inevitably pick the most awkward nest site, in the greenhouse, outhouse, incinerator, woodpile, decorative trellis type structure, and then non-stop kvetch about it when we pass nearby enjoying the garden. We are happy to share considering their useful insectivore activity. Mrs Blackbird is nest building in some natural ivy on the North wall of our cottage, and the Great tits are looking in the usual place under the roof tile with missing poiinting, the Coal tits and Nuthatches appear to be around their regular oak tree holes. I'd love to know where the Treecreepers normally nest, after one year in which they built a hanging basket (weaver bird style) nest in the gap between two fence panels temporarily left leaning against a wall.

 

In passing my dear wife asked me how many visits to the sunflower seed feeder it took to empty it, on the basis of one seed taken per visit. It's a rare day when it isn't emptied. Well, it was192 black sunflower seed per 10g from the  current sackful, and the feeder takes 190g. So an estimate of somewhere between 3,000 and 4,000 visits to empty it one seed at a time, allowing for significant variation in seed size. That was much greater than my guess of high hundreds, knocking a thousand, visits on a 'one at a time' basis.

[melmerby]

Couple of buzzards circling high overhead yesterday

[Mallard60022]

Blackbird collecting nesting materials in the garden on Saturday. Mistle Thrush gabbling in a hesitant way just up the road; same trees as last year! Loads of bees around over the weekend once the mist had cleared. Wonderful stuff.

 

Phil

[Liam]

Saw two goldcrests in one of the evergreen trees this morning. Also had a nestbox inspection by a blue tit - he/she didn't go in but perched on the entrance hole for a few moments. Though they have actually gone in already this year. 

[Phil Bullock]

No such exotica here. Some blue tits, blackbird, great tits, plenty of sparrows and a starling murmuration of about 1000 birds out the front of the house every evening. Small but still spectacular. And theres a dopey looking wood pigeon collecting twigs - he spends 10 minutes finding one and then another 10 minutes sitting on the decking showing it to us. Its like he is asking permission to take it!

 

Phil

[Mallard60022]

………...and now the Sparrows thinking nest time! A local blackbird was singing at about 21.45 last evening and another (the same) at 05.15 this morning.

Dunnocks are almost falling over with all the wing flipping and we have also got a pair of Buzzard that you can hear before you see them. Obviously enjoying the thermals over our estate in this beautiful weather. 

Phil

Edited February 26, 2019 by Mallard60022

[dhjgreen]

One of our silver birches was just full of finches and tits finding lots of small inscects, among the birds was a goldcrest Yay.

[jbqfc]

It has been fun watching the birds trying to get on to the feeders in today's strong winds 

we have also in the last week started to get a lot of siskins on the feeders have had odd ones before but now getting 10 or more 

 

John 

 

[dhjgreen]

Siskins, envious now not seen any for a few years.

[monkeysarefun]

Walking among the graves at Rookwood Cemetery, this bloke was making a racket. A Kookaburras laugh doesn't give the place the same solemn air as the standard mournful cemetery crow call.

[2750Papyrus]

We're getting regular visits to the feeders from reed warblers - up to 6 or 8 at a time.  In previous years, they've only visited when there was lying snow.

[Mallard60022]

On ‎15‎/‎03‎/‎2019 at 15:10, 2750Papyrus said:

We're getting regular visits to the feeders from reed warblers - up to 6 or 8 at a time.  In previous years, they've only visited when there was lying snow.

I think RWs have prospered in recent years and also become more adventurous in their search for food, hence garden appearances?

P 

[tigerburnie]

I've been fortunate to have a few pictures published during the past year or so, this is the latest in the April edition of the Scottish Field magazine, nice to have your work recognized(not that I get paid for them.

 

Edited January 27, 2020 by tigerburnie

[Mallard60022]

That is a cracking shot tigerb.

Phil

[Downendian]

I've heard a couple of Chiff Chaffs whilst out fishing in Wiltshire this week.

Neil 

[dhjgreen]

Yay siskins, first time in ages.  3 off having a good feed of sunflower hearts.

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

I too am hearing something lovely. A blackcap male is singing his heart out very regularly from a large laurel bush. Hopefully there's a partner he's singing for. Never had a pair nest anywhere identifiable, though they are fairly frequently heard every year.