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Where have all our garden birds gone?


DDolfelin
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This evening while rounding  up the 'orses , a buzzard came and inspected the remains of a pigeon (I think had been a sparrowhawk's dinner a few days ago). Nearly trod on a pheasant, why they don't stay still, the blighter scared the doings out of me.  A group of green finches flew over, as did some chaffinches, oddly no goldfinches today. The wren was insect hunting on the muck heap. The swallow fledglings were roosting in the stable, the parents were braving the thunder and lightning. The pied wagtail was busying itself in the stable yard. I looked behind me to see a kestrel hovering/hunting over the paddock. As I walked up towards the house the wood pigeons and sparrows flew off. I could hear the magpies but didn't see them.

Edited by Clive Mortimore
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2 hours ago, Clive Mortimore said:

This evening while rounding  up the 'orses , a buzzard came and inspected the remains of a pigeon (I think had been a sparrowhawk's dinner a few days ago). Nearly trod on a pheasant, why they don't stay still, the blighter scared the doings out of me.  A group of green finches flew over, as did some chaffinches, oddly no goldfinches today. The wren was insect hunting on the muck heap. The swallow fledglings were roosting in the stable, the parents were braving the thunder and lightning. The pied wagtail was busying itself in the stable yard. I looked behind me to see a kestrel hovering/hunting over the paddock. As I walked up towards the house the wood pigeons and sparrows flew off. I could hear the magpies but didn't see them.

Funnily enough I do some work for a bloke with stables, one of the things I see all the time are trotty wagtails wandering around the yard ( well trotting obviously!).. Ditto the pheasants, if I go down the horse fields I'll often surprise one or two, that run off in a panic...oddly they only seem to fly as a last resort, preferring to just run away !

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21 minutes ago, AndyID said:

The humming birds must know something. They've all gone.

 

Ours were still here two days ago. I'll have to check if they still are.

 

Edit - just seen one at the feeder.

Edited by pH
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On 01/09/2019 at 17:55, jbqfc said:

i just gone to the back window to see what all the racket was about 

to find there are at least 30 young goldfinches fighting over the feeders 

 

John 

Saw a good-sized ‘charm’ of them on the moors (south Pennines) yesterday. Lovely sight.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Went to Minsmere the other day. Glad there were knowledgable spotters there asI have added Pectoral Sandpiper( all the way from USA), Green Sandpiper and Little Stint to my ticklist. However, still haven’t seen a Bittern: looks like I woke up too late!

saw plenty of Bearded Tits during my week along that coast.

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11 minutes ago, 88D said:

Went to Minsmere the other day. Glad there were knowledgable spotters there asI have added Pectoral Sandpiper( all the way from USA), Green Sandpiper and Little Stint to my ticklist. However, still haven’t seen a Bittern: looks like I woke up too late!

saw plenty of Bearded Tits during my week along that coast.

Minsmere is one of the great Reserves (Centre has a very good Café) and the surrounding area has many habitats; I love just sitting on the shingle about half a mile or so down from the cliff top Café and where the 'facilities' are (off the Reserve but you can access it easily) and watching the parade of stuff along the coast and then the 'locals' doing their thing. In fact the whole area is rather calm and  a little old fashioned; much to appreciate during these quite disturbed days.

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I'd had a cage over the feeder to try to keep squirrels off but after forgetting to put it back on once a woodpecker turned up the next morning. I've been leaving it off ever since and the woodpecker keeps coming back (don't see it very often but it doesn't usually stay for long).

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I earlier posted that I had just been to Minsmere. Whilst there, I realised how ‘old’ my binoculars had become —- I’ m sure it wasn’t just my eyes! Have any of you got a recommendation for best value for mid-range specification of binoculars please? Looking for 8x32 to 10x42 type. I don’t want any U-boat types, thank you. Cheers, Dai

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1 hour ago, 88D said:

I earlier posted that I had just been to Minsmere. Whilst there, I realised how ‘old’ my binoculars had become —- I’ m sure it wasn’t just my eyes! Have any of you got a recommendation for best value for mid-range specification of binoculars please? Looking for 8x32 to 10x42 type. I don’t want any U-boat types, thank you. Cheers, Dai

An RSPB shop at a reserve will have lots to try before you buy.  One man's midrange might not be another's.  Just buy the best you can afford.

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