RMweb Premium melmerby Posted January 25, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 25, 2012 (edited) Same here, but it's put down to a very mild winter so far, you can count the number of days we've had frost, since last autumn, on one hand. There again we have a very high population of 'raptors' locally, even as I type this a large mature Buzzard is sitting atop a telegraph pole, by the road outside of our garden. We have a resident Sparrowhawk which cruises by regularly but it doesn't seem to worry the other birds until it gets a bit too close. It's taken the odd Blackbird and Woodpigeon from the surrounding gardens in the past, but some of the smaller birds were playing now you see me now you don't with it a while back. e.g. diving into the thicket where the 'Hawk couldn't go and re-appearing a bit further along, much to it's frustration. Keith Edit: The fat balls still don't seem to go very quickly just now, the current one is about 7 days old and only 10-20% gone, however seed and peanuts going rapidly. Edited January 25, 2012 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Pannier Tank Posted January 28, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted January 28, 2012 Interesting article on this very sbject at:- http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-16743212 Our Sparrows are getting through 2 Fat Balls per day! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Southernman46 Posted January 28, 2012 Share Posted January 28, 2012 Blackcap today - lovely !! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 Whoa! Blackcap here in B76 too! Never seen here by us in 15 years. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted January 29, 2012 Share Posted January 29, 2012 We have this chap as an almost permanent fixture in the gardens hereabouts. He's been here for a couple of years and is quite tame now. This photo was taken through my living room window. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted January 29, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted January 29, 2012 We have this chap as an almost permanent fixture in the gardens hereabouts. He's been here for a couple of years and is quite tame now. This photo was taken through my living room window. We had one in the area where we used to live - they like residential areas because many householders are cute enough to put nets over their fish ponds I have a picture of one on the roof ridge of the house at the back of where we lived contentedly, but with some difficulty, swallowing a very large carp (probably) which it had 'fished' from someone's garden pond. It isn't just foxes that have recognised the culinary benefits of suburban living . Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted January 29, 2012 Author Share Posted January 29, 2012 Hadn't seen that article, thanks David. However, I think it is flawed. If you have a large population of birds feeding throughout the year - and all previous years - in your garden - why would nearly all the birds decide to go somewhere else whatever the weather? Especially true if they've had insects and fruit and seeds in the wild all year to suddenly go 'wild' in the winter. Neither does it explain the posters on here who report the normal number of sightings. What's wrong with the 'wild' in their area? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 4, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) What A difference a week makes. Last Saturday when I could have done a RSPB survey the garden was almost totally devoid of birds. This week we have just had a dozen or so fieldfares on the berries also in the garden were several blackbirds about three varieties of tit, magpies, wood pigeon, thrushes, dunnocks, sparrows etc. etc. Maybe it's because the temperature has been lower and the nearby fields are providing less tuck, so the birds are back in the gardens! Keith Edited February 4, 2012 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted February 4, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 4, 2012 Beat this! Neil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
EddieB Posted February 4, 2012 Share Posted February 4, 2012 What A difference a week makes. Last Saturday when I could have done a RSPB survey the garden was almost totally devoid of birds. This week we have just had a dozen or so fieldfares on the berries also in the garden were several blackbirds about three varieties of tit, magpies, wood pigeon, thrushes, dunnocks, sparrows etc. etc. Maybe it's because the temperature has been lower and the nearby fields are providing less tuck, so the birds are back in the gardens! Keith Same here - it's almost as if the birds knew there was a survey running. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 4, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2012 (edited) Same here - it's almost as if the birds knew there was a survey running. Had the same problem when I was in Cumbria. The garden there was alive with birds, dozens of Sparrows lining up for their turn on the feeders, Blackbirds, Thrushes Woodpeckers etc. Decided to do the survey, sat there for an hour - absolutely nothing. Gave up, threw form in waste bin, suddenly garden is full of birds again. They must know something is going on! Keith P.S. the Wood Pigeons in the large ash tree next door like the fruits on the Ivy growing up it. However the Ivy won't hold their weight so they hang upside down like bats from a tree branch to get at them. The local Corvids (Jackdaw variety) have been watching them and are now starting to try the same trick, however they haven't perfected it yet! Edited February 4, 2012 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 4, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 4, 2012 Beat this! Neil Did it work out how to get at the seed? Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted February 5, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted February 5, 2012 Did it work out how to get at the seed? Keith Hi Keith Yes I moved the feeder closer to the lower branches and it pecked away happily at it. Last winter there was this beast and seven hen pheasants regularly visiting my garden, initially eating the crab apples but moved onto the feeders when they run out, Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Prodigy Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 (edited) I have seen over the last 30 mins: 1 black bird 1/ 2 wrens Some small black song bird (sorry, no idea what bird) one of those birds was getting chased by pidgey, the dominant bird in the neughbourhood. Edit1: just saw a robin fly in a tree and get covered in snow and it was shaking it off cute. Edited February 5, 2012 by Prodigy 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
'CHARD Posted February 5, 2012 Share Posted February 5, 2012 A whole bird nutrition system was installed on the front grass here about a fortnight ago. My raised eyebrows have been proved false however, as so far today I've enjoyed a crew of starlings, pair of robins, usual blue tits and sparrows, Mrs Blackbird, and hefty magpie all on the various features of this structure. Pecking up spilled seed around the base, and a feast of brown bread, has been big pidge. Good to see this hardy bunch tucking in on a picture postcard morning. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted February 5, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted February 5, 2012 Fortunately Starlings are extremely rare visitors to our garden and we have never seen a Feral pigeon. (It's strange because I used to live 1/2 mile away as the crow flies and that garden was full of Feral pigeons and Starlings!) The Fieldfares are here again today, a large flock (50+) flew over and split off into smaller groups of 10-12 and went on raiding parties into various gardens. The birds have got about 10cm of snow to contend with today. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 Swifts have returned, and seem to be in greater numbers. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted April 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2012 A pair of hooded crows (as opposed to the much more common all black ones and rooks) made a rare visit the other day: Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Ramrig Posted April 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2012 Our "little friend" visits the table most days along with his/her partner. Think they are nesting somewhere at the top of the garden. And this little chap comes to have a look through the window as well or he sits on the fence But this greedy blighter just tries to scoff the lot!!! Until Mrs Ramrig clears him off 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted April 11, 2012 Share Posted April 11, 2012 (edited) A pair of hooded crows (as opposed to the much more common all black ones and rooks) made a rare visit the other day: I have to say that looks like a jackdaw to me John - hooded crows (below taken on Mull a few years ago) are much paler grey over most of their bodies. Where do you live? Edited April 11, 2012 by 10800 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium John M Upton Posted April 11, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 11, 2012 I'll blame my mother, she said it was a hooded crow, Jackdaw it is then as when I last looked Mull was quite a long way from the Sussex coast!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 11, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 11, 2012 Yep it's a Jackdaw. Digging the veg plots over the weekend I had 6 robins hasseling me to hurry up, which means we have 3 nests in the garden or just over the fence. so far we have had Dunnocks fledge and some sparrows, Blue tits are about but don't seem to using the nestboxes in the garden. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 (edited) In order to reverse the car in through my gate to the garage, I have to turn into the gate of the neighbour opposite - yesterday I did this, to find myself 2 feet away from a sparrowhawk sitting on the gatepost, contemplating where to go for lunch - not sure who was more surprised! Our robins vanished a month ago - they always move out when they pair up. Edited April 12, 2012 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 Swifts have returned, and seem to be in greater numbers. Not seen a swift yet, but saw a swallow fly over our Somerset house at lunchtime. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xerces Fobe2 Posted April 12, 2012 Share Posted April 12, 2012 No shortage of birds in or near my garden common tits, pigeons, sparrows, robins, thrushes. red kites and many more XF Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now