Big Garden Birdwatch

We had the usual House and Tree Sparrows,Starlings, and Blue Tits though once our cats went outside they all vanished...

Strongy,nice lot of birds seen round the country.I bet the 'Twitchers' were out in force...We have seen the Cattle Egret and the Rose Coloured Starling, years ago but would have dipped out on the rest...I shall have to give Birdline a ring and see what else is about...

Our best bird years ago was a Snowy Owl at Wainfleet and there was an Eagle Owl down at the gravel pits where we used to live,but the silly thing got hit by a car and killed on the A45...

 

Tree Sparrows! there have been none in Dorset for years. :(

 

Strongy,we were suprised to see them when we moved to this new village being created,and had to keep looking at the bird books to make sure we hadn't made a mistake,but the head colouring is what we mainly go by..Chestnut coloured with black ear covers and a bit of a white neck ring in the Tree Sparrow,and grey head with no ear covers or white neck ring in the Tree Sparrow...We have both types on our feeders,but they never cross pair,just keeping to their own species...According to my Readers Digest book of birds Tree Sparrows only winter down your way...
I expect they breed up here.then migrate down to you for a winter rest :D :D

 

We don't see them at all! :(

 

We used to do the BTO survey religiously. Working in a school now, most mornings, for the past few months, I've left the house in the dark, and return home - in the dark. We make the most of getting away in the holidays too - so it was no longer feasible.

We do still look after our birds though - and regularly have sparrows, goldfinches, bluetits and coal tits. We have had a few blackbirds recently - really don't think it's been cold enough for long enough to have brought them into the gardens - one winter we had over 20! The same winter we had 5 pied wagtail!

Looking forward to the frogs and other signs of spring! (lighter mornings and evenings especially!)

 

I would love to do the garden birdwatch and have done it in the past..But recently i have hardly had any birds because i have sparrowhawks here all the time..Dont ask me where they have come from or why they should decide to sit on my fence or even hide in wait .. But its like a deserted garden..I used to bake the birds a loaf every day and now its poiintless as even the seed is just sat their..I used to have an albino blackbird come every day but he has also long gone..grrrrrrrrrrrrrr

 

It's time again folks! Are you 'watching'?

I'm just about to sart but have to say it's not looking too good..not a feather in sight so far!

 

Blackbird - 5
Blue tit - 2
Chaffinch - 4
Collared dove - 2
Great tit - 2
House sparrow - 3
Robin - 1
Starling -13

I think the sparrows were off on an away day, as there is usually a great gang of them sitting in the hedge.

 

Blackbird =1
Blue Tit=2
Dove=1
Wood Pigeon=1
Song Thrush=1

Very much an away day!...usually lots of the critters fighting at the feeders.

 

5 - long tailed tits
3 - chaffinch
3 - blue tits
9 - greenfinch
2 - great tit
1 - magpie
1 - nut hatch
2 - coal tit
1 - robin
16 - starling
1 - marsh tit
2 - jay
2 - blackbird
Best year so far, my worst year was before we moved and I watched all day and saw 1 blackbird!

 

We are having the light of getting a lot of new bird come in to the garden such a delight to watch.

When we came back from our walk this afternoon a sparrowhalk came swooping past us to catch the wee birds.

By the camera birds have gone.

 

1 wood pigeon
1 great tit
1 blackbird
1 parakeet :eek:

Although usually where there's one parakeet there are soon a dozen, so I'm rather glad that didn't happen today as I expect the RSPB would think I was taking the mickey.

I heard loads of birds, but they were away in someone else's garden. There was a sparrowhawk overhead briefly (which I can't count) being mobbed by a couple of crows, so maybe the others just dived for cover.