Birdwatching

[Anti-Mild]

Well it's arguably the most interesting time of year for twitchers/birders and I've had a couple of long walks to see what I could see, including a visit to the RSPB's new reserve at Saltholme just outside Middlesbrough, which will be great in a couple of months - it's a bit barren just now.

I thought I'd start this thread to see how things are progressing in the bird world this Spring. So far this March I have spotted: the usual garden birds (Blue/Great/Coal tits, wrens, goldfinch, dunnock, pigeon, blackbird, robin, etc.), loads of Lapwings, a grey heron, tufted ducks, a kestrel, peregrine, redshank, curlew, grey wagtail, goldcrest (a first for me), greenfinch, shelduck, whooper swans (another first), skylark, red grouse (yet another first), and chiffchaff (first of the year on Tuesday). I also heard a woodpecker on Tuesday but didn't see what kind.

Here's to a great year of birding!

[Andy Bown]

Our garden has been very busy with blackbirds, robins, great tits, blue tits, sparrows, dunnocks, greenfinches, chaffinches, goldfinches (thanks to next door feeding them!), a surprise pair of bullfinches, woodpigeons and collared doves.

But the best thing has been, for the first time in many years, a pair of song thrushes which have made waking up at around 05.00 something to enjoy birdsong-wise .

I haven't yet seen any signs of them nesting, but I wouldn't be surprised if they are.

[androcles]

Nothing too unusual here except one thing. I don't know if any of you have seen this

before but we have one male Chaffinch feeding in the garden and anytime up to four

females together. Is this unusual?

Andy

[Andy Bown]

Nothing too unusual here except one thing. I don't know if any of you have seen this

before but we have one male Chaffinch feeding in the garden and anytime up to four

females together. Is this unusual? Andy

I've seen that ratio the other way around = 4 males : 1 female which means there were several upset males .

[Anti-Mild]

a surprise pair of bullfinches

Crikey, that is a surprise! Do you live near an orchard or something? I've never seen a bullfinch within 5 miles of my house let alone in the back garden!

[James M]

Seen lots around recently, in the garden: Starlings, House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Robins, Blackbirds, Wren, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches, Siskins occasionally, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Long tailed Tit, Coal Tit plus a visit from a Marsh tit the other day, Collared doves, Woodpigeon a Nuthatch and a Sparrowhawk. While on walks around Saddleworth have seen: Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dipper, Song Thrush, Pied Wagtail, Grey Wagtail, Goosander, Kestrel, Peregrine, Meadow Pipit, Wheatear, Stonechat, Treecreeper, Pheasant, Red Legged Partridge, Red Grouse, Chiffchaff, Skylark, Curlew and a Raven around Dovestones.

[androcles]

I've seen that ratio the other way around = 4 males : 1 female which means there were several upset males :lol: .

Hey Andy,

Thing is they all disappeared over the winter months and only came back about three weeks ago.

The bird book I have says they are the most populous birds in Britan, yet where do they go in winter?

Any ideas?

Andy

[Anti-Mild]

Hey Andy,

Thing is they all disappeared over the winter months and only came back about three weeks ago.

The bird book I have says they are the most populous birds in Britan, yet where do they go in winter?

Any ideas?

Andy

Andy (androcles),

I went for a walk in a forest up in the moors in January and I saw literally hundreds of chaffinches in a huge mixed flock including great and marsh tits that seemed to be roaming around searching for food, so maybe they head for the comparitive shelter of trees.

Frazer

Edit: the book I have says the wren is the commonest bird - maybe no-one's sure!!

[James M]

According to the RSPB the Wren is the commonest breeding bird (c8,512,000 territories) and the Chaffinch second (c5,974,000 territories)

[androcles]

Andy (androcles),

I went for a walk in a forest up in the moors in January and I saw literally hundreds of chaffinches in a huge mixed flock including great and marsh tits that seemed to be roaming around searching for food, so maybe they head for the comparitive shelter of trees.

Frazer

Edit: the book I have says the wren is the commonest bird - maybe no-one's sure!!

WE are surrounded by forests here in the Surrey Hills - both Conifers and Deciduous - but haven't seen them.

Maybe they go off to have a jolly with their tits and things. It's quite possible they are put off by the army firing

ranges, loads of them, and especially the tanks and/or 188's going off which are very loud.

I know that some species of birds like to stick together in winter - like blue tits and long-tailed tits seem to be

together in the garden quite often.

We had a bird seed feeder which the long-tailed tits went for when we first put up but are no longer interested in.

This was a hanging one. They don't touch that now and seem to prefer the seed I put out on the lawn. Strange...?

Andy

[androcles]

According to the RSPB the Wren is the commonest breeding bird (c8,512,000 territories) and the Chaffinch second (c5,974,000 territories)

Again, don't see many Wrens round here and am quite amazed when I do. Maybe cos they are small...?

Seems you guys in the north tend to have a lot more variety than we do in our suburban gardens here.

Bit predictable round here really. Too many cars and 747's flying about...maybe?!

Andy

[jy]

I live on a farm in the middle of nowhere and up here there are the usual suspects but the main core of birds are predators buzzards kestrals harris hawks sparrowhawks and occasional peregrine falcon however my favourite hunts at night the beautiful barn owl

[androcles]

I live on a farm in the middle of nowhere and up here there are the usual suspects but the main core of birds are predators buzzards kestrals harris hawks sparrowhawks and occasional peregrine falcon however my favourite hunts at night the beautiful barn owl

I hear the 'owls' in the woods late at night but don't ever see any.

We had a Sparrow Hawk in the garden eating our resident Blackbird

last year. Then after we put up the bird feeder, I saw

a Blue Tit munching on some peanut and suddenly a Hawk took it from

the feeding station. Is that why they are called Hawks Takeaways?

The rest of the predators I see south of the A31 Hogs Back for some reason.

Andy

[Andy Bown]

Sorry guys only just seen your replies...

Crikey, that is a surprise! Do you live near an orchard or something? I've never seen a bullfinch within 5 miles of my house let alone in the back garden!

We have a large field behind our house and woodland very nearby, there are hedgerows all around the field our garden backs onto. I do give credit to our neighbours who feed more varieties of seed etc than we do, the elderly lady is something of a Mrs Dolittle :lol: .

Hey Andy, Thing is they all disappeared over the winter months and only came back about three weeks ago. The bird book I have says they are the most populous birds in Britan, yet where do they go in winter? Any ideas? Andy

I think someone else has replied similarly to this : finches flock together in the wintertime, you can find all different species of finches together. When it was freezing at the beginning of Janury I walked up onto the edge of Salisbury Plain and, despite no birdsong, became aware of movement in the bracken hedgerows - there were 100s of Chaffinches, Greenfinches and Goldfinches .

[valiant]

We had a Sparrow Hawk in the garden eating our resident Blackbird

last year. Then after we put up the bird feeder, I saw

a Blue Tit munching on some peanut and suddenly a Hawk took it from

the feeding station. Is that why they are called Hawks Takeaways?

Andy

That's why I always feed the small birds by hanging/placing their food in/under a tree - where they are relatively safe. The hawks can't see 'em.

Don't forget the water. I put mine under trees/shrubs and far enough away from next door's hedge ... used as an ambush screen by their resident wildlife murderer - who I refer to as "Cooking Fat".

[androcles]

That's why I always feed the small birds by hanging/placing their food in/under a tree - where they are relatively safe. The hawks can't see 'em.

Don't forget the water. I put mine under trees/shrubs and far enough away from next door's hedge ... used as an ambush screen by their resident wildlife murderer - who I refer to as "Cooking Fat".

After the hawk had it's lunch we did move the feeder more toward some conifers. Then the squirrel was able to jump from the Acer onto the peanuts feeder, so we had to move it again. They seem quite happy with where it is now - the birds, I mean.

The squirrel problem has been solved by greasing the pole with a mixture of Olive oil and Petroleum jelly or Vaseline. The first time he tried after we put that on should have been put on you Tube. It was hilarious to see the look of complete bewilderment on this squirrels face as he slid straight back down...on his butt!. He only tried once more.

Victory is sweet...

Best

Andy

[Andy Bown]

We have been watching a Wren searching around our garden for most of the last hour. She* was quite bold considering we do get cats from down the road : she* wasn't just searching around the bushes but right into the centre of the lawn and patio. I'm guessing she may be building a nest rather than hunting insects for young at this stage.

*I know it could have been a 'he', but 'she' sounds better with reference to a Wren :lol: .

[Anti-Mild]

It's been very quiet at my feeding station this past week or so - only pigeons and a couple of blue tits. I've had a flyover by a greenfinch but not much else. I think it's because we had new neighbours move in 2 doors away and they brought 2 cats with them :lol: !

I went for a walk this evening though and came across a small flock of Canada geese....which was nice.

[Candice]

We had three beautiful little siskins visit our nijer feeder on Saturday - so tiny. We normally get greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, blue tit and great tit - alongside vast numbers of woodpigeons!

[azores92]

We had three beautiful little siskins visit our nijer feeder on Saturday - so tiny. We normally get greenfinch, goldfinch, chaffinch, blue tit and great tit - alongside vast numbers of woodpigeons!

yes we get plenty of little cooers in our back gardens too, along with the noisy collared doves, and some magpies too.

[jethro]

A question for all you twitchers..... what does a red, rubber ring on a pigeon leg signify? No numbers or identifying marks.

I came home to the headless remains of one yesterday (courtesy of the local Buzzard) - it wasn't your usual pigeon, nor a dove; creamy white with beige bands on the wings. I was wondering if it was something rare/unusual and whether or not I should report it, if so, where?

[Andy H]

A question for all you twitchers..... what does a red, rubber ring on a pigeon leg signify? No numbers or identifying marks.

I came home to the headless remains of one yesterday (courtesy of the local Buzzard) - it wasn't your usual pigeon, nor a dove; creamy white with beige bands on the wings. I was wondering if it was something rare/unusual and whether or not I should report it, if so, where?

As far as i know a red band iwith no marks on is just to help the owner idetify the sex females normally have the red bands

[Candice]

A question for all you twitchers..... what does a red, rubber ring on a pigeon leg signify?

It got caught up in the postman's elastic band!!! -_-

[jethro]

It got caught up in the postman's elastic band!!! :lol: :lol:

Our postie's normally got pompoms on his

[Greyowl]

You could report it to the BTO but I would say it's an escaped homing pigeon.