Wednesday, January 13, 2010

The Garden

Had to stay in today so used the time productively and watched the birds on and below the feeders. Maximum numbers seen at any one time:
17 Lesser Redpolls (the most I've seen in the garden)
3 Bullfinches (all males)
15 Chaffinches and 2 Bramblings
The Bullfinches were never present when the Bramblings were here. Coincidence?
9 Greenfinches
8 Goldfinches
Fieldfare eating the apples
Reed Bunting (female)
Wren
Robin
2 Blue Tits
7 Blackbirds
The Blackbirds and the Bullfinches were the last birds to leave before darkness fell.
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7 comments:

David Sutcliffe said...

That looks like a good days birding Jeff especially the Redpolls, Bullfinch, Brambling, FF and Reed bunt........ etc. Not had much here today but plenty of Robins sparring for the scraps, FF and Redwings getting very tame in the nearby gardens. Lets hope the weather eases up for them (and us)soon!

10:16 pm
Andrew Huyton said...

Very jealous of the Brambling and Redpoll would love to add them to the garden list this year. Of course I don't have the luxury of being able to spend the day staring out into the garden - yes i know more jealousy.

8:36 am
Jeff Cox said...

Luxury wasn't the word that came to mind Andy as I sat waiting for the gas engineer to turn up and fix the central heating boiler! but it was still nice to sit and do nothing for a day. I could get used to it. Got a Mistle Thrush cleaning up the apples so off to Lidl today to get some more - following the tip on the blog.

9:10 am
Goldon Gordon said...

Nice list Jeff. Not so varied here in North Wales today

Robin
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Chaffinch
Starling
Great Tit
Blue Tit
Wren
Dunnock
House Sparrow
Nuthatch
Great Spotted
Blackbird
Song Thrush
Missle thrush
Fieldfare
Herring Gull (not quite so welcome)

Cheating bit as its the field behind the feeding station a few feet from my window
Lapwing
Redwing
Buzzard
Carrion Crow
Jackdaw
Jay
Magpie

I am now getting through 2 bags of Apples a day for the Blackbirds & Thrushes. The Blackbirds are down well before its light here at around 7.30am. Its not really daylight here at the moment until 8.30 am but at least it stays light longer and its not dark until 5.30pm.

3:23 pm
Goldon Gordon said...

Another tip for food is Soreen Fruit Malt loaves. I had a couple out of date ones and birds love them chopped up. I then spotted them in Iceland at 2 for £1 so bought a few more for the birds in this bad weather. I reckon this spring the birds from my garden will spread out and take over the entire peninsula as breeding teritory they have been so well fed over this winter that the other birds wont have a chance :-))


PS another for the garden list today, male Sparrowhawk has just made a pass near the feeders and missed.

3:29 pm
Jeff Cox said...

Good long list there Paul - esp. Nuthatch and GSW. Although we get GSW's in the garden they are not common as our nearest trees of any size are a fair distance away. Never had a Nuthatch in the garden (yet). I'll try the fruit malt loaf too (does it HAVE to be Soreen though?!?)

5:58 pm
Goldon Gordon said...

Any will do I suppose but as Soreen was cheaper than any others I spotted AND we like it that what I bought. Soreen is a superb energy source when out cycling or walking and we always take a few slices with us for a quick energy boost. So if you see us out and about pass the soreen doreen :-))

I have a pair of GSW coming to feeder all year and last year they had at leat one fledged youngster as I managed to film both parents feeding it on one of the nut feeders. Although their are no massive woodland on the Llyn we do have lots of woodland scattered around and more importantly all the dead wood is left alone either standing or felled so lots of nesting sites and insect are available for peckers and Nuthatches. Green Woodpeckers are around in some numbers as all along the coast the land is grazed to keep the ant mounds clear for the Chough population so the pecker benifit also. Not seen LSW here yet though

8:47 am

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