Which birds visit your garden?

[cheerypeabrain]

Today I've seen at the bird table and in the garden

2 dunnocks
3 starlings
3 collared doves
2 wood pigeons
4 sparrows
FIVE blackbirds (honest!)
1 wren
1 robin
2 thrush
1 greenfinch
1 chaffinch
3 starlings

In the trees behind the garden I saw 2 magpies and I'm pretty sure I saw a goldfinch...

not bad for an inner city garden. ;D

[maggyd]

I dont believe it!!! my birdwatch to-day was pathetic!!

2 female blackbirds
1 male blackbird
2 blue tits
1 dunnock
1 greenfinch
1 wren!!

Has the wind blown them all away?

[madonplants]

maggyd said:

I dont believe it!!! my birdwatch to-day was pathetic!!

2 female blackbirds
1 male blackbird
2 blue tits
1 dunnock
1 greenfinch
1 wren!!

Has the wind blown them all away?

You were lucky, Maggyd. For 55 minutes, I had nothing, yes no birds at all!!

Then just as I was getting really down, in came two male blackbirds, shortly followed by two starlings. Then at 59 minutes, in came a female Chaffinch, that was a surprise, not seen one here before. 'My' robin was in next door's garden, couldn't put that down, could I? The blackbirds only came for a splash in my birdbath, as well.

Keith

[mickthecactus]

What's the difference between rooks and crows?

Saw enough of them yeasterday.

[4pygmies]

Does this help Mick?

www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/british-birds/315-rooks-crows.html

I had loads of birds in the Birdwatch hour luckily. Lots of sparrows, dunnocks, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, chaffinches, robins, blackbirds, etc and a spotted woodpecker, and a yellowhammer. Very fortuitously 3 fieldfares appeared too! My Mum sat with us to verify my count as she knows lots more of them than me.

[mickthecactus]

4pygmies said:

Does this help Mick?

www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/british-birds/315-rooks-crows.html

I had loads of birds in the Birdwatch hour luckily. Lots of sparrows, dunnocks, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, chaffinches, robins, blackbirds, etc and a spotted woodpecker, and a yellowhammer. Very fortuitously 3 fieldfares appeared too! My Mum sat with us to verify my count as she knows lots more of them than me.

Thank you small woman of the goats. I think that helps.

[madonplants]

mickthecactus said:

4pygmies said:

Does this help Mick?

www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/british-birds/315-rooks-crows.html

I had loads of birds in the Birdwatch hour luckily. Lots of sparrows, dunnocks, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, chaffinches, robins, blackbirds, etc and a spotted woodpecker, and a yellowhammer. Very fortuitously 3 fieldfares appeared too! My Mum sat with us to verify my count as she knows lots more of them than me.

Thank you small woman of the goats. I think that helps.

Does this help better, Mick?

www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/crows.asp

Keith

P.s. Great list, btw.

[mickthecactus]

madonplants said:

mickthecactus said:

Thank you small woman of the goats. I think that helps.

Does this help better, Mick?

www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/crows.asp

Keith

P.s. Great list, btw.

Yes thanks Keith.

What list?

[madonplants]

mickthecactus said:

madonplants said:

Does this help better, Mick?

www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/families/crows.asp

Keith

P.s. Great list, btw.

Yes thanks Keith.

What list?

Sorry, it was 4P's list, got a bit confused!! Keith stop trying to watch tv and do other things, it sometimes doesn't work!!

Keith

[madonplants]

Don't believe the birds in my garden or those around my garden, for that matter. They disappeared for the weekend and now they are back. At one time yesterday, I counted 26, yes 26 starlings on our side/back lawn. I know I needed to count them twice, they moved! ;D
Today, the house sparrows are back, think I might even have seen a blue tit going into next door's garden, behind us. Collared doves are back, as are a few pidgeons. I saw a few crows yesterday, no jackdaws as yet, though. All I need now is my robins and maybe those goldfinches I saw last year and I will be happier, not happy, mind.

Keith

P.s. Sleepy, if I remember correctly you don't feed the birds, what do you get in your garden?

[Sleepy]

madonplants said:

Don't believe the birds in my garden or those around my garden, for that matter. They disappeared for the weekend and now they are back. At one time yesterday, I counted 26, yes 26 starlings on our side/back lawn. I know I needed to count them twice, they moved! ;D
Today, the house sparrows are back, think I might even have seen a blue tit going into next door's garden, behind us. Collared doves are back, as are a few pidgeons. I saw a few crows yesterday, no jackdaws as yet, though. All I need now is my robins and maybe those goldfinches I saw last year and I will be happier, not happy, mind.

Keith

P.s. Sleepy, if I remember correctly you don't feed the birds, what do you get in your garden?

No, I don't feedc the birds. Merliin is too adept a hunter.

But I still get:

Blackbirds
Thrushes
Sparrows
Wood pigeons
Green finches
Coal tits
Magpies
Blue tits
Great tits
Pied wagtails

I often hear owls

I saw a jay late last year

I have seen 1 green woodpecker on my lawn in 12 years

Half a dozen greater spotted woodpeckers over the years

Last year I saw a kestrel take a small bird from my garden

[madonplants]

admin said:

madonplants said:

Don't believe the birds in my garden or those around my garden, for that matter. They disappeared for the weekend and now they are back. At one time yesterday, I counted 26, yes 26 starlings on our side/back lawn. I know I needed to count them twice, they moved! ;D
Today, the house sparrows are back, think I might even have seen a blue tit going into next door's garden, behind us. Collared doves are back, as are a few pidgeons. I saw a few crows yesterday, no jackdaws as yet, though. All I need now is my robins and maybe those goldfinches I saw last year and I will be happier, not happy, mind.

Keith

P.s. Sleepy, if I remember correctly you don't feed the birds, what do you get in your garden?

No, I don't feedc the birds. Merliin is too adept a hunter.

But I still get:

Blackbirds
Thrushes
Sparrows
Wood pigeons
Green finches
Coal tits
Magpies
Blue tits
Great tits
Pied wagtails

I often hear owls

I saw a jay late last year

I have seen 1 green woodpecker on my lawn in 12 years

Half a dozen greater spotted woodpeckers over the years

Last year I saw a kestrel take a small bird from my garden

Not a bad list. That is about half the birds I got in my childhood garden. That's the problem, I still think back to then, so maybe I should just put up with what I have here. When the green woodpecker came, did you have any ants in your garden? Oh the jay as well, miss them greatly, they kept the magpies out of the garden.

Keith

[Sleepy]

madonplants said:

admin said:

No, I don't feedc the birds. Merliin is too adept a hunter.

But I still get:

Blackbirds
Thrushes
Sparrows
Wood pigeons
Green finches
Coal tits
Magpies
Blue tits
Great tits
Pied wagtails

I often hear owls

I saw a jay late last year

I have seen 1 green woodpecker on my lawn in 12 years

Half a dozen greater spotted woodpeckers over the years

Last year I saw a kestrel take a small bird from my garden

Not a bad list. That is about half the birds I got in my childhood garden. That's the problem, I still think back to then, so maybe I should just put up with what I have here. When the green woodpecker came, did you have any ants in your garden? Oh the jay as well, miss them greatly, they kept the magpies out of the garden.

Keith

I always have ants in my garden. Doesn't everyone? But I suspect that it was after larger fare - leatherjackets.

[madonplants]

admin said:

madonplants said:

Not a bad list. That is about half the birds I got in my childhood garden. That's the problem, I still think back to then, so maybe I should just put up with what I have here. When the green woodpecker came, did you have any ants in your garden? Oh the jay as well, miss them greatly, they kept the magpies out of the garden.

Keith

I always have ants in my garden. Doesn't everyone? But I suspect that it was after larger fare - leatherjackets.

Their insect eaters and LOVE ants specially, starling love leatherjackets! They were not on your list though, were they?

Keith

[Sleepy]

madonplants said:

admin said:

I always have ants in my garden. Doesn't everyone? But I suspect that it was after larger fare - leatherjackets.

Their insect eaters and LOVE ants specially, starling love leatherjackets! They were not on your list though, were they?

Keith

No. I can't remember the last time I saw a starling in my garden.

[madonplants]

admin said:

madonplants said:

Their insect eaters and LOVE ants specially, starling love leatherjackets! They were not on your list though, were they?

Keith

No. I can't remember the last time I saw a starling in my garden.

You can have mine, if you want. Oh, but then again, there would be days when my garden would be really dead. On second thoughts, maybe if I didn't have them the smaller more interesting birds may come!

Keith

[Sleepy]

madonplants said:

admin said:

No. I can't remember the last time I saw a starling in my garden.

You can have mine, if you want. Oh, but then again, there would be days when my garden would be really dead. On second thoughts, maybe if I didn't have them the smaller more interesting birds may come!

Keith

I like starlings in the garden. In the past I have put an ice-cream tub of water out and watched the starlings bathing in it and squabbling over it. Very entertaining ;D

[goth]

I'm hopeless at identifying birds lol. I can recognise sparrows, robins and pigeons, but I usually call on hubby to identify any others that come into our garden.

I get confused with blackbirds, crows and jackdaws and don't get me started on the various finches and tits...I haven't a clue!

[maggyd]

mickthecactus said:

What's the difference between rooks and crows?

Saw enough of them yeasterday.

Well I said to my OH 25 crows flew over while I was doing B.W. and he said they were rooks! crows fly alone rooks fly in flocks! I think its the other way round! do you?

[maggyd]

goth said:

I'm hopeless at identifying birds lol. I can recognise sparrows, robins and pigeons, but I usually call on hubby to identify any others that come into our garden.

I get confused with blackbirds, crows and jackdaws and don't get me started on the various finches and tits...I haven't a clue!

If you go on the RSPB web site I think you can get a free booklet on birds, I have one but Ive had it that long I cant remember where I got it. I also have a book on birds that I keep in the M.H along with a tree identifier and a wild flower one.

[goth]

maggyd said:

If you go on the RSPB web site I think you can get a free booklet on birds, I have one but Ive had it that long I cant remember where I got it.

Thanks Maggyd, I'll check that out

[madonplants]

goth said:

I'm hopeless at identifying birds lol. I can recognise sparrows, robins and pigeons, but I usually call on hubby to identify any others that come into our garden.

I get confused with blackbirds, crows and jackdaws and don't get me started on the various finches and tits...I haven't a clue!

Goth, buy yourself a decent book and study it, like the one I have used since I was a young boy, The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe. It can't be bad as I have seen Bill Oddie use it. I read this most nights as a teenager, after doing my homework, and also got a few tapes of bird song, so I could identify birds by what I heard. Check this list out, my book is one the list.

www.xs4all.nl/~sbpoley/fgfaq.htm

Crows, rooks, jackdaws, blackbirds and even ravens, are easy to identify close up, if you know the differences. Don't always think that 5 big black birds close by are rooks, as they are supposed to be more sociable than crows. Last year on the birdwatch, I saw 5 crows reasonably close together, but then we did have millions of starling about, so maybe they used our garden as a haven! I also saw 6 rooks in the hour as well.

It's taken me ages to write this, as I have just seen a Blue Tit, a Wren, a female Chaffinch, two Tree Sparrows and the best one a GREENFINCH, haven't seen one of them for ages! Maybe my garden isn't as bad as I first thought, then it does feel colder this morning!

Keith

[maggyd]

Like you Keith my garden has been teeming with birds to-day !! I looked out of the kitchen window and they was 10 long tailed tits on my acer and magnolia why couldnt they have come on Sunday? Do you think its because we are about to have some bad weather! mind I know the answer to that its going to snow. :

[madonplants]

maggyd said:

Like you Keith my garden has been teeming with birds to-day !! I looked out of the kitchen window and they was 10 long tailed tits on my acer and magnolia why couldnt they have come on Sunday? Do you think its because we are about to have some bad weather! mind I know the answer to that its going to snow. :

I do, just in the same way that cows lie down when it's going to rain. They want to keep a spot dry, would you believe!

Yep our garden has been alive today, mainly starlings, I know, but that wren hung about for a while, as did the tree sparrows, but sadly the blue tit wasn't seen again. I am not saying it wasn't there, just I can't watch the garden every minute of the day!!

We haven't had a cat in the garden for a while either, Souki is doing a good job!!

Keith

[goth]

madonplants said:

Goth, buy yourself a decent book and study it, like the one I have used since I was a young boy, The Hamlyn Guide to Birds of Britain and Europe. It can't be bad as I have seen Bill Oddie use it. I read this most nights as a teenager, after doing my homework, and also got a few tapes of bird song, so I could identify birds by what I heard. Check this list out, my book is one the list.

www.xs4all.nl/~sbpoley/fgfaq.htm

Oh no...another reference book for me to get! I swear I'll have to move house before long, in order to accommodate my ever growing collection of books ;D Thanks Keith...I think *grins*

It's taken me ages to write this, as I have just seen a Blue Tit, a Wren, a female Chaffinch, two Tree Sparrows and the best one a GREENFINCH, haven't seen one of them for ages!

See? Now that's what I envy. Having the ability to identify a bird straight away like that!

Maybe my garden isn't as bad as I first thought, then it does feel colder this morning!

Keith

Apparently we have snow forecast for rainy Wales tomorrow