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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 3, 2009 15:27:22 GMT 1
Recently, the local Co-Op were selling off boxes of fruity porridge at just 10p as close to its sell-by date. I bought some, and today put out extra helpings on the planters in the back yard for the garden birds. Just went to make a cuppa and outside the kitchen window there was a magnificent thrush, a pair of robins and a tiny wren feeding on ad around the planters. The wren was peering up under the planter rims seeking insects. They were joined by a glassy blackbird, who clearly enjoyed the raisens and other fruit in the porridge mix. There don't seem to be many sparrows or coal tits around this winter, and I have only seen one solitary blue tit a few days ago. I'm curious to learn what other members have visiting, by way of birdlife? Also any observations regarding numbers compared to other years.
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Post by Florrie on Feb 4, 2009 14:38:01 GMT 1
well here in south west london we have flocks of those Parakeets, which seem to have chased lots of birds away in our garden but we still see blackbirds, few bluetits, pigeons and sometimes a black/red woodpecker
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Post by petdesigns on Feb 4, 2009 19:18:36 GMT 1
As we only moved here last summer I can't compare to other years, but we seem to have quite a lot of birds - blue tits and coal tits on the field, together with my beloved Rob Robster robin, who still demands his extra-feeds! Also blackbirds, thrushes, wrens, dunnocks. In the garden we also have quite a few sparrows and chaffinches as well as starlings. There are some other birds, too, but I haven't managed to identify them... (oh and of course magpies and rooks and crows, seagulls, the odd owl and other birds of prey)
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 27, 2009 17:27:04 GMT 1
There was a wren down at the stables this afternoon, and investigating a pile of rubble for insects. I only caught a glimpse of it.
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Post by 7ofdee on Mar 5, 2009 12:48:49 GMT 1
Well here in Essex, quite near the town we have mainly sparrows,occasional songthrush,couple of pairs of blackbirds and collared doves. I was so pleased back in January,just before the 'Big Garden Count' we suddenly had several starlings visiting,they're so cheeky, hadn't seen them for ages and not since! I reckon they didn't want to be counted We also have a Jenny wren who hangs around mostly out of sight... I just love it when the birds visit, despite us having 3 cats!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Mar 5, 2009 14:00:37 GMT 1
I love seeing the wrens, both visiting the back yard seeking insects as they creep around the various pots, and darting around the fincing and walls, and piles of stone down at the stables. What I really miss seeing are the coal tits, though. There sed to be dozens visiting the garden, but I don't think I've seen one this last winter. Not many blue tits, either. The elder that self-seeded in the back garden looks as if it has died, now. Where it was growing really wasn't a suitable place, as no real depth of soil. I'll have to remove it, and really tackle cutting the buddelia back this year. Hoping to find some of that self-seeded when I get the chance to spend some time tackling the garden. I'll pot any small ones up until such time as they can be sold, and perhaps add some to the hedgerows dow the fields. There they should attract insects and thus provide food for the birds there. Hoping to save some of that honeysuckle that the pup wrecked to go in the hedges, too. As a child, I loved going for walks along the lanes where that grew, and in the evenings, when the scent was lovely. Once, I painted some botanical studies for a school project - things growing in hedgerows. Years later, one or two were pulled out of those old exercise books and framed, but no idea what happened to them after! Possibly my mother still has them somewhere?
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Post by ali12345 on Mar 24, 2009 16:08:06 GMT 1
I love the wrens too but they are so quick - you can so easily miss them . We have dunnocks here and they are well fed on our chicken pellets. Robins make good use of the food supply too. Blue tits and great tits don't seem to. We have blue tits and great tits breeding in the garden most years. See less nut hatches than we used to. Some of the blue tits are around at the moment. We have the occasional woodpecker, regular blackbirds. Later in the year we get loads of field fares which strip the rowan tree berries. See the occasional chaffinch and green finch. Collared doves and pigeons. I have only seen one coaltit - they are tiny aren't they. I keep the bird book in the kitchen so I can figure out if I see anything new. Alison
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Post by petdesigns on Apr 26, 2009 10:07:42 GMT 1
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Post by Florrie on May 1, 2009 10:25:19 GMT 1
stunning photos I love sparrows they used to always eat my dad runner bean flowers we don't have so many here now
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Post by RuthE on May 22, 2009 8:56:44 GMT 1
Yesterday evening I heard a cuckoo for the first time in years!
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 22, 2009 10:08:09 GMT 1
I have yet to hear one this year, but had to laugh a couple of days ago when passing the bus stop over the road by the old chapel. There you could hear some pigeons courting and making that 'coo-coo' sound. A young mother was telling her kids it was a cuckoo. I could have said something about having thought it was the pigeons on the chapel roof, but got the feeling that might not be a good idea. Many things have changed around here, and I'd no desire to court a reaction in the form of a mouthful of abuse.
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Post by RuthE on May 22, 2009 12:46:49 GMT 1
Ed used to think the coo-cooo-coo made by pigeons was an owl
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on May 22, 2009 23:47:03 GMT 1
There is an owl that seems to live up in the trees behind the doctor's surgery and near the entrance to the old colliery site. If you are out around dusk and make that owl 'Hooo' sort of call, it will often respond, and sometimes you might catch a glimpse of it looking for the strange 'owl' in its territory.
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uff
Member
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Post by uff on Feb 16, 2010 21:25:15 GMT 1
Here's a picture of a jay that I took recently when we had the snow. Although there are jays in the wood below us they don't normally feed in the garden. Attachments:
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 16, 2010 22:01:45 GMT 1
That is a fabulous photo, Uff. It would make a beautiful greetings card or calendar picture.
The only jay that I have seen close up, was a dead one discovered lying on the ground at the allotment. I've no idea what it died from, as there wasn't a mark on it. A beautiful bird, though.
I think I saw a green woodpecker today, and flying over the field. Too far away to be certain, though. I know there are some around and along the river bank I have seen both the green and spotted varieties.
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uff
Member
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Post by uff on Feb 17, 2010 22:50:50 GMT 1
Thanks OD. Green woodpecker eh? Lovely birds. Never seen one of those here until about 3 weeks ago. Took a pic but it was too far away to be useful.
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uff
Member
Posts: 22
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Post by uff on Feb 21, 2010 21:37:57 GMT 1
Here's another bird that comes into the garden most days although I must admit to not welcoming it with open arms. Attachments:
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Post by mickyzoe on Feb 21, 2010 21:56:01 GMT 1
Oh wow great pictures. My usual birds are a blackbird pair in a nest in one of our trees at the bottom of the garden, they usually get pushed out by the magpies but as yet are still there. And then we have our sparrows that live in the roof, not really happy they are there is causing abit of damage but dont have the heart to move them on, they have been here years.
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Post by Old Dragon (Al) on Feb 21, 2010 22:37:55 GMT 1
It may not be welcome, Uff, but what a stunning photo. I do hope you'll be entering the Countryfile Calendar competition later this year, your photos are so spectacular.
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Post by petdesigns on Feb 22, 2010 12:11:17 GMT 1
wow! More photos, please!!!
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