Hobbies and Crafts

We did ours between 3.30 and 4.30 yesterday as we'd had a busy weekend. Just about got home in time to do it before dark. I didn't mind squeezing it in as this is usually a busy time for the feeders as the birds all seem to rush around getting their tea before bedtime. I did have lots of varieties but only saw a couple of each. Usually when the long-tailed tits arrive there are at least half a dozen of them at a time, but I had clattering neighbour with dog syndrome too. There are disadvantages to a lovely sunny day, it brings people out to get some jobs done. I also had a patch of time when nothing was around because of a buzzard that parked itself on the top of one of our apple trees for thankfully only a few moments then flew off over the farmland. We did have a full showing of the water birds though, the daily mallards and moorhens, also the occasional family of swans with confused Auntie Goose still with them and even the heron stopped on the bank for a mo to see if it was worth trying for a fishy. He's suddenly become a frequent sight this last week or so. I didn't see any coal-tits, greenfinches, goldfinches, thrushes or the great spotted woodpecker though who are otherwise pretty regular visitors. You win some, you lose some.

My list included a wren, a grey wagtail and two pied wagtails, a blackcap and a coaltit,, plus other more normal ones.

Dohh of course l knows...they all land either on ground, feeders, little wall, big flower pots etc and everynow and then they all fly around sometimes telling another off.....but l definately had 8 in the garden at same time:o))

Jane...it is a mystery. l've just hoovered 3 dead ones and a fly. l have noticed in the past some under the window frame when l open it, as if hibernating there.
Not found any owl pellets lately:o((

jude

Jude you know the birds are supposed to actually be landed in your garden not flying over don't you?

Jane the female black cap can look almost grey white and her cap is a reddy brown, nothing like a coal tit really. If you look on the RSPB site they have a picture of a coal tit.

I often find Ladybirds on my bedroom window.How on earth do they get in ??.Sometimes the odd butterfly too.Windows haven't been open for ages because of the cold.It is a mystery lol

It seems mine do winter in houses!!

jude

Thanks Elisabeth:o))

Jane....the Blackcap is abit like a sparrow with a very black cap and slightly longer beak. No blue or yellow on him, the female has a brown cap.
Look at the link below:o)

http://www.google.co.uk/images?hl=en&q=blackcap&rlz=1I7SKPT_en&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=univ&ei=VHFFTeX6LMGA5AamyOiUCQ&sa=X&oi=image_result_group&ct=title&resnum=5&ved=0CFMQsAQwBA&biw=1345&bih=583

Thanks Von will do. Yeh l suppose they would be noisy, l used to look after peoples birds and all the parrots were noisy:o((

Off to try and finish hoovering. l've found a number of ladybirds, one still alive. some have the normal amount of spots another has a more orangie colour with lots of spots, just going to look them up!!

jude

Free CD in Sunday Telegraph today of Birdsong. Lovely to listen to.

Elisabeth xx

Jude
Interesting article here.
http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/parakeets-cause-problems-for-british-wildlife-2165449.html#
Beautiful as they are they are very noisy.
Take care
Von

Is it easy to mix up a black cap and a coal tit?What is the difference.I think it is probably Coal Tits I have.I am hoping all the Long tailed tits come this afternoon

Ann.....

Well sort of they were all flying here there and everywhere. One had a brown speckled chest, not like the usual females, sort of tan colour with dark speckles!!

The woodies were upsetting each other and one robin stayed mostly on the back fence, whilst the other 2 shewed each other off!

Jane...you're right there, thats what l mean about the blackcap, he could well be around alot and we just had'nt see him! We love it:o)

l would so love to have parakeets in my garden though:o)
jude:o)

Jude
It definitely is especially when you know you have lots of different species
visiting.
Thanks Ann I'll try again later.
Take care
Von

I haven't done mine yet.It all seemed a bit quiet earlier.I am hoping if they were like yesterday it will be buzzing around 4 ish.Fingers crossed.
Until you actually look to see the different variety of birds you don't realise how many there are.It's great!

Von
I think you can do it more than once.

Jude 8 blackbirds in the garden all at once! Goodness were they fighting?

Von....do it again abit later:o))

So frustrating is'nt it??

jude :o)

Hi
Well I'm really miffed. Sat for at least half an hour not a bird in sight!!
Eventually a lone blackbird arrived and was soon joined by a wood pidgeon.
Then 6 woodpigeons and a bluetit.
Great I thought when suddenly they all disappeared with the arrival of next doors cat.
Some crows and the magpies returned but all in all a very disappointing hour.
Where's the woodpecker,goldfinches and parakeets when you need them!!!
I expect they'll all be back tomorrow
Take care
Von

Morning...l did mine the same time Ann and saw more than usual, but then l don't often sit for an hour at a time watching.
13 varieties:o))

Crow = 1
Blackbirds = 8
Sparrows = 9
Dunnock = 1
Robins = 3
Starlings = 4
Woodpigeons = 6
Bluetit = 2
Collared Dove = 1
Jackdaws = 2
Chaffinch = 4
Blackcap = 1
Magpie = 2

We have'nt seen the Blackcap in ages and usually there are more tits and chaffinches....but wow l'm right chuffed with that lot:o)
Off to put them on the rspb site.

Jean...thats brilliant for your garden.
Ann...neighbours!!!!
jude :o))

Did mine from 10 - 11 this morning, yes we had 13 varieties Jean but not so many of each as we usually see, mainly because our neighbour who is a spasmodic feeder filled all their feeders up because they are probably doing it too so the birds split between the gardens. Last week I counted 7 greenfinches on the feeder, this morning it was two! Oh it alsow asn't helped because my other neighbour decided to go and potter (picking up stones and putting them in a bucket) in her garden with the dog which disturbed the birds. And where are the wood pigeons when I want them.

Tally was:-
2 blackbirds
2 bluetits
1 carrion crow
2 chaffinches
1 dunnock
1 goldfinch
1 great tit
2 greenfinches
3 house sparrows
3 starlings
1 seagull
1 black cap

I have done mine, and was very surprised as to the number of different birds I have seen, mind, it has been a good day today, plenty of birds for once. I had eleven varieties .

I decided to do the Bird watch tomorrow.I need to get focused and haven't really had the chance today.I did spend a bit of time watching the ones coming to just one of the suet cakes.There seemed so many and they were flitting in and out so fast I don't think I could have counted them correctly lol.But I know there have been 10 different types of birds in the garden today.
The Robins have been really feisty.