The Bigg Bird Forum

[lin]

Things appear to have settled back down since the last visit by the Sparrowhawk when all except the resident Robins & visiting blue Tits left. Sparrows are back in larger numbers but the Starlings are down to 4 regulars
that

Starling
Poster: lin, viewed 4 Time(s)

Sparrows
Poster: lin, viewed 4 Time(s)

only stay a few minutes and even then are jittery, quite frankly I hope they stay that way, although I quite enjoy their raucous squabbling I do not enjoy the mess.

[JohnD]

Did manage to find an hour ....really very disappointing but there were some pluses.
2 blackbirds,both males ,one mature one first winter.
1 Starling, there were others in the area but they didn't come down.
1 Magpie (out of several in the vicinity)
2 black headed gulls, lots in the area, three came and had a close look
1 bullfinch...could hardly believe my eyes.....a first for this house...didn't stay long though
2 woodpigeons, they landed and circled the lawn and then spent a long time (twenty minutes)feeding on the mixed seed on the lawn and path.
1 Crow...out of several in the area...absolutely delighted when one actually came down...they don't usually bother.

No robin, no wren, no sparrows,no tits, no other finches, no collared doves,no song thrush....where have they all gone to?

Really thrilled to see the Crow down,that is a rare event and the bullfinch was just amazing...I couldn't believe that at first.

[Peter]

Me too!

I had a pair of b/fs. I have not seen them more than once or twice since we moved here 3 years ago - but they showed up in literally the last minute of my garden watch - cool

[JohnD]

Could be another false dawn: we did have two pairs of tits the other day, two greats and two blues and have not seen anything of either since. This morning there was quite a party. Three magpies, a blackbird a jackdaw and a wood pigeon all at the same time.One of the magpies was definitely making courting displays . It elongated its body and raised its head and let out a sound that reminded me of a football rattle being turned very slowly.When two others turned up there were flirtatious approaches and side be side movements and then they were gone.
This afternoon we had a squabble of starlings maybe as many as a dozen and they were off and on the bird table and taking to the food more than they have done in weeks.Meanwhile a solitary dunnock came hopping on the ground for a brief time. Like most of the birds its visit was quite brief, only the Wood pigeon, as it has done before making a sustained visit and sticking around for maybe twenty minutes or so.
Perhaps this will be the start of bird visitation to our patch again....perhaps!
I do hope so.

[Strixaluco]

[JohnD]

Latest update. Getting up early and just watching the garden Lots nicer than the News Channel.
getting to know the regulars and how long they are likely to stay.
Corvids: Rooks Jackdaws and Magpies (Crows fly over but don't visit)
Pigeons: Ferals, Collared doves and Wood pigeons.
Blackbirds.
Chaffinches and occasionally a greenfinch
Tits: Blue.and Coal.
House sparrows lots of short visits including a family
Starlings. Lots of visits but never more than about four at a time.

One plus is I am beginning to learn bird songs.Sitting listening you recognise distinct songs even if you do not know what it is and then you see the bird singing and hey presto .
Have picked up Chaffinch and Coal tit like this.

This morning there was Rook on the platform having a go at fat balls and bread dice. I heard the croaking rasping call of a Rook close at hand but it wasn't the bird I was watching which carried on feeding. Calls wer repeated and then three rooks flew over the feeder from the roof above my head and the feeding rook flew off with them...almost as if the were saying come on its time we were going....before loosing patience.