Typical, we haven't seen any starlings in ages this morning there's 3 all squabbling over some mealworms. At the same time we had 2 Robins, 2 collard doves, blackbirds etc. All down at the same time, whereas yesterday we waited ages between each sighting during the " hour ".
I've been wondering where all my sparrows are, only could put three down at weekend, now have seen four but that is still half of last year's count @Allotment Boy Missing from last year's count are Starlings, Long Tailed Tits, Sparrowhawk, Black Headed Gulls, and Coal Tits.
Managed to finally send my count through today. And was pleased to see the following in my garden in one hour. Blue, Great & Long tailed tits, gold finch, Jay, Redwing, Black Cap, Robin and Wood Pigeon. I hope that this will continue, so theraputic and lovely to see them, flittering about. Plus I have some nest boxes up, and was excited to see the blue tits on them. Fingers crossed for some of them to nest in them.
I am in the Countryside but never seem to get Goldfinches, Greenfinches, or Chaffinches, I put all the right food out but no show, I have seen or recorded the odd one on my Birdnet identifier, but not on feeders, why?
I am in the Countryside but never seem to get Goldfinches, Greenfinches, or Chaffinches, I put all the right food out but no show, I have seen or recorded the odd one on my Birdnet identifier, but not on feeders, why?
Greenfinches are generally harder to find, I think. I rarely see any but goldfinches and chaffinches we have in abundance - especially the latter at the moment - a dozen at a time. Maybe it's the food type or maybe it's the surrounding area - no idea. We see lots of goldfinches in the summer and autumn, not at the moment.
Going back to wrens, I don't have a feeder as such, just a place where I put seed and other bits out. There are loads of blue tits, great tits, a robin and chaffinches there all the time, a pair of blackbirds, pied wagtails, a GS woodpecker and a few house sparrows are there often. But the wrens never go there. I see them fossicking about outside the other windows, pootling about in my planters and the moss that grows thickly on the stone wall on that side of the house. They clearly are not attracted to the food the other birds like - whether they don't like it or or they don't like crowds, I couldn't say. I've not yet managed to get mealworms to put out - maybe they'd come for those. But that may be one reason why people don't see them around - perhaps they just don't join in with the other birds.
Gardening on the edge of Exmoor, in Devon
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”
I managed to get the count done having 'pre-baited' the various feeders & scatterings in the early dawn: House sparrows 18, Dunnock 2, Starling 16, Jackdaw 12, Blackbird 5, Blackcap 2, Feral pigeon 9, Collared dove 5, Rook 5, Carrion crow 1, Blue tit 5, Great tit 1, Chaffinch 5, Wren 2, Robin 2, Herring gull 7, Lesser black-backed gull 2, Magpie 1, Goldfinch 7. * Obviously not everyone was there at the same time - waves of attendance seemed to be the pattern BUT everyone scarpered when the 'resident' grey squirrel dropped in for his elevenses dead on the hour!! Perfect timing!!
Just managed to submit my results. Interesting to see the national data the most seen is the House sparrow, haven't seen one round here for years. We get the odd dunnock though.
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Missing from last year's count are Starlings, Long Tailed Tits, Sparrowhawk, Black Headed Gulls, and Coal Tits.
Going back to wrens, I don't have a feeder as such, just a place where I put seed and other bits out. There are loads of blue tits, great tits, a robin and chaffinches there all the time, a pair of blackbirds, pied wagtails, a GS woodpecker and a few house sparrows are there often. But the wrens never go there. I see them fossicking about outside the other windows, pootling about in my planters and the moss that grows thickly on the stone wall on that side of the house. They clearly are not attracted to the food the other birds like - whether they don't like it or or they don't like crowds, I couldn't say. I've not yet managed to get mealworms to put out - maybe they'd come for those. But that may be one reason why people don't see them around - perhaps they just don't join in with the other birds.
“It's still magic even if you know how it's done.”