higgy - that was a huge amount of birds you saw. I could hear the sparrows cheeping away in the hedge next to the window but I couldn't SEE them so not included. Still haven't been able to record my data yet.
higgy - that was a huge amount of birds you saw. I could hear the sparrows cheeping away in the hedge next to the window but I couldn't SEE them so not included. Still haven't been able to record my data yet.
That's a fairly normal day here although I would generally see Chaffinch, house Sparrow and Jackdaw also!
Since we have been developing the garden for wildlife and recording what visits our bird list has also grown, we currently sit at 45 species of bird in the four years that we have been doing this! We also have a butterfly list of 20 species and our moth list that we started this summer is at about 110 but we have a few UFO's!!
Having said this we are fortunate to have open countryside at the bottom of the garden but gardening for wildlife does work!!!
Hypercharleyfarley - I reckon your LBB's are most likely to be either sparrows or Dunnocks, the Dunnock is a much overlooked bird and is an interesting little chap when you take time to watch.
Did they look like this...
Dunnock
Or like these House Sparrows?...
Female House Sparrow
Male...
Outside Chance for a LBB could be the Reed Bunting?...
Hi Higgy - thanks for the pics - I couldn't be sure but thought "dunnocks" in that they are what I often see here. I have several bird books + binocs handy in the kitchen but find some species hard to differentiate when I only catch a glimpse! I have quite a few bird feeders hanging from various trees/shrubs in the garden, and as it's in open countryside there are all sorts of things visiting but not on a regular basis. For instance, I've not seen a nuthatch this winter, nor any woodpeckers, which I usually do. There are peregrines nesting a mile or two away, and I often see/hear buzzards overhead when the crows attack them. Kestrel missing this year. It was only when the pheasant "shouted" today that I noticed he was there! Don't think I've ever seen a bunting here, and the bullfinches I used to see seem to have disappeared these past few years, as have the starlings, thrushes etc. Haven't seen an owl for several years - there used to be little owls + tawnies nearby.
Things have changed such a lot since I first began to notice birds (as a little child & used to have those I-spy booklets) and I can't remember when I last saw a plover or heard a skylark round here. Sad, isn't it........
I'd just started my count by 15 mins when the ndn decided to erect an anemometer and other meteorological paraphinalia on one of his washing line support poles...! By the time he'd finished the hour was nearly up AND the forecast rain squalls were becoming more aggressive. I'll just have to try again tomorrow (weather permitting), so have topped-up all feeders at dusk today and pre-baited for action on all fronts surrounding my greenhouse/ hide! tomorrow morning! [Forecast is for heavy continuous rain & strong westerly winds all day. Ugh!!]
At long last managed to connect with the RSPB site after trying all afternoon and now they want my password which I can't remember from last year - I will now have to wait while they retrieve it and send me a message. Oh well, as I am 27 and it's getting rather late I'll have a hot chocolate and go to bed.
All those birds that were hiding yesterday?............... They're all in my garden today - just because I'm going out and don't have time to count them - they're playing games with me
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Failing to get on the RSPB site here too - not sure their new fancy website is worth the extra hassle. Will keep my results scribbled on the back of an envelope and have a go at submitting later in the week - thats if i remember.
its a shame - i normally enjoy my bird count - this year its just been a frustrating battle with technology. Wonder whether overall participation will be up this year ?
That's what I'm going to do, and I suspect thousands of others also.
The Birdwatch has had a lot of publicity this year - even mentioned on the BBC News yesterday morning - so I'm not surprised the site was busy - probably needs more capacity - hopefully people like us will remember to do it later .................... I'll remind you Chicky, if you remind me?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Posts
I counted for about 15 mins, then the sun came out and the loppers called. It will have to be tomorrow, come rain (likely) or shine.
I saw my usual collection of tits and finches in the 15mins. and a robin and our resident pair of collared doves.
In the sticks near Peterborough
higgy - that was a huge amount of birds you saw. I could hear the sparrows cheeping away in the hedge next to the window but I couldn't SEE them so not included. Still haven't been able to record my data yet.
Haven't submitted a count, because I've not been counting consistently! However, today these have been here in the garden:
at least twelve blue tits
four long-tailed tits
three coal tits
four great tits
one jay
one cock pheasant
two magpies
one crow
one robin
one male blackbird
two "sbbs" - couldn't identify because they were half hidden in the shrubs (sbb = small brown bird)
a pair of chaffinches
one greenfinch
one wren
I've not been at home all day, so there must have been other visitors too - the jay and the cock pheasant aren't "regulars"!
The most unusual sighting here - only once in 20 years - was a red-footed falcon a few weeks ago. If only it had been here today!
That's a fairly normal day here although I would generally see Chaffinch, house Sparrow and Jackdaw also!
Since we have been developing the garden for wildlife and recording what visits our bird list has also grown, we currently sit at 45 species of bird in the four years that we have been doing this! We also have a butterfly list of 20 species and our moth list that we started this summer is at about 110 but we have a few UFO's!!
Having said this we are fortunate to have open countryside at the bottom of the garden but gardening for wildlife does work!!!
Hypercharleyfarley - I reckon your LBB's are most likely to be either sparrows or Dunnocks, the Dunnock is a much overlooked bird and is an interesting little chap when you take time to watch.
Did they look like this...
Dunnock
Or like these House Sparrows?...
Female House Sparrow
Male...
Outside Chance for a LBB could be the Reed Bunting?...
Reed Bunting (male on left, female right)
Any of those look like your LBB's??
Hi Higgy - thanks for the pics - I couldn't be sure but thought "dunnocks" in that they are what I often see here. I have several bird books + binocs handy in the kitchen but find some species hard to differentiate when I only catch a glimpse! I have quite a few bird feeders hanging from various trees/shrubs in the garden, and as it's in open countryside there are all sorts of things visiting but not on a regular basis. For instance, I've not seen a nuthatch this winter, nor any woodpeckers, which I usually do. There are peregrines nesting a mile or two away, and I often see/hear buzzards overhead when the crows attack them. Kestrel missing this year. It was only when the pheasant "shouted" today that I noticed he was there! Don't think I've ever seen a bunting here, and the bullfinches I used to see seem to have disappeared these past few years, as have the starlings, thrushes etc. Haven't seen an owl for several years - there used to be little owls + tawnies nearby.
Things have changed such a lot since I first began to notice birds (as a little child & used to have those I-spy booklets) and I can't remember when I last saw a plover or heard a skylark round here. Sad, isn't it........
I'd just started my count by 15 mins when the ndn decided to erect an anemometer and other meteorological paraphinalia on one of his washing line support poles...! By the time he'd finished the hour was nearly up AND the forecast rain squalls were becoming more aggressive. I'll just have to try again tomorrow (weather permitting), so have topped-up all feeders at dusk today and pre-baited for action on all fronts surrounding my greenhouse/ hide! tomorrow morning! [Forecast is for heavy continuous rain & strong westerly winds all day. Ugh!!]
At long last managed to connect with the RSPB site after trying all afternoon and now they want my password which I can't remember from last year - I will now have to wait while they retrieve it and send me a message. Oh well, as I am 27 and it's getting rather late I'll have a hot chocolate and go to bed.
All those birds that were hiding yesterday?............... They're all in my garden today - just because I'm going out and don't have time to count them - they're playing games with me
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
Failing to get on the RSPB site here too - not sure their new fancy website is worth the extra hassle. Will keep my results scribbled on the back of an envelope and have a go at submitting later in the week - thats if i remember
.
its a shame - i normally enjoy my bird count - this year its just been a frustrating battle with technology. Wonder whether overall participation will be up this year ?
That's what I'm going to do, and I suspect thousands of others also.
The Birdwatch has had a lot of publicity this year - even mentioned on the BBC News yesterday morning - so I'm not surprised the site was busy - probably needs more capacity - hopefully people like us will remember to do it later .................... I'll remind you Chicky, if you remind me?
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.