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Who's visiting your bird feeders?

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  • ZenjeffZenjeff Posts: 652

    A pair of doves this am 

    image

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328

    I like the collared doves, Zenjeff.  Great fat woodpigeons in my garden this morning, tramping around under the feeders.

    I'd guess your hawk is most likely to have been a sparrowhawk; we get them too.  Quite small as hawks go, with wonderful yellow eyes.  image

    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    I'd agree Liri - likely to be a sparrowhawk. Fabulous birds image

    If you wait till late summer aym - you'll get those growhouses cheap as it's the end of the season. The small ones are easily available for about a tenner. Much cheaper than buying an expensive feeder. You don't need any real skills to put them together either - just use plastic coated wire. It's very light so it doesn't need heavy duty fixings either.  Fix it to a fence or wall and hang a seed feeder inside. I also have a small fat holder in mine.

    In the two winters since making it, the starlings have tried to use it twice , that I've seen. They don't like trying to get back out and they must spread the word to the rest of 'em to stay away!

    Love the collared doves - don't see them very often here unfortunately.

    Fatty McFatface was sitting on the fence waiting for more food

    image

    Last edited: 02 March 2017 19:33:01

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • I love your McFatFace robin fairy, he knows where to visit to be well fed and watered, one very content bird. I'd say he is watching you with that little beady eye.

  • ZenjeffZenjeff Posts: 652

    Lovely robin fairy great photo this morning we had 2 of these in the garden poor photo but is it a reed bunting as first time seen in our gardenimage

  • LiriodendronLiriodendron Posts: 8,328

    I think you're right, Zenjeff!  How exciting - I've never seen one.  The RSPB says "recently spread into farmland, and, in winter, gardens".  You're the second person I've heard of in the NE who has spotted one in their garden.  image

    Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
  • ZenjeffZenjeff Posts: 652

    Thanks  Lirodendron

    watched them for a while. Seemed to be ground feeders and  we're not phased by the Jackdaws and wood pigeons image

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Lovely visitor zenjeff  image

    Great when you get something unusual coming in. Hopefully that will be a 'regular' for you now. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
  • ButtercupdaysButtercupdays Posts: 4,546

    We've had Stock doves visiting since the snow in mid Feb- a first for here. Usually a pair, but did see 4imagetogether once. Love the subtle colours and the iridescenceimageimageAlso had a couple of Bramblings around at the same time. Have seen one occasionally before, but they stayed for longer this year. Haven't seen them for a week or so though.image

    Not the best pictures, had to zoom in through a dirty landing window!imageWith a chaffinch for comparison - they are a bit larger, but hard to see that.

    It always comes as a surprise in a way, but when you think about it, the colours of the everyday bird we see here, can rival the best of  exotic species, even things like Birds of Paradise and many parrots, in the brightness of their colours and are far cheaper to watch!

    Last edited: 04 March 2017 09:31:20

  • FairygirlFairygirl Posts: 55,117

    Lovely B'cupdays. Never seen one of those image

    Are the stock doves related to collared doves? They're certainly very similar but without the ring. I've only seen collared doves on a couple of occasions in this garden, but we used to get them quite often round the corner. Chaffinches are thin on the ground here too, yet they were by far the most common visitor round there. 

    It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....



    I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
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