Could be tricky though, as I now have 2 feeding stations, one front, one back and they both get a lot of use (and cost me a small fortune!)
At round 3pm today it was snowing steadily and the birds were filling up for the night. Out of the back window I counted something like 40+ birds, lots of goldfinches, a number of chaffinches, some greenfinches and maybe some other things as well, but they wouldn't keep still long enough for me to count them accurately They squabble over the feeeders, some fly in from the shrubbery, others fly out, or up, or down and I can't keep up with them all. Hopeless to say how many of each species!
The one hour bit is always a problem as different birds come at different times of the day.
Right now I am over-run with blackbirds squabbling over the last remaining apples on the ground....bet they'll be finished by the time the 29th comes round! We have a great variety of birds who wait their turn in the holly bushes, but you can only count those that are actually static in the garden, and not those in flight.
We always set ourselves up with a pot of fresh coffee and nice biscuits to make the event even more special!
My daughter is going to come home to help, so that we are less likely to miss something interesting. I've decided to keep my camera set up ready, so that if things get too busy I can take a snap and do the count more accurately later
I've always interpreted the flight rule as ' you can't count birds flying over' (so that's the flock of starlngs out, or the buzzards) but can count them if they have landed in the garden, so it is ok if they are just moving from the tree to the feeder or back. If I'm wrong I've been doing it wrong for years
I took some pics this morning for Aym, will post them on the birdfeeder thread, but first I've got to feed the sheep and top up the birdfeeders again. They've gone down fast in the snow!
So that's where OUR gold finches are Zenjeff - we had 9 in the summer but down to the occasional 2 now, where do they go - perhaps they all head for the Zenjeff canteen.
We give our goldfinches nyger seeds which they seem to relish in the summer......but don't seem to have the same attraction in the winter. However we have plenty of other seeds, nuts & fat balls out for the birds but very few takers in this part of our garden.
What a poor bird in the video that is the danger of cold and metal poles - cute bird
Brought a suet block ready for the bird count, if you noticed it goes over three days this year normally two days which is good cause sometime weather not great, I sit outside to do the bird count as can't quite see it from the house too far and plastic green house blocking it a bit - sometimes I do the count half hour then do another half hour to make the whole hour
Hope there will be lots of birds as I know they dissapear when the bird count is on like they know
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Do it every year. Easy to do online too, if you don't want to bother with ordering anything.
Hope my new visitors, the pair of nuthatches, will appear on the day. They've been visiting regularly in the last month or two
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I'll be doing it, have done for several years.
Could be tricky though, as I now have 2 feeding stations, one front, one back and they both get a lot of use (and cost me a small fortune!)
At round 3pm today it was snowing steadily and the birds were filling up for the night. Out of the back window I counted something like 40+ birds, lots of goldfinches, a number of chaffinches, some greenfinches and maybe some other things as well, but they wouldn't keep still long enough for me to count them accurately
They squabble over the feeeders, some fly in from the shrubbery, others fly out, or up, or down and I can't keep up with them all. Hopeless to say how many of each species!
I don't count every year but have my pack ready for this year.
I ran out of big-bird birdfood this week
Tried subbing with hedgehog and little bird food but they were having none of it and the bread blew away.
Had a giant delivery of suet cakes and balls today so hopefully they'll not report me to the rspb. I'll give them triple rations for breakfast.
Thanks for the link, all signed up now!
The one hour bit is always a problem as different birds come at different times of the day.
Right now I am over-run with blackbirds squabbling over the last remaining apples on the ground....bet they'll be finished by the time the 29th comes round! We have a great variety of birds who wait their turn in the holly bushes, but you can only count those that are actually static in the garden, and not those in flight.
We always set ourselves up with a pot of fresh coffee and nice biscuits to make the event even more special!
I may have help for the Birdwatch....
!
My daughter is going to come home to help, so that we are less likely to miss something interesting. I've decided to keep my camera set up ready, so that if things get too busy I can take a snap and do the count more accurately later
I've always interpreted the flight rule as ' you can't count birds flying over' (so that's the flock of starlngs out, or the buzzards) but can count them if they have landed in the garden, so it is ok if they are just moving from the tree to the feeder or back. If I'm wrong I've been doing it wrong for years
I took some pics this morning for Aym, will post them on the birdfeeder thread, but first I've got to feed the sheep and top up the birdfeeders again. They've gone down fast in the snow!
Yep do it every year there were 10 gold finches on the feeders yesterday I can bet there's none on the count day doh
So that's where OUR gold finches are Zenjeff - we had 9 in the summer but down to the occasional 2 now, where do they go - perhaps they all head for the Zenjeff canteen.
We give our goldfinches nyger seeds which they seem to relish in the summer......but don't seem to have the same attraction in the winter. However we have plenty of other seeds, nuts & fat balls out for the birds but very few takers in this part of our garden.
Thought I would stick this here for bird fans click the link for this wonderful video from today https://twitter.com/mxepippen/status/818119030414393344
Last edited: 13 January 2017 21:35:45
What a poor bird in the video that is the danger of cold and metal poles - cute bird
Brought a suet block ready for the bird count, if you noticed it goes over three days this year normally two days which is good cause sometime weather not great, I sit outside to do the bird count as can't quite see it from the house too far and plastic green house blocking it a bit - sometimes I do the count half hour then do another half hour to make the whole hour
Hope there will be lots of birds as I know they dissapear when the bird count is on like they know