Birdwatch, 2008

[Toddy]

A little reminder that this weekend is the annual RSPB birdwatch. Why not help by downloading a sheet from the website, and spend a peaceful hour in the garden recording the birdies ?

http://rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/about/

cheers,
Toddy

 

[shona]

I've stocked up on peanuts and sunflower seeds, but I wouldn't venture into the garden just now, it's blowing a gale over here - probably directly over the river to you !!!

We've had loads of finches and the resident robins, starlings & maggies in the garden, but not a lot else, though we had a visit from a hawk of some kind (don't know my birds very well) yesterday. It sat on the tree for a while (possibly eyeing up the finches & robins...) then went off to hover over the field, after its lunch I presume. It was good to watch

.

 

[British Red]

Too many of the tweeting flapping little scroungers to record! Every time I fill the feeders they empty them. There were 37 in the feeder tree at one point today. Including three GS woodpeckers (peanut snafflers that they are).

Saw a bumble bee though - quite a surprise in January!

Red

 

[Toddy]

I've stocked up on peanuts and sunflower seeds, but I wouldn't venture into the garden just now, it's blowing a gale over here - probably directly over the river to you !!!
.

Yep, it's been kind of fun trying to work out just what that flash of feathers was as it got blown past the window


Still managed to be certain enough to get a good range though.....even saw the bullfinches; no woodpeckers or hawks however.

cheers,
mary

 

[JonnyP]

Got the usual sparra's and chafinches, few blackbirds, few song thrushes, a pied wagtail or two and the tree out the back often has somewhere around 60 goldfinch which jingle away. Often have buzzards fly over and many seagulls, mostly herring gulls and black headed gulls, but also a few lesser and greater blackback gulls...Oh, loads of rooks here too...Will try to get an hour to do some recording for them, cheers Toddy...

 

[fred gordon]

Thanks for the reminder Toddy. We did it last year but hadn't realised it was this weekend. Guess what I'm doing for an hour tomorrow.

 

[shona]

It's very strange, but since putting out a fresh supply of peanuts and seeds, I've had no takers and the finches usually go mad for peanuts. Could it be down to our new visitor - the hawk? I saw him again this morning then tried to find out what kind he is - I thought at first a sparrowhawk, but apparently they don't hover, so it might be a kestrel, but I don't think they usually take birds?

I did find a birds wing in the back garden yesterday (!) I think it was a pigeon. Would a kestrel do this?

Our visitor is small and grey, with a rounded head and I've seen him hovering over the field and at the roadside. I haven't been able to make out markings though. I do like having him here, but am missing the robins!

.

 

[BorderReiver]

Quite a few of my regulars stayed away during my hour.

Ungrateful little beggers.

 

[Wayne]

I will be doing a bird survey this weekend in the woods for a local wildlife group. Might as well this as well

 

[JonnyP]

I will be doing a bird survey this weekend in the woods for a local wildlife group. Might as well this as well

Wayne...Let me know what you got in there mate...
I errrr, had a rather large lunch yesterday and the wine was flowing and then the port came out, so I never did a survey...I would of seen two of everything anyway...
As I am typing this I can hear the owls a hooting out the back. V nice..

 

[Barn Owl]

It's very strange, but since putting out a fresh supply of peanuts and seeds, I've had no takers and the finches usually go mad for peanuts. Could it be down to our new visitor - the hawk? I saw him again this morning then tried to find out what kind he is - I thought at first a sparrowhawk, but apparently they don't hover, so it might be a kestrel, but I don't think they usually take birds?

I did find a birds wing in the back garden yesterday (!) I think it was a pigeon. Would a kestrel do this?

Our visitor is small and grey, with a rounded head and I've seen him hovering over the field and at the roadside. I haven't been able to make out markings though. I do like having him here, but am missing the robins!

.

Hi Shona,
It's likely a male Sparrowhawk,smaller than the female and prolific garden bird feeders although it's usually females that take pigeon.
Kestrel feed on the small mammals,vole etc and very rarely small birds.
As for hovering,it's not really part of a Sp. Hawks hunting strategy but there's always exceptions.
Merlin are small birds of prey but they chase birds like a heat seeking missile.
Tom.

 

[Nagual]

Unfortuantly the only things we see around here are Starlings, black birds, gulls, and the odd finch. Oh aye n crows. Not saw a robin in ages either..


Nag.

 

[shona]

Thanks Tom, I wondered about Merlin, but the description didn't quite fit. I suppose if there's a sparrowhawk around that accounts for the absence of my usual visitors. Is he likely to stay around for a while?

.

 

[Barn Owl]

Thanks Tom, I wondered about Merlin, but the description didn't quite fit. I suppose if there's a sparrowhawk around that accounts for the absence of my usual visitors. Is he likely to stay around for a while?

.

Hmm,
Yes and no,it's hard to tell.
Some gardens have them take birds regularly,sometimes they're just passing through.
Some folks reckon they scare off the wee birds altogether but I don't agree.
At Lochwinnoch rspb centre the Sp.hawk takes birds at the feeders daily but they still return.
I guess they see it as an occupational hazard and just part of their exsistence that has to be coped with.
Tom.

 

[BorderReiver]

Thanks Tom, I wondered about Merlin, but the description didn't quite fit. I suppose if there's a sparrowhawk around that accounts for the absence of my usual visitors. Is he likely to stay around for a while?

.

I only notice a visitation once or twice a year.