One of the wolf footprints from a couple of days ago...
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Garden / Yard List 2023 (11 Viewers)
- Thread starter halftwo
- Start date
Andy Lakin
Well-known member
Just had 1+ Whooper over in the dark calling, first for the garden and my local patch for the year. Also had a mystery bird over in the dark I couldn't see it but could hear its wing beats (best guess would be Mallard). Spending time in the garden at dusk seems like it could be productive.
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
That’s a big boy! 👀
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
Not a lot to report this morning, or this afternoon. Did have a Jay though which is encouraging as they used to be regular. I’m wondering if my local Sparrowhawks are doing too well in taking out my garden birds. Hopefully it’s a temporary thing.
The most noteworthy thing was a flock of ~20 Fieldfare flying East. Very strangely, over my 5 years here I have had them in all months Oct-April, except February! Gap now filled.
Still no convincing sign of Mistle Thrush. Sparrowhawks?
The most noteworthy thing was a flock of ~20 Fieldfare flying East. Very strangely, over my 5 years here I have had them in all months Oct-April, except February! Gap now filled.
Still no convincing sign of Mistle Thrush. Sparrowhawks?
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Farnboro John
Well-known member
A couple of apples were going off in the fruit bowl so I halved them and stuck them on cut-off ends of the Buddleia. Yesterday three Jays found them (they are often around, but rarely actually in my garden.) This morning: male Blackcap!
John
John
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
I’ve been putting out Apples in the hopes of getting Blackcap on them. Blackbirds seem to be the first on them, sometimes within 30 seconds of me walking away. Blues Tits and Squirrels polish them off.
Today was cold and quiet. 3 Greylags over were new for the month list, which after 8 days is already up to an average for February of 56 species. Maybe I can get a new record which would have to be over 60.
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Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Plenty of Mistle Thrushes here, and Sparrowhawks too! I finally clocked a Fieldfare just now, this year is the first in which they've been absent in January. As EBird is telling me my Garden List is already on 39 I did a check back - I hadn't counted Mistle Thrush on the thread despite seeing them every day, that's old age for you. So two for the price of one today!
39 Mistle Thrush
40 Fieldfare
A couple of photos from early morning and two of the Hawfinch which hurried off with his take away lunch later:
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Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
I quite often only realise something is new for the month or year when eBird flags it up. The Siskin last week was like that.
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
birdmeister
Well-known member
Two additions today, not bad at all.
38. Black Vulture
39. Common Merganser (new yard bird #97)
Both mergs were males, heading N very high up. My first ducks for this desert yard, and the first true spring migrants of the year from the yard!
38. Black Vulture
39. Common Merganser (new yard bird #97)
Both mergs were males, heading N very high up. My first ducks for this desert yard, and the first true spring migrants of the year from the yard!
hookem2010
Well-known member
Haven't had much time to bird since moving in, plus it's been stormy. Two quick peeks outside netted...
6) Carolina chickadee
7) Orange-crowned warbler
8) Yellow-rumped warbler
9) Brown creeper(!!)
10) White-winged dove
11) American robin
12) Lesser Goldfinch
13) Downy woodpecker
14) Northern mockingbird
Hopefully this weekend I have time to sit outside for at least half an hour and see what else is hanging around.
6) Carolina chickadee
7) Orange-crowned warbler
8) Yellow-rumped warbler
9) Brown creeper(!!)
10) White-winged dove
11) American robin
12) Lesser Goldfinch
13) Downy woodpecker
14) Northern mockingbird
Hopefully this weekend I have time to sit outside for at least half an hour and see what else is hanging around.
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
Feeling a bit more like March than February this morning. I am always conscious of looking up, on the basis that I might well hear birds actually in the garden as much as seeing them. I should really listen to my own 'wise words' as I very nearly missed a goody!
My routine first thing, as often as not, is having a cup of coffee in the garden and also checking my phone for emails/Tweets/Birdforum updates etc. as a gentle wake up before the rest of the day. Fortunately I did look up from my phone, straight up in fact, just in time to catch a single #63 Shoveler flying West, quiet high, but fairly easily identified with that big bill. New for the garden/patch list, number 132. I see them not infrequently up and down river on water bodies either side of my place, so for that reason have had them on my predicted list.
A flyover small Finch landed briefly and was the first for year #64 Siskin. Locally more common than Redpoll and always more common in/over the garden. They were regular last year and even sang on occasion last spring.
My routine first thing, as often as not, is having a cup of coffee in the garden and also checking my phone for emails/Tweets/Birdforum updates etc. as a gentle wake up before the rest of the day. Fortunately I did look up from my phone, straight up in fact, just in time to catch a single #63 Shoveler flying West, quiet high, but fairly easily identified with that big bill. New for the garden/patch list, number 132. I see them not infrequently up and down river on water bodies either side of my place, so for that reason have had them on my predicted list.
A flyover small Finch landed briefly and was the first for year #64 Siskin. Locally more common than Redpoll and always more common in/over the garden. They were regular last year and even sang on occasion last spring.
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
All these ducks that everyone sees, even BM in his desert home!
I now suspect that my possibly two Crossbill heard only from a week ago was just the one, today we heard calling and song, all coming from a smart male who we've christened Lonely Hamish as its bill size was clearly that of Scottish Crossbill and the calls sounded N20-ish as well
We walked close by the tree it was in and twenty five minutes later it was still in the same place when we returned, quite tolerant of us. So I fetched the camera from the house and the inevitable happened, it flew off when I was still well away!
Earlier a new addition for the year was searching for voles in the fields towards the village, I think my photo of it plus the Scotbill clincher(!) image show I'm an outsider* in the Wildlife Photograph of the Year race.
*Rank.
41 Grey Heron
I now suspect that my possibly two Crossbill heard only from a week ago was just the one, today we heard calling and song, all coming from a smart male who we've christened Lonely Hamish as its bill size was clearly that of Scottish Crossbill and the calls sounded N20-ish as well
We walked close by the tree it was in and twenty five minutes later it was still in the same place when we returned, quite tolerant of us. So I fetched the camera from the house and the inevitable happened, it flew off when I was still well away!Earlier a new addition for the year was searching for voles in the fields towards the village, I think my photo of it plus the Scotbill clincher(!) image show I'm an outsider* in the Wildlife Photograph of the Year race.
*Rank.
41 Grey Heron
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Dave Ball
Well-known member
That’s very skilful how you’ve posed that crossbill with its bill hidden behind a twig so we can’t question your ID as Scotbill.All these ducks that everyone sees, even BM in his desert home!
I now suspect that my possibly two Crossbill heard only from a week ago was just the one, today we heard calling and song, all coming from a smart male who we've christened Lonely Hamish as its bill size was clearly that of Scottish Crossbill and the calls sounded N20-ish as well
Earlier a new addition for the year was searching for voles in the fields towards the village, I think my photo of it plus the Scotbill clincher(!) image show I'm an outsider* in the Wildlife Photograph of the Year race.
*Rank.
41 Grey Heron
Reminds me that the large-billed Crossbills I saw in Scotland in 1983 were before (I believe BBRC say) any Parrots turned up there, so they must have been Scotbills
Richard Prior
Halfway up an Alp
Thanks Dave, I forgot to record the call too, shameThat’s very skilful how you’ve posed that crossbill with its bill hidden behind a twig so we can’t question your ID as Scotbill.
Reminds me that the large-billed Crossbills I saw in Scotland in 1983 were before (I believe BBRC say) any Parrots turned up there, so they must have been Scotbills
Jane Turner
Well-known member
I had Pintail in twice, but had missed House Sparrow
| 64 | Jackdaw |
| 65 | House Sparrow |
| 66 | Meadow Pipit |
| 67 | Goldeneye |
Steve Lister
Senior Birder, ex County Recorder, Garden Moths.
February 10th.
45. Peregrine - a male over carrying prey
45. Peregrine - a male over carrying prey
Bismarck Honeyeater
Barely known member
With Meadow Pipit a day or so ago (I forgot to count it) and Cormorant today, the month is up to 60 species, which is a February joint record, and after only 10 days. I am pleased, and also wonder just what more could be added?
The biggest news of the day though was finally getting my nest boxes put up.
First up was the one for the Grey Wagtails that have nested every year since I’ve been here. I’m not sure what became of them last year, they suddenly disappeared mid-season! I still see them locally and frequently enough in the garden. I’m hoping that the box will do the trick. The holes they have used before are pretty full of old nesting material, so perhaps not too attractive.
Second up was the Tawny Owl box, the Owls have become very scarce, I’ve not so much as heard one yet this year. They formerly bred, I once saw two fluffy young, often roosted in the ivy covered trees and were heard on and off throughout the year, even during the day sometimes. Again, I hope the box does the trick. It couldn’t be placed so that I could see into it from the garden, but that’s ok now that I’ve gotten into the habit of walking round the block to the back of the scrub.
The biggest news of the day though was finally getting my nest boxes put up.
First up was the one for the Grey Wagtails that have nested every year since I’ve been here. I’m not sure what became of them last year, they suddenly disappeared mid-season! I still see them locally and frequently enough in the garden. I’m hoping that the box will do the trick. The holes they have used before are pretty full of old nesting material, so perhaps not too attractive.
Second up was the Tawny Owl box, the Owls have become very scarce, I’ve not so much as heard one yet this year. They formerly bred, I once saw two fluffy young, often roosted in the ivy covered trees and were heard on and off throughout the year, even during the day sometimes. Again, I hope the box does the trick. It couldn’t be placed so that I could see into it from the garden, but that’s ok now that I’ve gotten into the habit of walking round the block to the back of the scrub.
