Very busy at the bird feeder today! (4 Viewers)

[Fozzybear]

A new garden tick yesterday - male Lesser Whitethroat!!

CB

:eek!: Wow! That's quite a visitor! Have seen one in Norfolk but to get one in the garden is amazing. :t:

 

[Disneynut1973]

Beachbirder what a great pic a lovely bird to see in your garden. Dave great to have the Long Tailed Tits back, I haven't seen any here in months.

Chris great to see a Cuckoo, only heard them never seen one.

Jeff nice o have a new garden bird & year bird and thank goodness you have some rain, much needed I guess.

We have torrential rain yet again but it's good for the birds. The garden has been non stop today already, about 20 Starlings, a dozen House Sparrows, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Dunnocks, 4 Collared Doves (I always want to end with 'a partridge in a pear tree' at the end of my list!3 )

 

[ChrisKten]

[...]

Chris great to see a Cuckoo, only heard them never seen one.

We have torrential rain yet again but it's good for the birds. The garden has been non stop today already, about 20 Starlings, a dozen House Sparrows, 5 Goldfinch, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Dunnocks, 4 Collared Doves (I always want to end with 'a partridge in a pear tree' at the end of my list!3 )

I never knew that it was a Cuckoo when I saw it, Pam, it's the first I've ever seen. I kept getting a nagging feeling that I should know what it was, but I never worked it out.

The posted the blurred picture my son for ID, it's here:

http://www.birdforum.net/attachment.php?attachmentid=209620&d=1248948466

My garden is busy as usual this morning, 40+ Pigeons, 30+ Starlings, 20+ Sparrows, 3 Jays, 2 Crows, 2 Magpies, juvenile Blackbird, juvenile Robin in the bush at the back, Squirrels, 7 Collard Doves, etc, so far.

It's always hectic, whatever the weather. I worry sometimes that they aren't getting food elsewhere, especially the juveniles.

 

[ChrisKten]

Dave, did the Starlings return? I'd be surprised if they didn't.

^ I mean DaveN.

 

[Bananafishbones]

BB & Chris some great pictures added over the last few days, and cracking pic of the Cuckoo is a bonus.

No sunshine here either........ constant rain or very dark cloud at best

I have a cracking count of Dunnocks under the feeder area highest count in the garden by far.................. 7. Really pleased

Will update with the other visitors in a while
Dave

 

[DaveN]

Dave, did the Starlings return? I'd be surprised if they didn't.

^ I mean DaveN.

They haven't returned yet. I do see them most days flying around but that's the first time they've been in the garden.

 

[Bananafishbones]

3. We had a new yard bird: a Neotropic Cormorant flyover
Jeff

Good one Jeff :t: its always nice to see a new one and adds to the interest in looking outside and into your garden

Rainy here all day, but fairly busy nontheless:
Magpie 3
Chaffinch 1
Goldfinch 1
Blue tit too many and too active to count properly 15+
Greenfinch 7
Dunnock 7 :t:
Blackbirds 5
Jackdaw 10
Carrion Crow 4
Feral Pigeons 10 (with some nice colourations will show pics later)
Swift 6
Housesparrow too many and too active to count properly 20+
Black Headed Gull 1
Lesser Black Backed Gull 1
Great tit 2
Collared Dove 1
Song Thrush 1 :t:
Woodpigeon 2
Robin 1
Greater Spotted Woodpecker juvenile yet again :t: almost everyday now
Starling 20+ (with some showing the nice change in markings as Chris`s pic showed earlier in the week).

Good day here for the birds I guess, easy worm pickings on the lawn :eat:

*** Update***

Wow, another major attack from the Sparrowhawk (and yes Chris the attack was on the Starlings), cant say if it got anything but every bird in veiw hit the air and dispersed, the attack came from over the house and down onto the lawn, even my partner just got a glimpse I think it left the garden chasing a much smaller bird too far away in this light to get a proper ID.

It has a hideout very close to my garden, these attacks are constant now. Exciting stuff!!

3 Long Tailed Tits back again

 

[ChrisKten]

You have a good list of birds in your garden, Dave. One thing I should say, Pigeons are much easier to attract than they are to get rid of.|=)| They breed to the food, so to speak, so the more you feed the more they breed. Your 10 Pigeons will double in a few months, which is good if you like Pigeons.

They are fascinating and intelligent birds that are quite colourful, not dull at all. But they will take over your garden if you let them. I have to be quite inventive to keep them away from the feeders (yes, they'll even find a way to get seed from feeders).

Anyway, you probably knew all that already, but I thought I'd say it just in case.

As to the Sparrowhawk, it' never stops being exciting, Dave. I've really lost count of the number of attacks I've seen, but each time I hold my breath and freeze.

It starts you thinking though, what it's like for the potential prey. Constantly looking out for danger, no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing. And the Sparrowhawk has to find ways of ambushing prey that is forever looking out for it.

Who needs to go on Safari to Africa when it's all happening in your garden, smaller scale, same struggle.

 

[Cheshire Birder]

No!, don't listen to CB, Jeff, I like it cool and damp.|=)| I really don't get on with warm/hot and bright.

I dont like it too hot either but 24C is perfectly pleasant (30C is not). Now we're heading to autumn we need the clear sunny weather to induce drift migrants across the north sea.

:eek!: Wow! That's quite a visitor! Have seen one in Norfolk but to get one in the garden is amazing. :t:

Its was a cracking and totally unexpected find.

CB

 

[Bananafishbones]

You have a good list of birds in your garden, Dave. One thing I should say, Pigeons are much easier to attract than they are to get rid of.|=)| They breed to the food, so to speak, so the more you feed the more they breed. Your 10 Pigeons will double in a few months, which is good if you like Pigeons.

They are fascinating and intelligent birds that are quite colourful, not dull at all. But they will take over your garden if you let them. I have to be quite inventive to keep them away from the feeders (yes, they'll even find a way to get seed from feeders).

Anyway, you probably knew all that already, but I thought I'd say it just in case.

As to the Sparrowhawk, it' never stops being exciting, Dave. I've really lost count of the number of attacks I've seen, but each time I hold my breath and freeze.

It starts you thinking though, what it's like for the potential prey. Constantly looking out for danger, no matter where you are, no matter what you are doing. And the Sparrowhawk has to find ways of ambushing prey that is forever looking out for it.

Who needs to go on Safari to Africa when it's all happening in your garden, smaller scale, same struggle.

Good post Chris.
Agree with your sentiments both of the pigeons, not out of control ... yet. Jackdaw numbers are probably big enough to keep the pigeons in control.

Sparrowhawk stuff is fascinating,.... wheres it (they, I have seen male and female) hiding?...... when are they coming next?.... will they ever actually catch anything in my garden?..... the saga continues....

The alarm calls are getting more frequent, the Magpies really do look out for everyone.

 

[ChrisKten]

Hi Dave,

I forgot to mention a few things to look out for regarding the Sparrowhawks, again, you probably know this already: (others reading may not)

With the Starlings, watch for an increase in lookouts. Often, if a Sparrowhawk has recently flown into the area, the Starlings will be more vigilant. They will also scan the sky if a Raptor was flying high, they won't always spook; it depends on how low or fast the Raptor was flying.

With the Pigeons, similar really, if they are all looking up, instead of looking for food, then there's probably a Sparrowhawk flying high, or recently flown into the area.

Pigeons are pretty good at alerting the other birds to danger, but they don't have an audible alarm call. One will fly off quickly and noisily flapping wings, and the rest follow. The other birds see this and also dart for cover.

Of course most attacks are without any preceding sign at all, but the more you watch, the more signs you become aware of. I guess it's accurate to say you get a "feeling" that an attack will take place. Also the Sparrowhawk has to get to a hidden perch to ambush from. This might mean all the birds get spooked, but nothing happens, but an hour later you may get an attack.

There's more, but I think it will be more rewarding to work it out for yourself as you witness it.|=)|

 

[ChrisKten]

Almost forgot, I found a picture that I took of a Starling a while ago. I was quite pleased with it for a through the window shot.

I uploaded it to the gallery, I won't double post it. It's here if you want to see it:

http://www.birdforum.net/gallery/showphoto.php/photo/264813/ppuser/69033

 

[JeffMoh]

Pam, Chris & Dave: I'm impressed by the variety and number of birds you're seeing. I think I'll spend a while this morning sitting on our front porch to see what we're getting at present.
Chris: You're right about Pigeons being able to get seed from feeders. White-winged Doves here are similarly inventive and manage to eat from suet cages and from any seed-feeders that aren't squirrelproof. Our Mourning Doves haven't learned to deal with feeders yet and this is one reason why they're being pushed aside by White-winged in our area.
CB: If you think 30C is hot, then you definitely wouldn't like our summers. Our cool spell lasted a few hours. Now it's back to 35-37C and humid for the next week.

Because of the weather, I birded parts of the prairie west of Houston this weekend. It's just as hot there but much drier. No mosquitoes either!

Jeff

 

[Moraybirdlover]

Some lovely photos over the last week, and busy gardens.:t: Who would have thought the humble Starling would turn out to be such a "Star"!
Jeff would love to see Humming birds one day, the closest I have got was a Humming bird moth a couple of years ago.
Our garden still busy but not so many Sparrows,I haven't seen the Tree Sparrow for a couple of days, though my son saw it yesterday. Had a couple of visits from Coal tit,Wren and the Willow Warblers have become daily visiors on the pampas grass.I think they just come to see what the other birds are doing.Great Tits, Blue Tits,Greenfinch,Chaffinch,Dunnocks, Juv.Robin plus adult,Blackbird m+f,Siskins, all still regulars.
I had a surprise on Friday when I heard fluttering behind a plant pot to find a tiny Wren.:bounce: It flew through to the conservatory and I opened the door to let it fly off but it landed on my hand for a few seconds,then looked me up and down before flying off. I guess it must have been a youngster.
ps Weather not been too bad up here just the odd shower. Sunny most of time.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Wow Moray how cool is that with the Wren, and still getting Siskins also, good on you.

 

[ChrisKten]

Jeff, that's strange isn't it, that the Mourning Doves have worked out the feeders, but the others haven't? One species of Dove must be smarter than the other; survival of the fittest I guess.

I see Pigeons that are smarter than other Pigeons, but they do learn from watching each other. So the smartest actually helps the not so smart in the end. In fact the Pigeons learned to get food from the trays in the tree by watching the Collard Doves. I would have expected the White-winged Doves to have learned by watching the Mourning Doves.

 

[ChrisKten]

[...]
Our garden still busy but not so many Sparrows,I haven't seen the Tree Sparrow for a couple of days, though my son saw it yesterday. Had a couple of visits from Coal tit,Wren and the Willow Warblers have become daily visiors on the pampas grass.I think they just come to see what the other birds are doing.Great Tits, Blue Tits,Greenfinch,Chaffinch,Dunnocks, Juv.Robin plus adult,Blackbird m+f,Siskins, all still regulars.
I had a surprise on Friday when I heard fluttering behind a plant pot to find a tiny Wren.:bounce: It flew through to the conservatory and I opened the door to let it fly off but it landed on my hand for a few seconds,then looked me up and down before flying off. I guess it must have been a youngster.
ps Weather not been too bad up here just the odd shower. Sunny most of time.

All the birds in your garden, bar a couple, are not in mine; you have a good mix of species there.

That must have been quite a thrill having the Wren land on your hand, I bet you held your breath and froze until it flew off.|=)|

 

[ChrisKten]

I might go to the Reservoirs tomorrow for a couple of hours. I've now found out where the Spoonbills are, as well as the Little Egrets.

I'll post some pics if I go.

 

[JeffMoh]

Jeff would love to see Humming birds one day, the closest I have got was a Humming bird moth a couple of years ago.

It was back again yesterday. I've now put up a second feeder in our front yard/garden this time, as migrating Hummingbirds should be arriving soon.

Last year we had very few but the year before we often had a dozen or more feeding at one time.

Jeff

 

[JeffMoh]

Jeff, that's strange isn't it, that the Mourning Doves have worked out the feeders, but the others haven't? One species of Dove must be smarter than the other; survival of the fittest I guess.

Hi, Chris.
Maybe I muddled you. In fact, it's the White-winged that have worked out the feeders. They're the most recent arrivals, having started turning up this far north of Mexico only in the past 5-6 years.
As you can see, they're very adaptable!
Jeff