Very busy at the bird feeder today! (13 Viewers)

[Bananafishbones]

I never realised Biscuits "loved" being crushed.|=)|

Ah Chris that old Cockney humour..... weve missed it you know

Just out of curiosity BFB, what is a digestive biscuit? |<|

A type of wholemeal Cookie..... best dunked in a cup of tea, or just Crushed, as the cookie likes to be crushed

PS it works (Crushing the cookie), 2 Pied Wagtails now

 

[RICHAT]

Just out of curiosity BFB, what is a digestive biscuit? |<|

Yes they are a very tasty (for humans too!) British traditional biscuit manufactured by McVities. My American father-in-law loved them when he was over here a few years ago. You can buy them in the US at "speciality English food stores" at hugely inflated prices. Plain or milk chocolate coated ones are even better - but probably not for birds.

 

[JeffMoh]

:-O:-O:-O good one Jeff! :t:

As for my yard birds, after about 4 days of almost NO visitors, the snows finally came(well over a foot over night), and so did my birdies! I'm not great at counting them since I have feeders scattered around the house, but at the ones I usually watch I saw approximately the following:
10-15 Black eyed Juncos,
4-5 Nuthatches,
10 Goldfinches,
5 or more Titmice,
4 Downies(2 males & 2 fems!!),
1 fem Red Bellied WP(only saw the male once so far a few days ago),
4 House finches,
8 Mourning doves,
6 Blue Jays,
2 Cardinals,
15 or more House Sparrows,
4 Black Cap Chickadees(constantly moving, so I'm just counting the ones I've seen together, I'm sure there's more but can't tell them apart)
a quick stop by a group of 7 or 8 Starlings on my Pear tree(no Partridge
AND a new returning visitor that I was quite excited to see, a different Sparrow(from my common House) that looked to be a Tree Sparrow, it had the dark spot on it's chest and a brownish head. He landed right in front of my window on a limb catching me completely off guard so I couldn't catch a picture, will keep a keener lookout for them today, now that I know they're back. o

That's a great yard list, Lindy! So I suppose there are some advantages of living where it snows.

Here's a photo of the Hermit Thrush I saw at the college yesterday.

Jeff
www.jeffincypress.blogspot.com

 

[Bananafishbones]

Great variety wildnature
Lovely Thrush Jeff

and talking of which, a Mistle Thrush just appeared here..... very vocal while sat in the Oak Tree, I wonder if it was calling a partner or warning birds of its location.

Thought I heard a Buzzard a short while ago.... just seen it fly off over the near distant houses

 

[captaincarot]

went out for a short walk today as it's nice weather.

set off along the canal by the flat,
and saw loads.
40 mallard
1 mandarin
35 canada geese
3 kingfishers
1 dipper
40 odd long tailed tits
1 male bullfinch
2 male goosander
a dozen or so blute and great tits
2 songthrush
10 blackbirds
2 great spotted woodpeckers
1 green woodpecker
5 robins

not bad for a 2 mile round trip from the front door.

 

[RICHAT]

A male GS woodpecker just made a call. Very exciting as always. He spent some time on the peanuts and then a lot longer on my dying sallow tree. GSW's are irregular visitors here. I had a female about 3 weeks ago on the nuts, so hopefully they will become more regular.

 

[bongofury]

Parakeet (yesterday) and brambling (today) pairs.

Superb photos there of the Parakeets and especially the Bramblings. Surely one day they will drop in here!

A rare sighting of a female Greenfinch at lunchtime today, the Song Thrush has been here all day, 3 Bullfinch (2m + 1f) and the male GSW continues to pop by. The Chaffinches seem to have their crests raised today, or maybe its because they show up more better against a snowy background.

 

[Bird spotter]

RICHAT - Top marks for the Parakeet photograph.

 

[Busybee]

I love coming on here to look at all the lovely pictures and I can't imagine having all the varieties of birds here.
I have been warching my feeders most of the day and the 10 bluetits have been chasing each other all over the place. One of them is a real scruff. I have also seen
2 Great tits
2 coal tits
3 starlings
1 goldfinch briefly
2 male and 2 female chaffinches
30 approx sparrows (house, I think)
Mr & Mrs Blackbird
1 thrush (song?)
2 collared doves
dozens of circling seagulls and one that keeps watch from the rooftops
1 sneaky magpie
2 jackdaws on the neighbour's aeriel
and today 1 very scary rook on the top of the feeder stand, only 6 feet from the house

I don't seem to be able to increase the goldfinch population yet.
I am not able to take any photos as my camera isn't good enough but I love all yours everybody.

 

[ilbirdwatch1]

.....

I went to the local feed store this morning to pick up some seed and treats. I talked with a local gentleman who was telling me he had over 2 acres of land and goes through over 1,000 pounds of food a year … wow!

It’s been a pretty good morning lots of activity. The regular house sparrows are eating me out of house and home. I’ve had a couple groups of Cardinals show up and one brought with them a Northern Mocking Bird. I’ve also had my regular group of Blue Jays, which cleaned up all the whole peanuts and the dry-roasted (all unsalted). It’s neat watching them … One came in and sized up all the whole peanuts in the tray feeder. He would pick them up and drop them quickly; I think he was making sure he could carry all of them individually. He then came back and removed all the peanuts in less the 10 minutes. He was hiding them everywhere; it was really interesting to watch. Now they have moved on to my sunflower seeds. When the mocking bird arrived he was making sure the blue jays new he was boss. He chased a few of them up into the tree and sat on the fence for a while. I’m assuming he has a nesting spot close by. I’ve had a few more slated-Junco’s and my Black-capped Chickadees are still around. It seems that their more active when it’s really nasty and cold. My Mourning Dove and Gold Finch population has dropped off, but I’m thinking they will be back when the snow hits.

 

[wildlifelove]

Hoping for some more birds 2 morrow morning! got 5 feeders up! and some
fat cakes!

 

[Jos Stratford]

After break of about a month, a Crested Tit reappeared at the feeders today, a super individual very tame, feeding on the feeders with me less than a metre away.

Great Tits and Nuthatches ...almost...feeding from the hand, hovering centimetres away, then backing off...

 

[theconstantwalker]

Great posts from you all today. I am still doing the Dark to Dark commute but reading all your news when i get home makes my day much better.:t::t:

 

[ilbirdwatch1]

Great posts from you all today. I am still doing the Dark to Dark commute but reading all your news when i get home makes my day much better.:t::t:

I'm in the same boat walker! I had today off, so I got lucky!
Now another week or so without seeing my feather friends!
Shortly, I have a vacation coming up, so bird watching will resume then!

 

[SPINNEYGAL]

I am not seeing many birds because of working but as soon as I put the sunflower hearts and raisins out at 7.30 this morning 8 Blackbirds were quickly there.

 

[Bananafishbones]

A garden lifer and Species No 50 for 2010:
Moorhen

The youngest just disturbed a "large black bird on the doorstep"! which then promptly flew over the house and is now feeding under the feeders.. Cool

Glad to have joined the Moorhen Club :t:


Add Mistle Thrush, Jay, Pied Wagtail again and 8 Redpoll... super morning

 

[michael23]

Nice one with the moorhen Dave! My garden saw its first sparrowhawk catch this morning, just as I was checking the temperature a heard a huge thud and squealing, the sparrowhawk actually slammed its victim into the fence, then popped over to one my neighbours gardens to eat! I believe it was a starling.Also a Great Spotted Woody too.

 

[Bananafishbones]

Nice one with the moorhen Dave! My garden saw its first sparrowhawk catch this morning, just as I was checking the temperature a heard a huge thud and squealing, the sparrowhawk actually slammed its victim into the fence, then popped over to one my neighbours gardens to eat! I believe it was a starling.Also a Great Spotted Woody too.

ouch! Pity it didnt stay in your garden to allow you to witness the full opera. You have reminded me that I havent seen a Sparrowhawk in the garden for ages now. One must have made a kill a few weeks ago as I found Blackbird feathers. They do make the pulse race dont they... superb bird

The moorhen has just flown off after 2 hours of feeding and preening.

Redpolls upto 11 now

 

[karpman]

Gratz on No. 50 Bfb

Off work this week so doing a bit of garden watching, Busy morning with all the usual visitors including jackdaws and collared doves.

Had this little chappie coming most the morning too.

Karpman

 

[Bananafishbones]

Nice one Karps, enjoy the garden watching mate. You cant beat the Coalys

Heres the fella that has just returned again! :t: (the first one is full frame shot but taken through the kitchen window)