RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

Oh dear, not many to count this year.  The weather was against it from the start.  The last few hours of storm Eowyn on Friday, followed by glorious sunshine on Saturday and the start of storm Herminia on Sunday. (When did we start to name storms?) The birds stayed away from the feeders in the bright sunshine just the same as they had in the wet and windy weather.  

Friday was busy with supermarket shopping, collecting medication from the hospital pharmacy and then dashing home in time to receive a pre-organised appointment call from the hospital we'd just visited.  Saturday was sunny so we ventured out for a walk in the morning. Glad of the warmth of the sun on our backs. In the afternoon we sat down with a cup of tea to start the bird count but none appeared so we gave up. We finally started a count around midday on Sunday.  The feeders were topped up with sunflower hearts and suet fat balls.

Unfortunately the woodpecker didn't make an appearance. 

Counted were 5 blackbirds, 2 Dunnocks, 8 Goldfinch, 4 Siskins and 1 Robin. 

We were below the national average in the number of birds we counted.  It will be interesting to see how others fared and also to see the final statistics in April.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

 We started the bird watch about 9.30 a.m. on Saturday as there were quite a few birds in the garden.   We'd topped up the feeders around 9a.m. and the birds started to appear.

First in were Starlings and Blackbirds followed by a couple of Magpies, a couple of Rock Doves and a couple of Wood pigeons.   Most prolific visitors were Goldfinches.

There was a distinct lack of Sparrows in our garden this year although we've seen plenty around on our local walks.  About an hour after the count finished 4 Longtailed Tits appeared on the fat ball feeder - too late to be counted.  

Not great photos I'm afraid as they were taken through the conservatory windows.

The full list

4 Starlings, 3 Blackbirds, 2 Woodpigeons, 2 Rock Doves, 9 Goldfinches, 2 Magpies, 3 Dunnocks, 2 Collard Doves, 1 Chaffinch, 1 Blue Tit and 1 Robin.

All for now.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

 As expected not many birds around this weekend. I think they'd flown to different gardens for a holiday.

I was ready with notebook and pencil to get on with my 'five bar gate' way of counting but not many five bar gates were reached this year.

 We eventually saw both Robins together after seeing just one at a time during the count and therefore only being able to record one they suddenly appeared at the same time in different parts of the garden.  Thank you Robins.

 

 Here is my list

6 Blackbirds, 1 Wood pigeon, 2 Robins, 7 Goldfinches, 1 Collard Dove, 2 Coal Tits and 2 Blue Tits.

Below is a record of my submitted count.

I was concerned to see only one Collard Dove as there are always two and always together.  I hope the second one is still around somewhere.

Did you take part in the count?  If so what did you spot in your garden?

Blogtober - Day Sixteen

This morning we walked at RSPB Consall.  It was such a lovely morning.  The car park was filling up mostly with a group of ramblers who were walking together.  They set of in their bobble hats, carrying rucksacks on their backs and walking poles to help with the rough terraine. Lots of happy chatter as they marched along. I would guess they were going much further than us.

The paths were covered in leaves

 

First stop one of the ponds where we could hear the geese calling.

One particular Canada goose was quite vociferous in calling for his pals to join him.

They flew in and joined him as we walked around to the other side of the pond.

As we neared the station we heard the train arrive at the platform  but weren't close enough to see it.  I managed to take the steam from its engine as it 'toot-tooted' whilst pulling away and moving along the track to its next destination.

These lovely red apples were on a small tree in the station grounds.  We chatted with a volunteer at the station for a while.  I learned that the carriages on the track covered with tarpaulin had been purchsed as a job lot simply for the bogies which apparently cost thousands.

Back along the canal where we bumped into a man from a local fishing club sent out to spot the club's designated area along the riverbanks.  He didn't know the river or canal at all and was completely confused with the map he had been given.  We were able to help him with directions and he went of happily to complete his task.

Apologies for more fungus but it is that time of year and the three below I couldn't not take photos of.

Fly Agaric

Boletus

Stag's horn fungus  

 I hope you have all had a lovely Sunday.

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

We sat down on Friday lunch time and decided to start counting whilst eating our sandwiches.  Earlier, through the kichen window, I'd seen four magpies having a bit of a tussle.  Three of them had the fourth backed up against a shrub with flapping wings. open beak and its claws in the air it looked quite distressed.  It eventually got away from them and flew off.  The other three stalked across the lawn as if to say 'job welll done'.

It was the appearance of three Long Tailed Tits on one of the fat ball feeders that decided us to start the count.

Paul's photo

I'm really glad we did the count on the first day as the wind yesterday kept many birds away from the feeders. 

My Photo

In the hour we counted nine Sparrows. one Robin, five Chaffinches, three Long Tailed tits, one Blue Tit, one  Dunnock, three Wood Pigeons, two Collard Doves, six Goldfinches, three Bullfinches and three Blackbirds.

 Where were all the Goldfinches? We usually have at least fifteen of them gathered around the feeders and earlier this month we had eight and sometimes ten Collard Doves pecking around  under the feeders especially when the Goldfinches were feeding and dropping seed to the floor.

My Photo

 It was a joy to have the Long Tailed Tits and the Bullfinches  (two males and one female) visit during the count.

Paul's photo

Paul's photo

 

 

 Did you take part in the bird count?  If so what did you see? Anything different, or your usual visitors?

 

RSPB Coombes Valley

One morning last week we visited nearby Coombes Valley nature reserve which is managed by the RSPB. It was already getting quite warm when we arrived.  We walked first in the meadow to see if we could spot orchids.

We saw quite a few of the same type.

Lots of buttercups and daisies too.

There were lots of butterflies and moths but, as usual, they wouldn't settle for very long.  When they did stop to rest they closed their wings.

We returned to the car and took our flasks of coffee to sit in the picnic area under the trees.

Refreshed we then set out to walk along one of the routes around the reserve.

Not many birds spotted, Robins, Chaffinch and Dunnock, a Buzzard was heard mewling high in the sky.
 

We spent a lovely couple of hours just enjoying being in the fresh air.  The car park and toilet facilities were open, as was the small picnic area but the Visitor Centre was closed.

 

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch

After a dismal try at counting birds on Friday lunchtime when they decided they didn't want to appear to be counted, I can't blame them the weather was vile, we sat down with coffee and biscuits on Saturday morning not expecting to see many birds again.  How wrong we were.

Here is the list of birds we saw during the hour.

Goldfinch  - 13
Wood Pigeon - 1
Robin - 2
Great Tit - 1
Chaffinch - 1
House Sparrows - 8
Blackbirds - 6
Bullfinch - 1
Blue Tit - 1
Dunnock - 1

Not a bad count at all.  I was concerned to see just one blue tit as they usually come as a pair and feed off the fat balls.  I was hoping that the Bullfinch would appear and about ten minutes after I'd mentioned him there he was!  We probably saw two dunnocks but as I wasn't sure about the first one we only recorded one.  There were a lot more sparrows in the hedges but we couldn't count them all, the eight I saw together on top of the hedge as they moved upwards to avoid a cat walking below.

Of course after the count we were visited by a song thrush, three long tailed tits and also two Crows, not quite enough for a murder - the collective name for crows.

 Below - not a bird, of course, but Mabel from across the road.

 Cats, foxes and badgers like the suet sprinkles too.

All photos were taken through glass, so not entirely crystal clear. The photo of the crows  is from the wildlife camera taken early in the morning before we collected it from the garden after breakfast .

I tried a couple of times yesterday afternoon to submit my list and finally managed to access the site about 7.30p.m. in the evening.  I expect lots more peole were joining in this year as the event has been well advertised.  Goldfinches were my top bird, followed by house sparrows.

The RSPB's Big Garden Bird Watch

We started counting yesterday morning at around five minutes past ten.  Notebook and pen ready, cameras ready and warm mugs of coffee at hand as our conservatory can be quite cool in the mornings.

As usually happens when we sit down for the hour of bird counting the usual visitors don't appear.  Where were the wood pigeons, rock doves and collard doves?  

Total count over the hour was

Starlings - 16

Goldfinch - 9

 Sparrow-6

Chaffinch - 6 

 Blackbird - 4

Robins - 2

Blue Tit -2

Dunnock -1

Great Tit - 1

Coal Tit - 1

Wood Pigeon -1

Collard Dove - 1

Crows and Magpies flew overhead but didn't land and only one of the four collard doves that usually visit together in the morning decided to land for a while. We saw all four of them later in the day.

When you enter your results on the RSPB's website they also ask what other wildlife you see regularly in the garden.

Squirrels visit during the day and from our outside wildlife camera (a Christmas present from us to us) we know we get night time visits from foxes and badgers.

 Just behind the fox you can see a cat.

I think the badgers are one of the reasons we no longer get hedgehogs visiting.  When we first came here over twenty years ago we often used to see hedgehogs in the garden. 

There is still time to complete a count should you wish to join in.  Details below:-

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch