sari Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I'm a Bird geek..I'm not a Twitcher, as I won't travel but love the birds in my garden, and do go to RSPB sites on holiday etc. So I've just been down to have a chhok chat, and give some corn, and have had to run back up the garden, as I thought I'd seen a pair of migrating yellow browed warblers in the trees. Turns out I was a little bit over excited, and I think they were just juvenile gold crests It was a mistake any over keen bird nerd could make *blushes scarlet* Is any one else a bird geek?? I have dents on my forearms from the long hours propped on my kitchen windowsill....my garden backs onto farmland, and we have a brook...so have a mini Eden.... Please don't let me be the only one.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I spend too much time watching the garden birds & figuring out how they all interact. Mine is an urban garden but I'm quite pleased with the variety we have. I'd rather watch them than TV. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 I spend too much time watching the garden birds & figuring out how they all interact. Mine is an urban garden but I'm quite pleased with the variety we have.I'd rather watch them than TV. Me too....I am getting a bit worried about my green finches, as they have disappeared. It might be this Trich virus... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Angie Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 Saw a wagtail this morning. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I love my garden birds - we feed them all year - this is my back garden view of the feeders a couple of years ago I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 I love my garden birds - we feed them all year - this is my back garden view of the feeders a couple of years ago I think this was lovely.....I love my birds, and just HAVE to feed them....I have a really cheap stick on window feeder, like a trough, and if I ever forget to fill it, they peck on the window....usually the great tits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 I have a pair of binoculars on the kitchen windowsill and 'twitch' at the birds on the feeder at the end of the garden whilst waiting for the kettle to boil. A spotted woodpecker landed on the garden swing a few weeks ago! My Dads house is my favourite - he has huge picture windows with a bird feeder right outside - you can sit and watch them a couple of feet from your eyes! And he gets alsorts visiting - fabulous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted November 22, 2010 Author Share Posted November 22, 2010 I'm in Leics too, between Leicestser and Melton Mowbray...We are very lucky, as we have such a variety of birds, I think its the habitat...I get reed buntings in the winter months, feeding off the feeder. I could ramble on...but shall restrain myslef Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patsylabrador Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 I can't believe what I just saw, the rose bush where the House Sparrows live was in utter chaos and they were making an awful racket. Then out pops what I think was a Sparrow Hawk. It was small, red front and dark grey back. Utterly beautiful but a bit cheeky, trying to eat my sparrows. That must confirm though that the Sparrow colony is thriving. Very excited at seeing it sitting on the garden fence, Christmas came early. Even though they're bigger, my chickens were hiding in their coop, even though they live in a covered run. Just checked and I'm sure this it: sparrowhawk Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 Wow! We had a female sparrowhawk in the garden once (pre-chickens!) She sat on our shed roof for ages. I think she was eyeing up next doors rabbits and guineas! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
beach chick Posted November 23, 2010 Share Posted November 23, 2010 not sure I'm a bird nerd, but I do love feeding them and seeing them around. we seem to have an awful lot of pigeon/dove type things, the ubiquitous starlings, crows/rook/jackdaw type jobs, and seagulls - of course. however we also have sparrows, various types of tit and finch, blackbirds and thrushes, both types of woodpecker, and occasionally even a sparrowhawk visits us. I'd love to know more about them and have the patience to go birdwatching.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted November 23, 2010 Author Share Posted November 23, 2010 not sure I'm a bird nerd, but I do love feeding them and seeing them around. we seem to have an awful lot of pigeon/dove type things, the ubiquitous starlings, crows/rook/jackdaw type jobs, and seagulls - of course. however we also have sparrows, various types of tit and finch, blackbirds and thrushes, both types of woodpecker, and occasionally even a sparrowhawk visits us. I'd love to know more about them and have the patience to go birdwatching.... I'm not bothered about siiting for hours utside, but am happy to spot on a walk etc...for a while I did feel like I was fattening up sparrows for the sparrow hawk, but she's so beautiful.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ZoeBunny Posted December 2, 2010 Share Posted December 2, 2010 Thought you guys might appreciate these pics I just took in my garden... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackrocksrock Posted December 19, 2010 Share Posted December 19, 2010 I am boiling up peelings, rice bread mixed in with seeds, sunflower heards and malted barley for the ground feeding birds and put out every day on trays to stop the rats coming in as we had to put the feeders where they could not reach from the branches and so the blackbirds cannot get the feeders - we have a brambling today and its fabulous to see it - not see many of those around here especially in the garden. The blackairds are tooting at me each morning to put out the food and I have had a couple of starlings but well live and let live eh! There are about 20 constantly feeding at the front gate now and its great. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted January 2, 2011 Author Share Posted January 2, 2011 Just seen soem waxwings in the garden!! First time ever... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
craftyhunnypie Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I love the garden birds. We have lots eating the holly berries. A few robins hang round the garden & one is very cheeky when I'm doing the eglus each day. It pinches bits of shredded paper & oats. We've got these thrush like birds with pale red chests at the moment. God knows what they are, but I like watching them a lot. I like the doves that are often roosting in the trees at the front of the house - they had babies last Spring. Lovely! I also love the Red Kites we see, when we are in Devils Bridge - so big but beautiful when they glide over mountains. My favourite birds in the garden have to be the cute sparrows. Their legs are so thin - they make me laugh. Emma.x Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 I'm an aspiring garden bird nerd I've been meaning to get some bird feeders since DH and I moved into our current house a year and a half ago, but never got round to it. Spotted a beautiful bird feeder stand on sale a week or so ago which I just couldn't resist, so I now have it set up in my garden with every tempting kind of bird food imaginable on offer. I know it will take a little while before we see any birds starting to use it, so I have to be patient (not my strong point) but I'm looking forward to seeing what birds we might attract. In the summer we are lucky that we get lots and lots of swallows round our way, so I'm now wondering if there's anything we can plant to attract the insects that they like to eat? Not garden birds of course, but we regularly see red kites and buzzards in our area which are always magnificent to watch. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
abwsco Posted January 2, 2011 Share Posted January 2, 2011 We've got these thrush like birds with pale red chests at the moment. God knows what they are, but I like watching them a lot. Emma.x I bet they're Field Fares. Unfortunately we get nowhere near as many birds in the garden as we used to although we get more since we've had the chickens as the local cats stay away. I'm sure it's due to all the extra houses and flats that have been built in the local areas We have a couple of robins, a wren, blackbirds, starlings and blue tits visit. Very rare that we see any sparrows now I've always got bird seed, nuts and water as well for them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sari Posted January 3, 2011 Author Share Posted January 3, 2011 Sounds like Fieldfares to me..we;ve had a big mixed flock of FF, thrushes, black birds..and a couple of redwings, eating all the windfall apples. It makes a right mess, but I love to see them,,,,saw a buzzard across the back field today, too as well as my waxwings....so this nerd will sleep happy tonight!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 I too am a bit of a garden bird nerd . I love to watch them at the bird feeders, my all time favourites are the long tailed tits they are just soooooooo cute . 2-3 years ago I started giving my girls a few live mealworms on an evening as a treat and was spotted by a little robin. He (I like to think of him as a he ) started to come to the hen house when I let the girls out to free range and when I put them to bed . I somehow managed to gain his trust and imagine the feeling I got when............................................. My first thought was OMG how cool is that , And now he seems to be part of the family, he even lets my niece feed him (look to the left on my sleeve)................................ If I don't notice he's there, he comes and flaps around my head as if to say "Oi! I'm here" He isn't dependent though, as he only comes in winter when there is a lack of food, and spring when he has chicks to feed. It will be a sad day when old age or predation take him , so i will just enjoy it for now . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Awwww, what a bold, brave and very special little robin friend you have. I'm not much jealous... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Yes, he is very special . I'm sure anyone could do it with some patience though, as robins can't seem to resist the live mealworms . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
grracee Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Have to admit I don't know a huge amount about birds but I love watching them in the garden, my nan feeds them and we get loads especially over these last couple of weeks as the weather has been pretty bad they have been extra hungry! Not great photos but he's some I have taken over the last few weeks, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigmommasally Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Lovely photos everyone Mine aren't quite such clear photos but here are a few snaps of our Robin that has been visiting our garden for the last couple of years, he is very tame and vey very cute. And here are some of a cheeky pigeon! We bought the dome covered feeder as the pigeons were stealing all food from the open feeders, however this fat chap showed us that he was a bit cleverer than we thought! So had to re-arrange the feeders to out fox him - felt a little bit guilty but he was one very fat pigeon Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Henslaved Posted January 3, 2011 Share Posted January 3, 2011 Wow, your lil robin is really cute . Glad you out foxed the woody, though they're not really greedy they just have bigger tummies to fill . He will pick up what the other birds flick out . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...