dancing cloud Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Takes place this weekend All details here and you can even submit your results online https://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/how-to-take-part/ We've got so many hungry little birds visiting that counting may of the "one, two, many, er lots ..." variety . We're also feeding at least 6 squirrels of different sizes, and saw two foxes and lots of rabbit tracks in the snow-covered field on Sunday. Means the local poachers haven't got all the rabbits Comfy chair in the kitchen for an hour over the weekend - I can manage that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I've done this for the last 3 years - I always like to look back and compare lists Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cat tails Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 We had that last weekend here in the Netherlands. The house sparrow came in at one, with over 150 000 counts! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Thanks for the reminder I always do this but completely forgot last year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlottechicken Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 Since moving to the countryside, we get so many birds, and such a variety I think we would struggle to do this for five minutes! We have a greater spotted woodpecker who visits the bird table on a daily basis, as well as a pair of collared doves, buzzards land in the field next door and we also had a flock of fieldfares in there, with some of them in our garden too. We also have a solitary black cap, and loads of the more common birds, including a one legged starling, who seems to manage just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted January 20, 2015 Share Posted January 20, 2015 I like to do this, but always get frustrated that the flock of Red Wngs always visits the week before to strip the ivy berries they are beautiful birds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 24, 2015 Author Share Posted January 24, 2015 Went to post an update and the thread had gone from the Nestbox . Glad to find it again. Going to do my hour today and enter the results online. According to the RSPB reminder, the online version even times the hour for you. Dining chair moved into the kitchen, binoculars at the ready, kettle on, whilst the washing machine does its stuff and a pork joint cooks in the oven Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Groovychook Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I like to do this, but always get frustrated that the flock of Red Wngs always visits the week before to strip the ivy berries they are beautiful birds. That made me smile... we get a few less 'run of the mill' birds here, but they all seem to scarper when I'm doing the bird watch Must remember to do this tomorrow! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Did my hour yesterday and my lot all scarpered too! Lots of the usual suspects were no-shows - no wren, long-tailed tit, coal tit, collared doves - and very few of anything else. Usually they're queueing up to get to the feeders, but not yesterday . We think, because it was the first day in a week that there was no snow on the ground, they may have been out foraging, but it was all a bit disappointing. At one point, the only thing I'd seen was two chickens stood outside the back door demanding treats, and there was no category for recording them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I did mine yesterday dancing cloud and I'm sure I had less than normal too. Definitely less than today! Never mind Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 I was wondering about including 8 chickens : Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 26, 2015 Share Posted January 26, 2015 OH said I couldnt count them Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 28, 2016 Author Share Posted January 28, 2016 It's that time of year again! Birdwatch this weekend . Anyone else lining up for the count? Because of the weather, it's been a rather mixed year for my garden birds and I'm hoping they'll not be as shy for the count this year. Last year, several of the usual suspects were nowhere to be seen and my hour total did not seem particularly typical. Fingers crossed for a better showing this time. Not sure which day I'm going to do it yet - will have a look at the weather forecast and try to find an hour of daylight when it's not raining . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daphne Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Thanks for posting, I'm very keen to do it for the first time ever We don't have bird feeders, so I wonder if we will get to see many. I must go and read the rules - are you allowed to wander about at all or use binoculars? Our garden is very long and backs onto grassland, and that's where some of the larger birds congregate, they don't come near the house. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clucker1 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Well as in BBC Winterwatch, they seem to put out all manner of treats to attract the wildlife eg deer carcasses etc, I'm tempted to up my game and out my birds a right royal breakfast on Sunday. They don't get mealworms as they are too £ when I put them out they were gone very quickly.... any other ideas...they get fat balLs, bird nuts etc....perhaps meal worms for Sunday ..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ursula123 Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Sadly I will not be taking part in this, I very much enjoy the birds visiting our garden and we have a wide variety of species, however I am very sceptical of the RSPB. Last year the farmer who owns the fields behind our house put in for planning permission for 135 properties in the three adjoining fields, the fields surround a wood which has an active Heronry on the edge with 10 pairs of nesting herons last year, these herons have nested here for as long as anyone can remember ( our 98 year old neighbour remembers them from when he was a child ). The field and woods are used as feeding and nesting grounds for many birds - some of these include Egrets, buzzard, gulls etc, many on the endangered lists. We live approx 500 yards from the RSPB reserve called Isley Marsh on the Taw Torridge estuary, we contacted the RSPB when plans went in and were directed to the South west regional office, an email was sent asking an officer to site visit and informing them of the close proximity to the reserve, a reply was received from the head man in the south west stating that he did not have time to visit each and every site, his tone throughout the email was ' it was just too much trouble for him to do anything'. It will have a major impact on the reserve as many of the birds use the land here in Yelland to feed and I am sure the bird population will decline. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 I'll be doing it again. First year in the new house / garden. We seem to have a huge flock of gold finches eating us out of house and home! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Sadly these days I don't get as many birds as when we first moved here 17 years ago so I can count on one hand how many birds might come. I am lucky enough though to get a Goldcrest in my little waterfall on my pond so I will put him on the list if he comes in my hour. Mullethunter, what do the goldfinches like eating the most ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mullethunter Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Well although accepted wisdom is Niger seed, ours love sunflower hearts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 28, 2016 Share Posted January 28, 2016 Well although accepted wisdom is Niger seed, ours love sunflower hearts I have a niger feeder, only ever seen a blue tit on it though and even then it didn't stay long Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 29, 2016 Author Share Posted January 29, 2016 My very mixed flock didn't look favourably on niger seed when I tried it and I gave the feeder to someone else in the end. They seem quite happy with peanuts, suet balls and cheap seed, but their very favourite thing is leftover cat food . Unfortunately for them, the hens also love leftover cat food and they get first beaks, so there's not usually much of it for the wild birds. Rind off a pork joint cut into small pieces disappeared in record-breaking time at New Year (and my dad said they wouldn't touch it ... ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 I had a beautiful thrush that came to finish off our Christmas stuffing. It was really enjoying itself until a black bird shooed it away. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Olly Posted January 29, 2016 Share Posted January 29, 2016 Ooh, thanks for the reminder - I always mean to do this but usually forget. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Luvachicken Posted January 30, 2016 Share Posted January 30, 2016 Well, I did mine today as we are out tomorrow, at 11.30 am and scored a grand total of 5 birds 2 blue tits, 1 magpie, 1 female blackbird and a dunnock. Really not many birds at all Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dancing cloud Posted January 31, 2016 Author Share Posted January 31, 2016 11 sparrows 3 woodpigeons 2 blackbirds 2 great tits 2 magpies 2 dunnocks 2 crows 1 blue tit 1 rook and about 20 minutes of the hour sat here watching absolutely nothing No robins, no wren, no coal tits, long tailed tits, nuthatch, collared doves ... We usually have at least 4 crows and blackbirds and swarms of little birds. Not even one squirrel today I'm sure they know we're watching Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
