For all bird lovers !!

[MagpieDi]

Just thought if you had an hour to spare next weekend you might like to help the RSPB !!  
See following site for details :-

http://www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/

Well worth the effort!!  

[SueT]

Thanks for that MagpieDi, wil try and remember to join in.

[MagpieDi]

Just a reminder !!......can fill form in on-line...easy peasy!!!  

[legless]

will do it down the allotment this year as i don't think my last years total of one sparrow in my concrete back yard was particularly good and to be honest it was to be expected! just briefed hubby that even though it'll be very cold he can come and sit ina  deckchair with a cup of tea down there too  

[SueT]

I have a head like a sieve at times, if I hadn`t noticed your posting legless I`d have forgotten all about it!  

[Gardengirl]

Will be doing my bit tomorrow morning Diane

[SueT]

Hi Diane, just to let you know I filled in my online form...thanks for the reminder!  

[MagpieDi]

Nice one folks....good to do our little bit to help save the common little spuggy........ maybe??
While on 'watch' in back garden saw a bluetit testing out the birdbox!! Bit early  

[legless]

only got one dunnock - nobody else turned up!  

[Ceri]

while we're on about birds - I have no bird knowledge beyond sparrows and blackbirds I'm afraid, but saw a lovely bird in my garden yesterday, a bit smaller than a blackbird, brown and very light brown on the breast and under the wings, with pink cheeks!  It hung around for quite a while.  Can someone tell me what it was?

[Ragged Robin]

Hi Ceri, look up either chaffinch or bullfinch, could be one of these.

[MagpieDi]

I agree with Robin .......probably a chaffinch, as bullfinch has a rose-pink breast and black cap. Only other I can think of is goldfinch , but that has red around eye and black wings with yellow band.

Never mind Legless......they all count!!!  

[Ceri]

I've look at the chaffinch and the bullfinch on the rspb website - definitely not either of these - wings were  brown, breast and under-wing lighter brown, no black or grey, breast may have been a bit speckled, only the cheeks were a pale pink - and more of a blackbird in size - mind you the rspb pictures are only of male birds so I don't know if it was a lady chaff/bull finch.  I'll keep looking.  

[Piglet]

Ceri, maybe it was a female blackbird blushing as a male one went by - tee hee

(sorry couldnt resist as they are that colour except for pink cheeks).

What colour was its head?  Some of the doves have pale pink on them and they are bigger than the finches.

Piglet.

[gavin]

Hi Ceri - pink cheeks? Could it be a Long-Tailed Tit?

There are a couple of colonies nearby us, and in the winter they rove out into gardens and allotments - hunger makes them a bit bolder!

All best - Gavin

[MagpieDi]

It's the pale pink cheeks that are puzzling!!
Lots of brown/buff coloured small birds ...but blackbird sized ? .........maybe song thrush or redwing