Topic: Garden Bird?

[Plocket]

I haven't seen a Poll on the boards so I thought I would start one and see what happens.....

[Jesse]

For me the Robin is my favorite, friendly and a great companion in the garden. The Blackbird a close second, I find them amusing to watch, especially when they run/hop across the garden in a hurry.

[Plocket]

There's a nice blackbird family near our garden. And a lonely little robin (who comes a close second for me). I just find Wrens so cheeky - the cheeky blighter in our garden shouts so loud if the cat or I go outside!!! How can such a small bird make so much noise?

[Mrs Ava]

For me it is impossible to choose!  We have starlings that nest in our roof and I adore watching them rearing their young and then watching these big grown up babies still pestering mum to be fed!  I love the robin that bothers me on the plot pinching the worms out of the soil before it has even left my spade.  I love the blackbirds song and that little jenny wren that hops in and out of our conifer.  Oh and the Owls, how amazing are owls, and I do love to see the Jays, I think they are like parrots.  I enjoy the cackling crows and the laughing rooks that are in the fields around us and the woodpeckers that are teaching their young to fly in our lottie site secretaries garden.  The buzzards that drift around in the sky when I am back in Devon and the blue tits that fill our willow tree every afternoon.  I could go on....and seem to be....but I have only really started to watch, listen and enjoy the birds over the last few years, and enjoy them I do!  ;D

[CotswoldLass]

Also found it really difficult as I love them all, but it had to be Robin as they always come out to 'help' me digging!
Love Thrush that lives at the end of the orchard, Tits, Finches and the Sparrows......oh, all of them!

[feet of clay]

Impossible!  My day starts with the bird table.  'My' robins are tapping their toes if I'm a few minutes late.  By the time I've made my first coffee, the heavy squad of crows and fat pigeons are fighting with the magpies.  In the evening, the house martins are doing their aerobatics and the blackbirds are rooting round in the borders.  I also have kestrels and sparrowhawks who take advantage of the bird tables and recently, a pair of buzzards were having a look at what we had to offer.  As night falls, the owls make their presence known and the pheasants can be heard 'clocking' as the fox disturbs them.  I also have nuthatches and tree creepers, woodpeckers and jays.  I cannot choose a favourite however the robin must come near the top just for its 'chutzpah'.

[Jesse]

FOC, you are really lucky to have so many different birds in your garden. What a treat to see owls, in the ten years I've lived here I have only ever seen one! (in the wild that is)

[Toots]

Well,we have quite a few bonnie birds,but my real fav is the long tailed tit.Like wrens,spotted woodies,owls and pheasants,but LTTs give me most pleasure when I see em.So dainty ,shy,delicately coloured and a social wee thing.Toots ::) ;D

[feet of clay]

I am only 20 mins from Manchester airport but surrounded by fields.  I love it however it can be a tad scary on the 11pm dogwalk ( I hold their paws while they spend last pennies).  There are sometimes cattle in the field next to me and they sound like hidden phlegmmy vagrants as they chew the cud. Not only the dogs spending pennies! Roosting birds moving about and 'things' scurrying about in the dark are pretty scary too!

[gavin]

Blast - forgot the song-thrush!  But it's a long, long time since I've seen one.

All best - Gavin

[eileen]

I don't know how to pick just one bird as my favourite - I have so many to choose from. I love the wee Robin who sits waiting for worms to be dug up for him and follows me around the garden. I still get a thrill to see 'my' pair of sparrowhawks visiting and adore seeing Jenny wren sitting singing her heart out and filling the garden with her lovely voice. The blackbirds, the collared doves, the woodpigeons, yellowhammers, siskins, tits (4 types) finches and oh so many more. I couldn't single out one as top of my list. Even the magpies make me laugh (as long as they don't rob the nests in my garden.) Starlings and sparrows wait for me every morning to fill the feeders and putting out the other goodies for them.
Right - I'll pick the robin as he always cheers me up when he c.ocks his head to one side as if to say "Come on, you're not digging fast enough, I'm hungry!!"

Eileen.

[Carol]

 :-\

Well I am undecided as to what garden bird I like the most cos I like most of them.  However, my likes seem to go with the seasons and I am usually very pleased to see the Swallows return.  As usual, they turned up this year again.  I really admire these little birds at what they go through in their lives. Feed, breed and then fly off to their winter eating grounds and then back again.  I have them breeding just outside this window and they are busy feeding their young at the moment, back and forth, back and forth.  Look forward to seeing the fledgling trying to fly from the nest in another 10 days or so.So.  at the moment it is the swallow which is my favourite.

For laughs, it has got to be the Pheasant,  he is so amusing, but at the moment he has left me.  His lady visits most nights for a feed and water and scarpers off again.

I do like the Blackbird too but have no favourite one, cos I seem to feed quite a few.  I was also overjoyed to see the return of the Mistle Thrush this year and enjoyed their visits from Feb. onwards but now they have left until next year.

Also like Willy Wagtail.  He turns up in my garden around the same date every year in early spring and likewise this year again.  At the moment I have two regular visitors.  Yes I like the Pied Wagtails.

Oh, I like Robin, Wren. goldfinches and siskens, but they are all special if they decide to eat on my plot.

[Spurdie]

Hi, all!
I voted for "my" family of blackbirds. They are such friendly, sociable birds - they even share the birdbath with our resident song thrush.   :-[ It is a real pleasure to have them hopping about round my feet when I am digging. The little ones are like noisy teenagers just now.
I can't say robins are my favourite birds. They are such bullies! They are so bold they even scare the timid thrush away!
I DO like the collared doves though, really graceful birds.

[aquilegia]

I don't actually see many birds in my garden, as you can only see it from the front door. So most of the time that I can see the garden is when I'm in it!

But Robins have always been a favourite. I occassionally see one perched on the back fence, although they are too shy here to joins us for digging. (sadly I don't think many of my neighbours dig, so the robins don't know about the worms.)

I love thrushes too - especially for their song. They seem to congrigate in the guttering above my living room window for morning baths!

I even rather like the wood pigeons. They are so funny. waddling about (even when I'm in the garden). They seem to pretend not to notice me, so I haven't noticed them, or something.

It was very funny watching them drink from the pond in the recent drought. Where the waterlevel had reduced due to evaporation, they really had to reach in to have a sip. stretched bird!

[LynneA]

Long Tailed Tits
Tiny balls of pink white & black fluff that flit around in gangs.

[William O]

For those of you that haven't made up their minds maybe try this link for british garden birds (All very polite chaps, with bowlers and umbrella's)

http://www.garden-birds.co.uk/

[Plocket]

What a cutie! I've already voted though...

And what a fantastic website! Thanks for that William, Plocket x