Topic: Winter Bird Watching, what have you seen today?

[Carol]

Having a lot of visitors this week.  I think the birds know something we don't know i.e. bad weather approaching.   Have had loads of Tits,  a lot of coal tits, more than previous years, they must have had a good breeding season.  Great Tits, blue tits and the Long tailed tits paid their first visit this week.  They are lovely birds.  Robins, loads of blackbirds eating up the rotten apples, dunnocks, starlings, woodpigeons,  pheasants (2).  Only 1 tree sparrow and no goldfinches.  I think the sparrowhawk has eaten up all the goldfinches which is a shame and I just wonder where the tree sparrows have gone.  Had loads during the winter and summer.  Chaffinches, greenfinches and wren!!!  probably more than that oh and a couple of collared doves.  I used to get up to 12 of them in a visit, now we are down to 2.  Again, think the sparrowhawk has had a few feasts. 

 ;)

[Flighty]

I was at the allotments this morning and for several minutes watched a ring-necked parakeet on my nut bird feeder only about ten feet away. Wonderful!
Also saw robin, magpies, dunnocks, gulls, blackbirds, crows and starlings.
Not a bird I know but a young fox sauntered across the plot as well.

[thifasmom]

had a mistle thrush visit today, it enjoyed a bath in the water provided :D. last year this time we were inundated with mistle and song thrushes along with blackbirds with even one visit from a redwing in February but then the old apple tree was groaning with fruit, the best its ever fruited in the five years we have been here and so the birds were very happy last year. it even attracted three bullfinches and a female blackcap last winter.

this year not one fruit survived the summer to see the autumn further more winter and so the thrush population has been pretty nonexistent since early September.

i have been putting out apple core scraps on the lawn for the past few weeks, but don't think that will be enough to keep the thrushes around :(.

[hellohelenhere]

I haven't yet seen *any* small birds in our new garden. There only seem to be starlings, crows and gulls around here. Very odd! There aren't a lot of trees and bushes in the immediate area so that may be part of it. I put up a bird feeder, but it hasn't been found yet; will have to put some more enticing foods out, and construct a bath and a bird-table as well when I can. Perhaps I can lure them eventually - I hope so!

[dc2]

Always see a robin but I too have seen a parakeet on one ocassion.

[Flighty]

More parakeets
.
http://flightplot.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/dscn0851.jpg

[thifasmom]

nice shot flighty

[Flighty]

Thifasmom thanks. Yesterday I stood even closer and watched one on the nut feeder for several minutes. Unfortunately my hands were dirty and the camera was in the shed!

[betula]

The gardeners' friend,the robin kept me company in my customers garden today.Perched on the handle of the wheelbarrow. :)

[Looby Loo]

Spent a couple of hours at Exceat in East Sussex early yesterday taking some pics.  This chap was a little shy and wouldn't let me get too close

and this one didn't hang around long

Bit blury but I wanted to snap him quick before he flew away again.  I sat watching him for about 10 minutes diving into the water.

[Flighty]

Looby Loo I think that you're so lucky to see a kingfisher like that. All I've ever seen is a flash of colour as one has flown past me!

[thifasmom]

oohh lucky you Looby Loo, i'm jealous.

[hellohelenhere]

Hurray! Having seen no small birds at all except for starlings, in the 3 weeks since we moved in, I finally saw a wagtail and a robin within 1 second of each other. The robin came to investigate after we moved a fridge out the garden, exposing lots of woodlice and stuff, I imagine.
It also figured out my impromptu bird table (a board laid on top of a bin) so I hope it will become a regular. It's very tame - happy to be within a few feet of us.

We have red kites here, I was amazed to see. I haven't seen any other birds of prey yet, but the kites are quite in evidence.

[manicscousers]

managed to see a woodpecker in my daughter's garden, first time I've seen any birds there, apart from the normal collared doves and magpies  ::) ;D

[Robert_Brenchley]

Herons aren't easy to creep up to. I remember kingfishers around Sandford Lock on the Thames years ago, they're surprisingly hard to see until they move!

[thifasmom]

on the walk home today saw three pied wagtails ;D

[hopalong]

Just seen a Great spotted woodpecker on my peanut feeder and pecking at my whitebeam tree.  It was a male one with a bright red patch on the back of its crown.  I've never seen one in my garden before in the 20 years we've lived here.  What a thrill! Didn't have my camera to hand though - sod's law.

[calendula]

a big fat thrush, special  because we haven't had them in the garden for several months

[telboy]

After bemoaning (like you do) to the missus that I hadn't seen a Goldfinch this year yet,  I've been putting out Niger seed for ages - and what happens - one arrives, BLESS IM!

[norfolklass]

we had a visit from the local sparrowhawk this morning. I thought it was quiet, normally lots of sparrows having their breakfast, then I saw a big flurry of wings and she landed on top of the trellis and sat surveying the area for a couple of minutes before swooping off. stunning!