The birds are back

[MrsKP]

dozens of sparrows playing in the garden.

One was already trying to get the onion sets out (only planted this morning) and pecking like mad at the fleece !

a few others have discovered the gravel in the greenhouse and are now dustbathing in it !

Very funny to watch, but I'll be out with the Jeyes once they've gone to bed.

[MrsKP]

[Trixiebelle]

I love 'spadgers'  ;D Luckily we've still got them round 'these parts'.

But I tell you what I haven't seen for ages ... a starling  :(

We had loads of them in the garden when I was a kid - and nesting in the roof as well! My dad once decided to block up the holes under the eaves with a few of my old Beano comics  ::)

'WOOHOOOOOOOO' said the starlings! 'Something to make a nest out of and something to read at bedtime as well'  ;D

They were nesting in the roof above my bedroom. So I knew that they hadn't been deterred by the comics. Instead of hearing them scrabbling about I could hear them tittering at the jokes pages.

[MrsKP]

we had quite a few a little while ago, but they disappeared.

we had one yesterday though so they are still around, just not on my feeders.

;D

[Trixiebelle]

Scatter a few Beano Comics around Mrs. KP  ;D

[MrsKP]

if i had any of them, i'd be flogging them on ebay !

lol

[muddy boots]

Trixibelle, give me a flight plan - you can have all ours - right pests they are, bullying all the spadgers, blackbirds, finches and the like.  Very greedy they are!  But I have to admit they are clean!  Fight for space in the flowing bird bath - spadgers have their bath in the spray! :o

[lorna]

Yes glad to say the birds are back.. Perhaps they went on their holidays. Today there were six sparrows and four greenfinches on the feeders with a further eight sparrows waiting their turn. Saw Mr Blackbird feeding and just a couple of starlings. I thought they had deserted me. I am going to buy some more niger seed to try and entice some finches. The last lot got thrown away as it wasn't eaten. Heres hoping.

[MrsKP]

i bought a huge (25kg) bag of seed which the meeces found in the hall cupboard !

between us and next door, i think we've caught 8 or so in the past few nights.

OH is now the meece catcher !

[Toadspawn]

There have been less birds recently but no complete absence.
I have had niger seed up for ages and although it is supposed to attract Goldfinches they rarely feed on it, the four around at the moment  preferring the sunflower hearts. At present there are about six Greenfinches eating this niger seed but they also prefer the sunflower hearts. The most common bird on niger seed is the Siskin although there are only about six at present  the number increases to approx 50 as the winter sets in. They also seem to prefer the sunflower hearts. In fact sunflower hearts are eaten by many other birds including Robin, Chaffinch, Nuthatch and Sparrow. I throw mixed birdseed on the lawn and can get up to 30 Sparrows at a time.  Some Blue and Great Tits on the peanuts but no Coal Tits or Long Tailed Tits yet but they will come. No Blackbirds, Thrushes or Starlings yet. A few weeks ago a Yellow Hammer appeared. Last year I had on average 18 diferent species visiting on a very regular basis.

[Obelixx]

I have loads of birds but no variety.  There is a resident flock of about 50 sparrows getting through 15 fat and seed balls per day.  It would be more but I have my limits.  Ialso have a loose seed feeder and 3 peanut dispensers but these are not so popular. 

The assorted tits are notably absent as are the chaffinches, greenfinches, garden warblers, siskins, robins, wren, black redstarts, blackbird and woodpeckers.  I hope they will return as winter sets in and that they are just feeding naturally in the nearby woods and have not met with some mishap or disease.

[Carol]

Well mine aren't back yet  :'( :'( :'(    got one fat Woodpigeon, 6 collared doves, 2 fighting robins or more.....  1 chaffinch and 2 young and 2 adult goldfinches this morning.  3 sparras and loads and loads of butterflies.
:-\ :-\ :-\   

[lorna]

Carol. Crying?? There would be a smile on my face all day if I could have...robin,chaffinch, goldfinch. Maybe they will visit me this winter, I keep trying :)

[Carol]

Am sure you will Lorna.  Try them Sunflower heart seeds and put em in a feeder and maybe just a small bag of nyger this year and of course the peanuts.  You did get some greenfinches last winter.  They will find their way to you one of them days.   :D :D :D   I dont get the same amount of birds I used to get  from 10 yrs ago.  Times they are a changing.    :o

[lorna]

Carol. Yes I am glad to say that the greenfinches along with loads of sparrows are visiting daily again. Today there were 11 sparrows/greenfinches  perching on the wispy bits of the conifers waiting their turn for the feeders ;D