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Garden Birds chat 2011

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13567…22

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    #62
    strettie
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 79 ✭✭strettie


    Photo from today
    148214_1566194033117_1183407079_31493474_8268238_n.jpg


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    #63
    tricky D
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,700 ✭✭✭tricky D


    Damned Snipe flew off twice before I could get the photo.


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    #64
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    Hurray - got our first redpoll today, feeding on the nyjer seed with the goldfinches. (We had a 'yellowpoll' earlier in the year - an escaped bird that had a colour ring and the red patch was yellow, probably from its captive diet).


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    #65
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    One week in and the numbers and species count are growing by the day. Goldfinch by far make up the biggest group but the sparrow and greenfinch finally arrived. Still waiting for siskin.

    Birds from BWI top 20 garden birds that I have never seen in my garden- wren, dunnock, blackcap. Nor have I ever had redpoll in my garden.


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    #66
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    littlebug wrote: »
    Still waiting for siskin.

    No siskins in my garden yet, but my dad has loads in his Bray garden.

    Is it just me or is there a serious lack of redwings and fieldfares? Did the numbers get badly hammered during last winters cold spell?


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    #67
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    really hard morning for the birds around me.

    was putting out some food and one robin came right up and swooped down to take away food inches from my hand.


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    #68
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    anyone seen any waxwings yet?

    I have a lovely tree full of those red berries they like. We usually have a flock visit, maybe later, January/February.


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    #69
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    A flock of 35 waxwings was seen in Sandyford in the last few days.


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    #70
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    thanks, maybe they will make their way up to Belfast soon.
    The goodie tree awaits.


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    #71
    Hammer Archer
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hammer Archer


    Just a quick question: Do pheasants count in this survey?
    We've had a beautiful male pheasant pecking around under our feeders for the last few days.


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    #72
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Hammer Archer wrote: »
    Just a quick question: Do pheasants count in this survey?
    We've had a beautiful male pheasant pecking around under our feeders for the last few days.

    Any bird that you see in your garden counts as far as I know! If you are entering your data online if you click on "add species" at the top of the page you can choose pheasant from the list and it will get added to your list.


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    #73
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Just had a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Was quite near house at first, but had flown away to near top of oak tree before I got it on camera. No interest in feeders.

    6FEB445244AB4174839C65FB629EEFD5-0000317152-0002068765-00479L-BF923D22F76F43F2A9C1F7F5CEDA67FD.jpg


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    #74
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Mothman wrote: »
    Just had a Great Spotted Woodpecker.

    Nice!

    I had my first siskin this morning and the greenfinch and sparrow numbers are growing as are the starlings... 14 of them at one point all hanging out on one shrub.


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    #75
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    I think I've only ever seen Starling once in garden!


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    #76
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    when we first moved into this house we had starlings roosting in part of roof.

    Needless to say, we now have new fascia/ sofits /bargeboard etc. Was this cruel?


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    #77
    trebor28
    Registered Users Posts: 1,051 ✭✭✭trebor28


    went out this morning and put out loads of grain on the ground and then was putting out some peanut butter and a robin took some off the knife i was using.
    so i stood still with some on the end of the knife and he returned a few times for more and a coal tit joined in.

    them coal tits are fair brave for the size of them.

    its amazing to watch the like of the swallows or tits attacking each other in the middle of a bunch of sparrows and finches while they feed away.

    am having right trouble trying to feed all the robin cause they are so territorial, even if they are not eating they wont let any other robins eat!


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    #78
    sables2
    Closed Accounts Posts: 207 ✭✭sables2


    Mothman wrote: »
    Just had a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Was quite near house at first, but had flown away to near top of oak tree before I got it on camera. No interest in feeders.
    Well done Mothman! SUPERB stuff. Your one lucky man to spot this beautiful bird. Never knew we had any great spotted woodpeckers. How the hell did you set your camera up SO quick and get a reasonable shot. :rolleyes:.


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    #79
    Feargal as Luimneach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,139 ✭✭✭Feargal as Luimneach


    Mothman wrote: »
    Just had a Great Spotted Woodpecker. Was quite near house at first, but had flown away to near top of oak tree before I got it on camera. No interest in feeders.
    That's a mega for the Garden Mothman:)
    You should report it to birdwatch Ireland, they are very interested in monitoring the species re-colonisation of Ireland. Putting up a great spotted woodpecker nest box could encourage them to breed at your place. Here is contact detail:
    http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/News/GreatSpottedWoodpeckersNewtoIreland/tabid/568/Default.aspx


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    #80
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    sables2 wrote: »
    Well done Mothman! SUPERB stuff. Your one lucky man to spot this beautiful bird. Never knew we had any great spotted woodpeckers. How the hell did you set your camera up SO quick and get a reasonable shot. :rolleyes:.
    There are quite a few breeding pairs in Wicklow now. There may be vague details on BWI site.
    As for camera, just a little point and shoot, but it has a 10x zoom. Amazing camera and a real point and shoot! Panasonic TZ5

    The bottom of tree is probably about 40m from house and the bird was about 15m up the tree and the shot was taken through a triple glazing.

    My 2nd sighting this Autumn/winter but I had one 5 years ago for a week that twitchers from all over Ireland came to see. This was before of any known breeding and they really were rarely seen.

    BTW my brother saw one in his garden couple days ago, 600m from my garden.
    Although I haven't reported today's sighting yet, I'm in regular contact with personnel monitoring the recolonisation.

    A good idea with regard to nest box


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    #81
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Thread created for Great Spotted Woodpecker. Continue discussion there


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    #82
    Scrappychimow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Scrappychimow


    (MOD NOTE- image snipped)

    Nothing more nutritious to feed the birds than white bread?


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    #83
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Scrappy- you can't make any assumptions about what someone is or isn't feeding the birds from one photograph.

    excerpt on feeding bread below on rspb website
    http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/scraps.aspx
    All types of bread are acceptable to birds, but ideally it should only be just one component in a varied diet. Bread does not contain the necessary protein and fat birds need from their diet, and so it can act as an empty filler. Although bread isn't harmful to birds, try not to offer it in large quantities, since its nutritional value is relatively low. A bird that is on a diet of predominantly, or only bread, can suffer from serious vitamin deficiencies, or starve.

    Only put out an amount of bread that birds will eat in a day. Food left on the ground overnight can attract rats. Soaked bread is more easily ingested than stale dry bread, and brown bread is better than white. Crumbled bread is suitable in small quantities, but moisten if it is very dry. During the breeding season, crumble the bread into tiny pieces so that it is only eaten by the adult birds. Dry chunks of bread will choke baby birds, and a chick on a diet of bread may not develop into a healthy fledgling.


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    #84
    Scrappychimow
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,040 ✭✭✭Scrappychimow


    littlebug wrote: »
    Scrappy- you can't make any assumptions about what someone is or isn't feeding the birds from one photograph.

    excerpt on feeding bread below on rspb website
    http://www.rspb.org.uk/advice/helpingbirds/feeding/whatfood/scraps.aspx
    I know, I know.... But the birdies would like suet ,peanuts and seeds ! especially in this weather :)


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    #85
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    First Redwing today in amongst all the other thrushes.
    Also a Jay passed through yesterday.

    Missed an opportunity for 12 days of Christmas with 8 Pheasants walking across big pond!


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    #86
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    just trying to work if I saw a redwing or a fieldfare at dusk.

    Also, what about salt free muesli, do wee birdies go for it?


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    #87
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    First 2 redwings this morning, but they didn't stay long.


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    #88
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    pic says redwing.


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    #89
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Interesting that a number of us sighted first Redwing today.


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    #90
    Durnish
    Registered Users Posts: 692 ✭✭✭Durnish


    I thought I glimpsed one or two earlier today but didn't have cam or binos ready.
    All east coast? Makes sense I suppose. This is when one misses that Chris Packham nutter (but adorable) on Autumnwatch with his stick-on-bird migration map. Brilliant, so it was.


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    #91
    Hammer Archer
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,391 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hammer Archer


    Had a first Redwing yesterday as well. Lots more to come no doubt. Also had 3 female pheasants join my solitary male pheasant.
    11 Blackbirds as well which is more than I've seen that close together. They were getting quite feisty with each other.


This discussion has been closed.
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