Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Garden Bird Chat 2012

Options
  • 21-11-2011 2:26pm
    #1
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭


    From BirdWatchIreland.

    The 2011/12 Garden Bird Survey runs from Monday 28th November to Sunday 26th February. See last years thread

    To take part in the survey online you’ll need to visit the BWI surveys page and register. After that it’s just a matter of filling in the max number of each species that you see at any one time every week.

    Attracting birds to your garden and feeding them need not be an expensive activity. As well as peanuts and seeds that you can buy you can make your own “bird cake” with leftover kitchen fats, and oatmeal, breads (soaked), cheese, nuts and dried fruit. Pieces of fruit can also attract birds that might not otherwise visit. BirdwatchIreland have some good Factsheets and info on feeding wild birds as well as a Garden Bird FAQ.

    For help with identifying the birds that visit your garden you can visit their Ireland’s Birds
    Section. I also find the RSPB Bird identifier useful.

    **This year, as well as suggesting you take part in the BWI survey we’d like you to use this thread to tell us about the birds you see in your garden through the winter, post photographs, share stories, recipes:D, ask questions, id. queries and general garden bird chit chat:)**


«134567

Comments

  • Options
    #2
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Right, registered!


  • Options
    #3
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    Two goldfinches at the feeder within half an hour of putting it out for the first time this year. It's like they were waiting :)


  • Options
    #4
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    I think my male Blackcap was back today! :D Just got a quick look at it, but don't think it was just a Coal Tit.

    Looked like a Goldcrest quickly popping through as well.

    I'm always amazed at how quick they find freshly put out food.


  • Options
    #5
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Blackcap definitely in today, 4 times in about an hour on the fatball feeder.


  • Options
    #6
    doctor evil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    'My' Blackcap has yet to return. Did have about 15 Gold Finches turn up and squabble over who got on the feeder first.

    I haven't seen a Wren or Dunnock in a while.

    I still have berries on the Catoniaster, do you think the mild weather is providing a lot of food?

    I haven't been putting out much food compared to this time last year. No fat balls out as of yet.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #7
    Traonach
    Closed Accounts Posts: 419 ✭✭Traonach


    Got a 25kg bag of Nyjer seed for 28 euros. In the Corn Store in Finglas. Unreal price considering it's usually around 3-5 euros for 1kg of Nyjer. Went a small bit mad and bought 150kg.


  • Options
    #8
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    At least your Goldfinches won't go hungry :D


  • Options
    #9
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    ooh, just had a Bullfinch in to top off my first week's list!


  • Options
    #10
    Hammer Archer
    Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 11,393 Mod ✭✭✭✭Hammer Archer


    Had a treecreeper during the weekend. Never even seen one of them before.


  • Options
    #11
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    I had my first really good look at a Wren in the garden today.

    Also two Robins in together, chasing each other around.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #12
    RonMexico
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,916 ✭✭✭RonMexico


    Rooks are really starting to piss me off. Broke five of my feeders in the past week alone. Stealing all the food left out for smaller birds. Anything I can do? Is there a rook proof feeder out there?


  • Options
    #13
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    How are they breaking them?

    I use a cable tie around the branch, well up the branch so it can't slip off. Then hang a carabiner off that, and the feeder off that. Can't be dislodged.

    Smaller feeders should make it harder for a Rook, whatever about Jackdaws, to get a grip. You could also try to put the feeder into a tree/bush to make it harder for bigger birds to get at.

    I had a Bullfinch in again today. Is there anything I can put out for it at this time of year?


  • Options
    #14
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    I had my first Dunnock back in the garden today since last winter :D


  • Options
    #15
    doctor evil
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,114 ✭✭✭doctor evil


    Had a Dunnock on the fat ball feeder which I put up two days ago, going to couple it with a red peanut feeder.

    Both are tied with string to my Nyger 'defender' feeder. I took the ports off it to keep the Feral Pigeons off it.

    I recall hearing something about red peanut feeders attracting a specific bird?


  • Options
    #16
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    Got a little busier today, including 4 Goldfinch in.

    Come oooooon Redpoll! :D


  • Options
    #17
    siledee
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭siledee


    Please can anyone tell me what food to put out for collared doves that the other birds won't mop up, especially the starlings who eat everything in sight.

    I have a couple of doves who visit often but not every day and I would like to keep them.

    I only feed peanuts, sunflower hearts (in a feeder and on the ground) and fatballs. These seem to suit all my visitors but when the doves come theres nothing left on the ground. Help ??


  • Options
    #18
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,182 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    siledee wrote: »
    Please can anyone tell me what food to put out for collared doves that the other birds won't mop up, especially the starlings who eat everything in sight.

    I have a couple of doves who visit often but not every day and I would like to keep them.

    I only feed peanuts, sunflower hearts (in a feeder and on the ground) and fatballs. These seem to suit all my visitors but when the doves come theres nothing left on the ground. Help ??

    I had a collared dove show up twice this week too, never had one beore was delighted. It just strolled around the garden for a bit and flew off.


  • Options
    #19
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    The Collared Doves in my garden can become a bit of pain sometimes when there's too many of them, at the moment I have 5 regulars and they hoover up the mixed seed.


  • Options
    #20
    Half-cocked
    Registered Users Posts: 4,319 ✭✭✭Half-cocked


    Bsal wrote: »
    The Collared Doves in my garden can become a bit of pain sometimes when there's too many of them, at the moment I have 5 regulars and they hoover up the mixed seed.

    Collard Doves are happy enough with ordinary grain. Can you get a few buckets of grain from a farmer? Put the more expensive mixed seed in feeders that the Doves can't perch on.


  • Options
    #21
    whyulittle
    Registered Users Posts: 3,878 ✭✭✭whyulittle


    I had my first Dunnock of the winter in today, hoovering up under the fat ball feeder.

    Nine Goldfinch in on a mix of feeders.


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #22
    siledee
    Registered Users Posts: 60 ✭✭siledee


    Thanks to all who replied re the collared doves :)

    I had 14 goldfinches yesterday, not so many today. 50+ house sparrows. Few each of great,blue and coaltits. Chaffinches, pied wagtail,two fighting robins and a couple of blackbirds.

    No sign of my doves today :( and no starlings :confused:


  • Options
    #23
    littlebug
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,832 ✭✭✭littlebug


    I've just been watching a bit of a scrap between my resident male blackbird and some young upstart sticking his beak in. Speaking of his beak it was one third yellow and two-thirds black so I'd assume first year? Quite unusual looking.
    Other than my blackbirds I've had mainly goldfinch coming to the feeders with some chaffinch, a couple of greenfinch which is nice to see as they were notably absent last year. Also some blue, great and coaltits. No sign of the siskins yet and no sparrows which is unusual.


  • Options
    #24
    Corruptedmorals
    Registered Users Posts: 4,194 ✭✭✭Corruptedmorals


    One faithful wood pigeon- I got six in snowy weather last year, but always one every day and it's the same now, I'm going to say it's the same one. One robin, one blackbird, 5/6 goldfinches, 7/8 chaffinches, 1 thrush. 5 starlings. No sparrow yet, less starlings- and they don't stay long either, and no collarred doves yet- had the same pair every day last winter..I keep looking out for them.


  • Options
    #25
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    My resident Robin had an intersting day today, two new Robins tried to invade his patch. There was a bit of a stand off at the bottom of the garden between the three of them but by the end of the day my one was back for his normal feed before roosting.


  • Options
    #26
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    I had my first ever Blackcap in the garden today :D, a male one.


  • Options
    #27
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,182 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    Hey folks. Had 6 or 7 new birds show up at the feeders today, went straihgt for the peanuts. At first I thought they were Pied Wagtails but they seemed to have a lot of brown in them, I'm not quite convinced they were Grey Wagtails either. Anything else they could be?

    Also had a small bid that looked like thrush of some sort, would it be a song thrush? Looked to have darker plummage than any pictures I've seen, was roughly the size of a Chaffinch.


  • Options
    #28
    Mothman
    Closed Accounts Posts: 6,498 ✭✭✭Mothman


    Mickeroo wrote: »
    Hey folks. Had 6 or 7 new birds show up at the feeders today, went straihgt for the peanuts. At first I thought they were Pied Wagtails but they seemed to have a lot of brown in them, I'm not quite convinced they were Grey Wagtails either. Anything else they could be?

    Also had a small bid that looked like thrush of some sort, would it be a song thrush? Looked to have darker plummage than any pictures I've seen, was roughly the size of a Chaffinch.

    I'd say the 6 or 7 are Long-tailed Tits. I love watching them! Quite happy to be in a crowd on a single feeder :)

    Song thrush is distinctly larger than a Chaffinch, may it have been a Dunnock?


  • Options
    #29
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    My garden was very busy today, got a few new visitors in a Greenfinch, a Redpoll and a Yellowhammer. Last winter I had up to 7 Yellowhammers from the end of December to about March, I wonder if the one from today is one from last year.


  • Options
    #30
    Bsal
    Registered Users Posts: 1,769 ✭✭✭Bsal


    Also had a small bid that looked like thrush of some sort, would it be a song thrush? Looked to have darker plummage than any pictures I've seen, was roughly the size of a Chaffinch.

    It could have been a Meadow Pipit

    http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/meadowpipit/index.aspx


  • Advertisement
  • Options
    #31
    Mickeroo
    Administrators, Computer Games Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 32,182 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭Mickeroo


    Mothman wrote: »
    I'd say the 6 or 7 are Long-tailed Tits. I love watching them! Quite happy to be in a crowd on a single feeder :)

    Song thrush is distinctly larger than a Chaffinch, may it have been a Dunnock?

    I think you're right on both counts! Looked exactly like this:

    3|0000147b5|c5ed_Long-tailed-tit1.jpg
    Bsal wrote: »
    It could have been a Meadow Pipit

    http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/meadowpipit/index.aspx

    I think it was a dunnock like Mothman said, I'd know a meadow pipit from seeing them hill walking all the time.

    Delighted, thats two first timer species for me today :D


Advertisement