Garden Bird Chat 2012

littlebug

I've had a leucistic jackdaw visit the garden a few times now. Haven't managed a photo yet as they get spooked if they see me at the door. I'll keep trying. He/ she hasn't a lot of white but enough to make him look a bit unusual. He and his little group of friends are very partial to the fat balls and seem to take turns.

littlebug

Oh wow a Bullfinch in my garden this morning, feeding on pyracantha berries. A first in my garden It was too early and dark to get a decent pic.


But later on "my" jackdaw arrived and I managed a few pics this time (through the window so not very clear). He has more white on his breast than I thought.
I think his mate has me spotted

cscook

Love that photo, Littlebug. We had a pet jackdaw for years when I was a kid - fell down the chimney where my dad worked, and by the time he was fledged properly and feeding himself he was too used to cats to let free. Always loved those clear blue/grey eyes, so expressive.

littlebug

cscook wrote: »

Love that photo, Littlebug. We had a pet jackdaw for years when I was a kid - fell down the chimney where my dad worked, and by the time he was fledged properly and feeding himself he was too used to cats to let free. Always loved those clear blue/grey eyes, so expressive.

how long did he live? what did you feed him on?
I do love those steely eyes.

Traonach

littlebug wrote: »

Oh wow a Bullfinch in my garden this morning, feeding on pyracantha berries. A first in my garden It was too early and dark to get a decent pic.


But later on "my" jackdaw arrived and I managed a few pics this time (through the window so not very clear). He has more white on his breast than I thought.
I think his mate has me spotted

A nice find Littlebug, He's a unique looking jackdaw:).

recedite

An Austrian guy, Konrad Lorenz, reared several generations of jackdaws, also geese, many years ago and wrote an interesting book about it all. They were mostly free to come and go from the aviary, as far as I remember.

cscook

littlebug wrote: »

how long did he live? what did you feed him on?
I do love those steely eyes.

I can't remember if he was fourteen or seventeen when he died - it was after I'd flown the coop . A good age, anyway. His main diet was mashed-up hard-boiled eggs. We had a gull with a broken wing one summer, but he was just kept in a big cage in the garden till he was healed up, and as he could fly anyway when he was brought to my folks there was no problem releasing him back. Sardines were his favourite!

First time in about three years we've had a blackcap in the garden. Taken through a rather dirty back door...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n7zsaElV60I

E39MSport

Noticeable increase in activity here this week incl spring calling. Just had a bluetit check out a nest box too.

Does all of this stop if the weather takes a turn for the worst or is there always a gradual increase in activity at this time of calendar year?

I personally thought it was a bit early for spring type activity.

littlebug

I got a better picture of Seán Bán today (I couldn't help but name him:o) showing off his white bits. Every 15 minutes or so a jackdaw or two will land at the feeders and scare away the smaller birds for a little while. They dont stay long though and the finches, tits and sparrows are back in no time. The blackbird has been hanging around all morning too and has pretty much scoffed all the mealworms I put out this morning by himself.

Bsal

I had two Wood Pigeons mating on the roof of another house yesterday, a bit early for that.

Half-cocked

Had some people from Birdwatch around today trying to catch Tree Sparrows for colour ringing. Only caught 1, but also ringed 11 House Sparrows, a Robin, 2 Dunnocks, a Goldfinch, a Linnet and a Great Tit. Some pics below:

Traonach

Half-cocked wrote: »

Had some people from Birdwatch around today trying to catch Tree Sparrows for colour ringing. Only caught 1, but also ringed 11 House Sparrows, a Robin, 2 Dunnocks, a Goldfinch, a Linnet and a Great Tit. Some pics below:

Excellent stuff Half-cocked, I never realised till now that tree sparrows have yellow at the base of the bill. You learn something new everyday:).

Half-cocked

Traonach wrote: »

Excellent stuff Half-cocked, I never realised till now that tree sparrows have yellow at the base of the bill. You learn something new everyday:).

First time I noticed too!

doctor evil

Finally spotted a male Blackcap in the garden yesterday, I'm wondering if it came from somewhere colder? Definitely not a resident bird.

E39MSport

E39MSport wrote: »

Noticeable increase in activity here this week incl spring calling. Just had a bluetit check out a nest box too.

Does all of this stop if the weather takes a turn for the worst or is there always a gradual increase in activity at this time of calendar year?

I personally thought it was a bit early for spring type activity.

Director of the Baotanic gardens on Radio 1 just now commenting on the freak winter temperatures.

He said that some plants have not stopped flowering at all and the the strawberries for example are 2 months early. No long term impact on plants by these freak events.

Ties in with some of the comments on here.

I continue to notice increased activity amongst the garden birds.

Checking out nest boxes.

I thought I would have time to put up larger boxes this year....

I hope the weather doesnt take a late turn once breeding has begun.

Mickeroo

Siskins, redpolls and black caps. I've never had any, much less seen them, is this highly unusual? You guys seem to see them all the time!

Half-cocked

Mickeroo wrote: »

Siskins, redpolls and black caps. I've never had any, much less seen them, is this highly unusual? You guys seem to see them all the time!

I suppose you have to be in a location with suitable habitat and putting out the right food. I've had 1 siskin in 2 years, occasional black caps and regular redpolls. My Dad's garden is swarming with siskins but rarely gets a redpoll.

littlebug

Siskins are always last to my feeders so I think they only really come when they run out of other options. This year so far I think they must have plenty other options as there's no sign of them. I've never had blackcap or redpoll but my feeders are mainly populated by goldfinches. My father in a different part of the country rarely sees goldfinches.

Mickeroo

Chaffinches are my main one, with coal, blue and great tits 2nd. Gold finches are regulars too, used to regularly get greenfinches last year but very rare this year.

Bsal

I had one Carrion Crow visit the garden today, thats a first for me

E39MSport

Bsal wrote: »

I had one Carrion Crow visit the garden today, thats a first for me

Didn't think we had those here

Mothman

E39MSport wrote: »

Noticeable increase in activity here this week incl spring calling. Just had a bluetit check out a nest box too.

Does all of this stop if the weather takes a turn for the worst or is there always a gradual increase in activity at this time of calendar year?

I personally thought it was a bit early for spring type activity.

E39MSport wrote: »

Director of the Baotanic gardens on Radio 1 just now commenting on the freak winter temperatures.

He said that some plants have not stopped flowering at all and the the strawberries for example are 2 months early. No long term impact on plants by these freak events.

Ties in with some of the comments on here.

I continue to notice increased activity amongst the garden birds.

Checking out nest boxes.

I thought I would have time to put up larger boxes this year....

I hope the weather doesnt take a late turn once breeding has begun.

Just a general reply to both messages.
if the weather gets harsh, all this spring activity will stop and birds will be back into survival mode. Its easy going for them now. I've noticed that my hens are not eating as much food...they need less energy to keep warm, so same for the wild birds.
Many species have multiple broods during the season. If one fails they start again and they're not really worse off, but if weather stays favourable, then the early attempt was worth it. It's spreading the eggs

Regarding the weather, ignoring the last 2 winters, it is fairly much the same as many of the previous winters for last 15 years or so. In that context I don't consider them as freak.

E39MSport

Even the past 2 years aside, I was thinking it was exceptionally warm/mild.

Not complaining though

Mothman

First half of Jan 2007 was warmer and Dec 2006 was warmer than Dec 2011.

This from only my own site, but gives indication that while it may be currently exceptionally warm/mild, this in itself is not exceptional or unprecedented

E39MSport

Plethora of Goldfinches at the sunflower feeder this morning.

They rule the show when they turn up.

doctor evil

There was frost this mornig and tonight/last night is very chilly.

Half-cocked

First morning I've had a chance to watch the garden since the ringers were here on Tuesday. Already some surprizes. I thought we had one resident pair of Robins but neither of the pair is ringed, a third ringed bird is present. Also thought we had one resident pair of Dunnocks - we have a ringed pair and an unringed pair!

doctor evil

Female Blackcap spotted in the garden this morning. It was great craic seeing robbins, dunnock, tits and blackcap in the catoniaster which is about 5 foot from my living room window.

Robins are starting to act the wagons by chasing the other birds from the feeder. Nyger seed has been lasting a very long time.

Alun

Mothman wrote: »

Regarding the weather, ignoring the last 2 winters, it is fairly much the same as many of the previous winters for last 15 years or so. In that context I don't consider them as freak.

I was going to say exactly the same thing. Certainly here in Bray, with the exception of the last 2 winters it's been pretty much the same story ... cold snap towards the end of the year, very mild, almost balmy Christmas and well into early spring, causing plants to start growing thinking it's spring only to get zapped by another sudden cold snap before spring proper.

Mothman

I haven't had Rook, Jackdaw, Starling or Sparrows, but yesterday I had not one, but TWO Great Spotted Woodpeckers