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Garden Bird Survey - Winter 2015/16

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  • Registered Users Posts: 9,324 ✭✭✭keps


    Registered:)


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


    Me too. I remember last year, a lot of my birds disappeared as soon as the survey started. Turned out a neighbour started Winter feeding and must have been putting out nicer food!


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭pawrick


    registered, never took part before so thanks for the heads up


  • Registered Users Posts: 581 ✭✭✭axe2grind


    Oh bother, so my 7 Jays were a week early!!! :cool:
    Never seen more than 3 together before, so was quite amazed :)

    Thanks for reminder


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    axe2grind wrote: »
    Oh bother, so my 7 Jays were a week early!!! :cool:
    Never seen more than 3 together before, so was quite amazed :)

    Thanks for reminder

    Had you 7 Jays in the garden? Wow. I was chuffed with one a couple of weeks back.


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  • Registered Users Posts: 581 ✭✭✭axe2grind


    Had you 7 Jays in the garden? Wow. I was chuffed with one a couple of weeks back.
    7 was min count! Reckon it was 8. Foraging for various things, apples, acorns and whatever they seem to be finding in the grass.


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


    Had 6 Long-tailed Tits on the peanut feeder for the first time ever this morning:D No doubt they will never been seen again seeing as the survey starts tomorrow!

    Had a couple of Goldcrests too:D


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators Posts: 49,129 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    we have chickens in the back garden. should i count them?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    Had 6 Long-tailed Tits on the peanut feeder for the first time ever this morning:D No doubt they will never been seen again seeing as the survey starts tomorrow!

    Had a couple of Goldcrests too:D

    Were the Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests actually feeding on the peanuts?

    We have both where we are, but I've never seen either coming to our peanut feeder. Only Great, Coal and Blue Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches, and Dunnocks and the occasional Robins on the ground collecting bits that have fallen.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭savagethegoat


    Jayzesake wrote: »
    Were the Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests actually feeding on the peanuts?

    We have both where we are, but I've never seen either coming to our peanut feeder. Only Great, Coal and Blue Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches, and Dunnocks and the occasional Robins on the ground collecting bits that have fallen.

    No Goldfinches? I'm snowed under with them. Have had a couple of LongTailed visit but not on the feeders. Not had a Goldcrest visit.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    No Goldfinches? I'm snowed under with them. Have had a couple of LongTailed visit but not on the feeders. Not had a Goldcrest visit.

    As above, we have plenty of Goldfinches - and a multitude of other species - around, but they don't come to the peanuts we put out. Usually see the Goldfinches feeding on thistles and other wild plants.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭savagethegoat


    ah , well my Goldfinches go mad for Nyger and Sunflower seeds. but they do also take peanuts


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 392 ✭✭Jayzesake


    ah , well my Goldfinches go mad for Nyger and Sunflower seeds. but they do also take peanuts

    Might have to expand the menu


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭savagethegoat


    Jayzesake wrote: »
    Might have to expand the menu

    I only just started bird feeding so I'm a novice but that's what I did. Peanut consumption gone right down now I have sunflower and njjer available.

    (I also tried a seed mix which none of them went for and fat balls with some success with the Tits


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


    Jayzesake wrote: »
    Were the Long-tailed Tits and Goldcrests actually feeding on the peanuts?

    We have both where we are, but I've never seen either coming to our peanut feeder. Only Great, Coal and Blue Tits, Chaffinches and Greenfinches, and Dunnocks and the occasional Robins on the ground collecting bits that have fallen.

    The Tits had a quick poke at them, then the fat balls, then headed back into the trees. The Goldcrests stayed in the nearby hedge, I've only ever once seen a Goldcrest take food from a feeder.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    I have Long Tailed Tits (record number was 66) and Goldcrest in the garden. They never feed on the nuts or seeds provided.

    Goldfinches attack the peanuts.

    BTO Graden Bird Surveys have shown a marked increase in Goldfinch numbers using gardens.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭pawrick


    Wish i could recognise all the small birds I see in the garden, there are a few dunnock like ones that I'm not sure about. There seems to be a regular breeding pair of long eared owls near my house, I've started hearing two distinct calls at night, it was the same last year around this time and they seem to hunt around my garden as I've seen them a few times passing through to the trees nearby.


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 3,068 Mod ✭✭✭✭OpenYourEyes


    pawrick wrote: »
    Wish i could recognise all the small birds I see in the garden, there are a few dunnock like ones that I'm not sure about. There seems to be a regular breeding pair of long eared owls near my house, I've started hearing two distinct calls at night, it was the same last year around this time and they seem to hunt around my garden as I've seen them a few times passing through to the trees nearby.

    Dunnocks tend to stay low and don't venture too far away from the shelter of a bush, and you're probably unlikely to see more than maybe two at a time? My two Dunnocks have gotten a bit more active and visible in the last couple of weeks.


  • Registered Users Posts: 1,722 ✭✭✭pawrick


    Dunnocks tend to stay low and don't venture too far away from the shelter of a bush, and you're probably unlikely to see more than maybe two at a time? My two Dunnocks have gotten a bit more active and visible in the last couple of weeks.

    thanks for the info. plenty of shelter where i spot them alright but I also throw some food scraps out and seeds when emptying my parrotlet bowls so I get a mix of small birds appearing around the same spot. Haven't put out any feeders this year yet but might start from next weekend.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Bejubby


    Does anybody know how to attract bullfinches to the garden?
    At the moment I have about 10 Goldfinch 4 greenfinch, blue tits great tits Robins sparrows wrens.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 32,688 ✭✭✭✭ytpe2r5bxkn0c1


    Bejubby wrote: »
    Does anybody know how to attract bullfinches to the garden?
    At the moment I have about 10 Goldfinch 4 greenfinch, blue tits great tits Robins sparrows wrens.

    Some people swear by black sunflower seeds for Bullfinch but it never did it for me. Mine feed on the Honeysuckle berries and the buds of my fruit trees. I never considered them a true birdtable species.


  • Registered Users Posts: 581 ✭✭✭axe2grind


    Long-tailed tits been eating peanuts in my garden for years.

    Been a good start to survey with Grey wagtail, Jay and best of all GS woodpecker today. The latter ignored the feeders, just passed through.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Bejubby


    Some people swear by black sunflower seeds for Bullfinch but it never did it for me. Mine feed on the Honeysuckle berries and the buds of my fruit trees. I never considered them a true birdtable species.

    Thanks.
    I've seen them in the locality and seemed to be picking at some sort of tree, IL have to go look and see what it is and maybe take a few clips from it and grow them.

    In the meantime IL try what u said. Lovely looking birds


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


    2 Greenfinches at the nyjer feeder today - very rare visitors to our garden. Now that they have found the feeder, I'm hoping they might become regulars. Plus 3 Bullfinches passing through, another infrequent record.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 270 ✭✭Bejubby


    2 Greenfinches at the nyjer feeder today - very rare visitors to our garden. Now that they have found the feeder, I'm hoping they might become regulars. Plus 3 Bullfinches passing through, another infrequent record.

    What food had you for the bullfinches?


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 2,297 ✭✭✭savagethegoat


    2 Greenfinches at the nyjer feeder today - very rare visitors to our garden. Now that they have found the feeder, I'm hoping they might become regulars. Plus 3 Bullfinches passing through, another infrequent record.

    I counted 36 today before I lost count. Getting to be a pest :-)


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


    Bejubby wrote: »
    What food had you for the bullfinches?

    None, they just passed through the trees at the bottom of the garden. I've never had them on feeders:(


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    axe2grind wrote: »
    best of all GS woodpecker today. The latter ignored the feeders, just passed through.
    What county are you in? Most sightings seem to be along the east coast.


  • Registered Users Posts: 581 ✭✭✭axe2grind


    recedite wrote: »
    What county are you in? Most sightings seem to be along the east coast.
    Same as yourself. Quite regular to hear them drumming when out and about though usually hard to get a good sighting.


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 13,993 ✭✭✭✭recedite


    I heard one once, but have not seen one yet.


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