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Back garden birds

24

Comments

  • #32
    magicbastarder
    Moderators, Category Moderators, Arts Moderators, Sports Moderators, Paid Member Posts: 54,927 CMod ✭✭✭✭magicbastarder


    technically this might not belong here - but we occasionally see bullfinches, but only in our front garden.

    maybe it's a particular plant in our garden, or our neighbour's garden, but i think it's been several years since we saw one in the back garden.



  • #33
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    A busy morning in the back garden with plenty of birds around.

    The black cap has become a bit of a bully. It perches on a branch of the apple tree and chases the blue tits & great tits if they attempt to land on it. There are plenty of feeders in different part of the gardens so they won’t go hungry.

    We made some more hanging feeders last night using a mixture of melted suet blocks and wild bird seed. We used a cut milk carton to let it set. I’m not too sure about the berry mix in the suet blocks but we’ll see how it goes.

    IMG_0172.jpeg IMG_0170.jpeg IMG_0166.jpeg IMG_0162.jpeg IMG_0156.jpeg IMG_0153.jpeg IMG_0154.jpeg




  • #34
    sligeach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,300 ✭✭✭✭sligeach


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121581223#Comment_121581223

    The North wind doth blow,

    And we shall have snow,

    And what will poor robin collared dove do then, poor thing?


    He'll sit in a barn,

    And keep himself warm,

    And hide his bald head under his wing, poor thing.



  • #35
    sligeach
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 22,300 ✭✭✭✭sligeach


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121610075#Comment_121610075

    Starlings are a scourge in my opinion. Noisy, squabbling flying rats I call them. They empty bird feeders, even the ones that are designed to keep squirrels and larger birds at bay.



  • #36
    Goodigal
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 505 ✭✭✭Goodigal


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121623294#Comment_121623294

    Agree. But they are magnificent in a murmuration so I grant them that!!



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  • #37
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 21,540 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    It's strange, we used to get loads of redpolls in the winter, but haven't seen one in ages. The peak was in the heavy snow we had in March 2018 when we were overwhelmed with them, redwings and the odd fieldfare too.

    We're not getting many birds on the feeders at all at the moment as we have the annual visit of a pair of black caps that very aggressively chase off any other birds. Even the usually boisterous goldfinches seem unable to fight them off.



  • #38
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    The black cap in our garden spends so much time chasing the other birds I’m actually surprised it eats any food itself, and it keeps ruining my attempts at a decent photograph.

    IMG_0261.jpeg IMG_0258.jpeg IMG_0251.jpeg IMG_0246.jpeg IMG_0239.jpeg IMG_0240.jpeg IMG_0234.jpeg IMG_0227.jpeg IMG_0224.jpeg IMG_0221.jpeg IMG_0220.jpeg IMG_0213.jpeg


    One of the local cats has been prowling around too. But the birds have safety in numbers.



  • #39
    Mech1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Mech1


    DSCN1304.JPG

    One of the Starlings in my area is no more, RIP.

    Delighted to be able to see this guy visit today.



  • #40
    Mech1
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,181 ✭✭✭Mech1


    I have more grey squirrel than you can shake a walnut tree at and plenty of garden song birds of all types, happy enough to sacrifice a starling.



  • #41
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    Great photo, I would love to see a sparrowhawk in the garden.



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  • #42
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_0410.jpeg IMG_0409.jpeg IMG_0405.jpeg IMG_0404.jpeg IMG_0397.jpeg IMG_0387.jpeg IMG_0376.jpeg IMG_0373.jpeg IMG_0408.jpeg IMG_0398.jpeg IMG_0394.jpeg IMG_0370.jpeg IMG_0371.jpeg IMG_0366.jpeg IMG_0349.jpeg IMG_0338.jpeg IMG_0315.jpeg

    Had a couple of siskins in the garden over the last few days.

    The black cap seems to have calmed down a bit too.

    Still haven’t seen a coal tit in the garden.



  • #43
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    Got a text from my better half yesterday evening while I was out.

    image.png




  • #44
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    The bald collared dove is still around

    IMG_0434.jpeg IMG_0435.jpeg




  • #45
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_1800.jpeg IMG_1798.jpeg IMG_1711.jpeg IMG_1710.jpeg

    A few catch up photos



  • #46
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    The goldfinches are back in the garden, they may have started a gang war with the house sparrows.



  • #47
    appledrop
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 7,621 ✭✭✭appledrop


    Delighted with the garden birds this morning, all the regulars but also a blackcap this morning feeding on apple in garden and two bullfinches( one male one female) keeping an eye out from the hedge.



  • #48
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122997853#Comment_122997853

    I'm jealous, we have only seen a bullfinch in the garden twice in the last 2 years.

    Lots of regulars this year though,
    Great Tit
    Blue Tit
    Coal Tit (new visitors this year)
    House Sparrows
    Gold Finches (we counted 40 in the garden on Christmas Day)
    Chaffinches
    Robin….he's quite social & will feed from a tray while I hold it.
    Black Cap…he's a daft bugger who chases everything else. Some days we have had 2 in the garden at one time. I'm not sure if this is unusual or not.
    Wren…..we have seen him a few times but not very often.

    The pests…..Collared Doves, Pigeons, and bloody Starlings.

    I have to wash the paving stones twice a week. I'll upload some photos when I get a chance.



  • #49
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_2444.jpeg IMG_2445.jpeg IMG_2447.jpeg IMG_2448.jpeg IMG_2449.jpeg IMG_2430.jpeg IMG_2431.jpeg IMG_2443.jpeg IMG_2442.jpeg IMG_2421.jpeg IMG_2423.jpeg IMG_2422.jpeg IMG_2452.jpeg IMG_2451.jpeg IMG_2450.jpeg

    A few pics from the Birdfy feeder & camera.



  • #50
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_2411.jpeg IMG_2398.jpeg IMG_2400.jpeg IMG_2392.jpeg IMG_2391.jpeg IMG_2382.jpeg IMG_2379.jpeg IMG_2378.jpeg IMG_2308.jpeg IMG_2227.jpeg

    Green finch visits sometimes too



  • #51
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_2541.jpeg IMG_2542.jpeg

    This is the first time I’ve seen a Red Wing in the garden.



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  • #52
    Alun
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2, Paid Member Posts: 21,540 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123037358#Comment_123037358

    We had loads of them during the Beast from the East but not since.



  • #53
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    Blackcap standoff.

    we have had 3 in the garden together on a few occasions recently. Aggressive little fellas!

    IMG_2622.jpeg IMG_2623.jpeg


  • #54
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    A few photos captured with the Birdfy Mini Bamboo feeder. The cage is around it to keep the starlings & collared dives out.

    IMG_2666.jpeg IMG_2671.jpeg IMG_2670.jpeg IMG_2672.jpeg IMG_2673.jpeg IMG_2669.jpeg IMG_2668.jpeg


  • #55
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 0 ✭ [Deleted User]


    How accurate is the Merlin app? I was in St. Anne's park and heard a strange call, the app said it was a Eurasian Hoopoe, pity I couldn't see it. Here is a hungry Starling, wonder if he's learned his lesson.

    IMG_20230929_180450.jpg


  • #56
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    We’ve had a pair of robins hanging around the garden all day today.

    I finally got them in the same photo. We had a nesting pair a few years ago so it would be great to get another pair.

    IMG_2674.jpeg


  • #57
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    IMG_2702.jpeg IMG_2703.jpeg IMG_2705.jpeg

    Siskins have arrived in the back garden today.



  • #58
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    A few pics from the feeders today

    IMG_2709.jpeg IMG_2712.jpeg IMG_2713.jpeg IMG_2720.jpeg IMG_2722.jpeg IMG_2731.jpeg IMG_2727.jpeg


  • #59
    vandriver
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 3,479 ✭✭✭vandriver


    https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/123116782#Comment_123116782
    20241117_110433.jpg

    Here's one I saw on my holidays in Tenerife.



  • #60
    SEORG
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 884 ✭✭✭SEORG


    Had a pair of long-tailed tits visiting over the last few weeks. Finally got a couple of snaps through the kitchen window.

    IMG_2797.jpeg IMG_2794.jpeg IMG_2788.jpeg IMG_2785.jpeg IMG_2789.jpeg


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  • #61
    NIMAN
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 36,714 ✭✭✭✭NIMAN


    I've put up a few feeders over the last couple of months, but I've had a couple destroyed as well.

    I'm assuming crows are to blame? The hangers actually ended up on the ground, pulled off the branches.



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