What birds (are you/have you been) watching? What birds have been watching you?

[Vox Humana]

Real conversational tone to the bird’s remarks. Wish I spoke capercaillie!

I thought it had a whiff of fakery about it.

We've had an immature Black Redstart in the garden for the last four or five days. Very nice to see it sticking around. It's very elusive though.

[ardcarp]

Saw a goldcrest in our garden this morning. We have a retired pear-tree which is smothered with ivy and is a haven for secretive birds. I saw one such popping in and out, and got Mrs A to work with the binoculars. Confirmed as a goldcrest. A lovely little bird.

[Maclintick]

Farmoor this afternoon: a 27-strong flotilla of what I surmise to be Barnacle Geese -- smaller than Canadas, & with more white on the face and underparts..

[eighthobstruction]

....watched 2 Hedge Sparrows knock the hell out of each other, pinning each other to the ground, went on for a couple of minutes - 3-4 others nipped in for a 10 second difference of opinion....really needed slow motion photography to see what really going on.....

[kernelbogey]

This morning I noticed blackbirds singing when it had been getting light for some time... possibly around 0600. Nothing unusual about that at this time of year, except that I had the impression then that I hadn't been hearing them, as I usually would, from about the second week of January.

Now I may for some reason not have noticed them... but I did wonder whether climate change, and the very wet weather of the recent weeks, might have delayed the timing of their recommencing singing after their winter silence.

I hope some here more knowledgabe than I may have an opinion, or evidence.

[jayne lee wilson]

The Robins sang all through the Winter as usual, but - yes, I didn't hear so many Blackbirds along with them....and the Dawn Chorus still seems very muted....best to wait for the Storms to die down...some warmer temperatures...

The saddest absence locally so far is the Mistle Thrush - I've seen them on the wing, further out into the country, but not much song yet; they are usually the first to begin, late winter, up high from the topmost.
Song Thrushes became extinct locally years ago, though I still hear one or two deep in the Woods....

Next, I need to time my walk to see if any Woodcocks still rode..... I know their old path.....but years since I even checked...

[oddoneout]

This morning I noticed blackbirds singing when it had been getting light for some time... possibly around 0600. Nothing unusual about that at this time of year, except that I had the impression then that I hadn't been hearing them, as I usually would, from about the second week of January.

Now I may for some reason not have noticed them... but I did wonder whether climate change, and the very wet weather of the recent weeks, might have delayed the timing of their recommencing singing after their winter silence.

I hope some here more knowledgabe than I may have an opinion, or evidence.

This rather mirrors what I had been thinking the past few days. There doesn't seem to be much birdsong first thing, nor during the day; the small birds are around but they seem to be spending much of their time quietly hunkered into bushes - can't say I blame them! What is a bit worrying is that even when the weather eases up they haven't been much in evidence either visually or aurally. Today was rather gusty, but sunny right through, but apart from a scolding blue tit, an occasional phlegmy cough from a jay and some grumbles from the rooks, the avaian soundtrack to my gardening was noticeable by its absence.

[jayne lee wilson]

This rather mirrors what I had been thinking the past few days. There doesn't seem to be much birdsong first thing, nor during the day; the small birds are around but they seem to be spending much of their time quietly hunkered into bushes - can't say I blame them! What is a bit worrying is that even when the weather eases up they haven't been much in evidence either visually or aurally. Today was rather gusty, but sunny right through, but apart from a scolding blue tit, an occasional phlegmy cough from a jay and some grumbles from the rooks, the avaian soundtrack to my gardening was noticeable by its absence.

Have you got many feeders up? My RSPB ones are thronged with all the tits and finches, Dunnocks and Robins too, and I hear a continuous treetop twitter for most of the day, most of all from those Goldfinches, ....(two Nyjer Seed dispensers a little further away from the house...)....

[Pulcinella]

The swans are back on our estate lakes.
Hope they're more successful raising some offspring this year: we never did find out what became of the cygnets last year.

[ardcarp]

Farmoor this afternoon: a 27-strong flotilla of what I surmise to be Barnacle Geese -- smaller than Canadas, & with more white on the face and underparts..

Lovely! Can any expert on here point out the differences between barnacle geese and brent geese? I've always been a bit shaky on goose recognition,

PS We've had a very vociferous blackbird here for weeks...maybe two because there were some big on-the-ground- squabbles in mid-Feb.

[Vox Humana]

Lovely! Can any expert on here point out the differences between barnacle geese and brent geese? I've always been a bit shaky on goose recognition,

Brent Geese have totally black heads and necks, apart from a small white collar. Barnacle Geese have mainly white heads, apart from a black crown. In fact you might be more like to confuse Barnacle Goose with Canada Goose. This page is good. You can select different species and well as the photos:

https://www.birdid.no/bird/eBook.php?specieID=1313&compareSpecieID=1984

[ardcarp]

Thanks, Vox. That link is perfect. I don't think we see many barnacle geese in our (SW) region.

[Vox Humana]

Thanks, Vox. That link is perfect. I don't think we see many barnacle geese in our (SW) region.

No. Sadly, they are rather rare visitors to the South-West and then usually only singletons amongst flocks of Brent Geese, or Canada Geese.

[LezLee]

Apart from my robin who sings his melancholy song throughout the winter, I haven't heard any singing. However, there's been a male blackbird going in and out of the eaves of the house opposite, for about 4 weeks now. Could it possibly be prospecting for a home? It's adjacent to the boiler outlet so could be quite warm. Strange behaviour for this time of year, specially as there are lots of suitable trees and bushes.

[Joseph K]

Have you got many feeders up? My RSPB ones are thronged with all the tits and finches, Dunnocks and Robins too, and I hear a continuous treetop twitter for most of the day, most of all from those Goldfinches, ....(two Nyjer Seed dispensers a little further away from the house...)....

I too hear a continuous twitter through most the day. We're lucky living near a lake with lots of woodland. My sister in Birmingham doesn't get many birds...