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

[Serial_Apologist]

If you started something more general we could perhaps merge the birds and wildflower threads?

It would require a broader heading than those two, I would think. I just want to air the proposal in case some who might be very protective of this thread of nearly 3000 posts might object to any merging.

[gradus]

Lots of birdsong this morning. Ten minutes with Merlin in the garden identified Dunnock, Robin, Wren, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Pigeon, Blackcap, Goldfinch and Blue Tit.

[kernelbogey]

I noticed a blackbird singing shortly after 0600 this morning: it seemed a bit earlier than I had noticed recently, although I can't say I've really observed times. But it set me wondering if climate change is having an effect - or is it just light levels?

He's now singing just after 0530. So in about three weeks his singing has started about 45 minutes earlier.

[Sir Velo]

He's now singing just after 0530. So in about three weeks his singing has started about 45 minutes earlier.

Which coincides with the dawn being 45 minutes earlier.

[smittims]

I've yet to hear a blackbird this spring; often they start in late February round here. The magpies ad pigeons have dirscovered how to get their heads and beaks under the canopy of our bird table , which was supposed to keep the bread for the smaller birds. On a positive note, our new cat seems to take no interest in birds, so we are hoping this will continue.

[Sir Velo]

A very tuneful songster but I wish he'd have a lie in at weekends!

[kernelbogey]

Which coincides with the dawn being 45 minutes earlier.

Indeed, Sir, your point is well made. (I didn't do the necessary check. ) I believe this dawn song is territorial, no? The early bird catches the rival's ear, so to speak.

[oddoneout]

I've yet to hear a blackbird this spring; often they start in late February round here. The magpies ad pigeons have dirscovered how to get their heads and beaks under the canopy of our bird table , which was supposed to keep the bread for the smaller birds. On a positive note, our new cat seems to take no interest in birds, so we are hoping this will continue.

The next door neighbour has a decorative metal structure from which to hang bird feeders. Recently a rook has worked out how to get at the mesh tube containing fat balls, having previously exhausted the possibilities of the three-quarter coconut shell. My neighbour is irritated by the development and has been trying to foil the attempts, but as he can't see the birds in action(fence between the back of the house and the site of the bird feeder) his efforts so far haven't been of much use. Yesterday I was amused to see latest developments. Wire strung across the arms of the base structure, presumably to prevent the rook reaching the feeders from the arms, has been treated with the contempt it deserves, but the filling of the coconut shell with seed has been welcomed. The rook pulled up the length of string from which it dangled with his beak, pinned it under a claw, and helped himself to the contents. When the string slipped it was just hauled back up again. The small birds, especially the dunnocks, do well out of it - bits of fat and quantities of seed end up on the ground under the shrubs where the pigeons can't get at it but they can.

[smittims]

Terrific!

[oddoneout]

Sightings of several raptors on Thursday was a pleasure. Unfortunately I was driving on a busy main road at the time, so a group of 5 birds over a copse beside the road could only be afforded a brief glance. Three were definitely buzzards, one I wasn't sure about but the 5th was definitely not a buzzard but I couldn't see what it was. A short distance up the road a bird was hovering over the road so I ended up driving underneath it and was able to see it was a kite - it's possible that the 5th bird in the previous sighting was also a kite.

[Serial_Apologist]

I've yet to hear a blackbird this spring; often they start in late February round here. The magpies ad pigeons have dirscovered how to get their heads and beaks under the canopy of our bird table , which was supposed to keep the bread for the smaller birds. On a positive note, our new cat seems to take no interest in birds, so we are hoping this will continue.

Nor me, though admittedly I don't rise until around nine in the morning these days; however I did notice with great delight that a couple of song thrushes were the first to announce the coming spring, having observed their sad reduction in numbers over a couple of decades at least. Carrions are by far the commonest of the crow family in these parts, followed by magpies, then oddly enough jays, with rooks and jackdaws a long way down the scale. The carrions are becoming incredibly tame, or at least trusting of humans, often not at all bothered by being walked past a few feet away, unlike grey squirrels, which one might think are wise to our dislike of them: overfed, oversexed and over here.

[mikealdren]

We moved last summer and inherited an old apple tree with lots of bird feeders (in addition to those we bought), all are squirrel proof!?!?! They.ve found out how to shake the contents onto the grass below where they and the pigeons gorge themselves.
We saw a great solution in Cornwall a while ago, the bird feeders are hung within a chicken wire cage so squirrels and lager birds (parakeets round here) can't get at them. Time for some DIY.

[oddoneout]

We moved last summer and inherited an old apple tree with lots of bird feeders (in addition to those we bought), all are squirrel proof!?!?! They.ve found out how to shake the contents onto the grass below where they and the pigeons gorge themselves.
We saw a great solution in Cornwall a while ago, the bird feeders are hung within a chicken wire cage so squirrels and lager birds (parakeets round here) can't get at them. Time for some DIY.

Avian lager louts? They are noisy I admit, and can cause damage.

[gradus]

Singing in the garden this morning: Blackbird, Dunnock, Thrush, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wren and House Sparrow, with noises off from Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon, all courtesy of Merlin.

[vinteuil]

Singing in the garden this morning: Blackbird, Dunnock, Thrush, Marsh Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Skylark, Greenfinch, Chaffinch, Wren and House Sparrow, with noises off from Jackdaw and Wood Pigeon, all courtesy of Merlin.

... I don't know your location, but that's a more impressive roll-call than we usually get here in Hammersmith!

Mind you, Merlin had something of a hiccup just now - it identified our usual roster of blackbirds, robin, parakeets &c - and then suddenly 'identified' a pygmy cupwing (Pnoepyga pusilla). Don't often see them in Shepherd's Bush...



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