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

[jayne lee wilson]

Thrilled to see the first Buzzard of 2014 today. I'd taken my coffee, cat and Guardian down to the bench behind the orchard, warmed by the sun with a broad view of the sky and trees. Suddenly the Jackdaws, whose creche this year is bigger and noisier than ever, let off a terrific fusillade of cackles, as they all took off from the old oak treetops together. Then a Common Buzzard swept into view, quite low above the apple trees, the sun shining through the lovely wing-markings. From this time last year I saw them regularly until September and hope for the same again. I guess their young have hatched and they need a supply of fresh Jackdaw or Pigeon.
Here in North Liverpool we'd only seen Buzzards very rarely until 2013, and it's a tribute to the RSPB predator-protection schemes (despite cynical & illegal actions by greedy hunts and shoots like that in the Trough of Bowland) that birds of prey are more numerous now. Wonderful, beautiful creatures!

There's a poignant tie-in with those Vulture films, JC, (which I saw earlier this year), where (IIRC), widespread use of a drug (diclofenac) to treat livestock has seriously reduced their numbers, and they are also harmed by poachers who kill elephants, rhinos etc with poison that the Vultures ingest from the carcass. All this leaves a vast amount of rotting carcasses which poison the environment, the water supply, humans and animals. Those maligned Vultures had a vital role in a healthy, self-regulating environment.

[Dave2002]

You got me checking the differences between red kites and buzzards. There are similarities - and also differences. Buzzards apparently feed mostly on small mammals - rodents etc.

A somewhat different issue - should we put out bird food for birds during the summer, when presumably most birds can look after themselves? We might do that for possibly selfish reasons, to encourage interesting birds to come into our gardens, but does it lead to dependency which doesn't really do the natural populations much good?

Birds seem very adaptable, observant and at times even clever. If we value the presence of birds then there is some merit in feeding them during the winter, but is this really necessary, or even desirable, during the summer?

[Lento]

should we put out bird food for birds during the summer

It's nice for us bird-lovers to attract them into the garden all year round, and the RSPB suggests there are benefits in case there are food shortages (eg in dry weather). Sadly, I suspect the birds would probably often be better off spending more time in the woods and finding natural food there. Also I have to make sure that feral pigeons and starlings do not become too numerous and annoy the neighbours!

[Bryn]

All I have actually seen to day are wood pigeons, but that's mainly because I have not been out and about. A fair cacophony of varies species can be heard, however (though at this time of day they're pretty quiet, on the whole. Got my renewal RSPB membership cards in the post, along with an entreaty to take out life fellowship for the knock-down price of £900. I'll have to live to 91 and a few months to make that work to my pecuniary advantage. However, working over the winter means the bank balance could stand it, so ...

[amateur51]

Just seen my first-ever goldfinch on the seed-feeder in this garden - YAY!!

[jayne lee wilson]

You got me checking the differences between red kites and buzzards. There are similarities - and also differences. Buzzards apparently feed mostly on small mammals - rodents etc.

A somewhat different issue - should we put out bird food for birds during the summer, when presumably most birds can look after themselves? We might do that for possibly selfish reasons, to encourage interesting birds to come into our gardens, but does it lead to dependency which doesn't really do the natural populations much good?

Birds seem very adaptable, observant and at times even clever. If we value the presence of birds then there is some merit in feeding them during the winter, but is this really necessary, or even desirable, during the summer?

Red Kites in North Liverpool? I wish! Their welcome southerly abundance appears not to have reached us yet. I've only ever seen them years ago on a memorable trip to South Wales (with a dedicated birder, just to see the kites - in a green mini-cooper...)
But be in no doubt that Buzzards catch birds - they've been known to target Sparrowhawks and rob them, Skua-like, of their pigeon-prey. The rodent population here is largely of garden mice and shrews, hidden in long grass. The buzzards may take rabbits further out in the country but they're drawn here by the large numbers of pigeons and jackdaws. Who respond appropriately, swooping or gathering noisily around the predator!

As for garden feeding, given the changes in farmlands, the lack of woods and hedgerows, and the inconsistency of the insect/vegetation food supply due to climate and garden chemicals, there's every reason to help the birds out all year. The increasing populations of such as Long-Tailed Tits and Goldfinches show how successful it is!

[cloughie]

Just seen my first-ever goldfinch on the seed-feeder in this garden - YAY!!

Ams is that a general seed-feeder or a goldfinch special nyjer seed.

[Padraig]

Well done amateur. Let others revel in their troupes of vultures with perchance a red kite or two - they can't hold a candle to the beauty of the little goldfinch. I had my first earlier this year and today there came visiting a mammy, a daddy and three little ones. Do you ever feel like DH Lawrence did in Snake that you are privileged that the princes of Nature choose your garden?

[VodkaDilc]

I have only just discovered this interesting thread. I started going through it to see if anyone else was suffering from a huge influx of jackdaws. They arrive in their dozens each morning and seem to have got the hang of the supposedly big-bird-resistant birdfeeders. I read somewhere that they are likely to disperse in a few weeks - I hope that's true. On the other hand, I read somewhere else that if we choose to feed birds we cannot be too selective. I must admit that it was quite touching when, later in the day, a solitary jackdaw returned with its only slightly smaller offspring and put food into the younger one's mouth, as it squawked for attention. The huge influx in the morning reminds me of the bully gang going into the school playground. The regular birds disappear into the bushes and return when all is quiet again.

I am lucky in the range of birds I see here. Great spotted woodpeckers spend hours on the nut feeder, while a green woodpecker jumps around on the lawn - coming within feet of the back door last night. There's a regular array of woodpigeons and collared doves strutting around, as well as the usual 'little birds'. However, nothing bigger than the woodpecker has attempted the bird feeder until the recent arrival of the jackdaws. Even magpies never attempt to feed on them, just joining the other birds in sweeping up the residue underneath.

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Yes - congrats, Ami. Goldfinches are the most colourful visitors to my garden - I'd recently been wondering why I hadn't seen them so much; the answer lies in cloughie's post - neglected the nyjer seed! (Insert much-missed <doh> emoticon.)

In addition to the family of Housemartins, I also have a family of Blackbirds nesting in the Laburnham tree in the back garden. Everything (flora and fauna) is flourishing so wonderfully at the moment - no wonder no one's tempted by the Simfonia Domestica!

[amateur51]

Ams is that a general seed-feeder or a goldfinch special nyjer seed.

General seed mix cloughie - my local pet shop used to be my supplier of choice but he's retired so I'm grabbing what I can, where I can.

Have you had much success with nyjer seed? Do you need a special dispenser for it?

[amateur51]

Well done amateur. Let others revel in their troupes of vultures with perchance a red kite or two - they can't hold a candle to the beauty of the little goldfinch. I had my first earlier this year and today there came visiting a mammy, a daddy and three little ones. Do you ever feel like DH Lawrence did in Snake that you are privileged that the princes of Nature choose your garden?

That's exactly how I feel Padraig

[ferneyhoughgeliebte]

Have you had much success with nyjer seed? Do you need a special dispenser for it?

There's a photo in the slide show at the top of this RSPB site, ami:

http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldfinch/

... I generally mix it in with a general seed mix: seems very popular.

[cloughie]

General seed mix cloughie - my local pet shop used to be my supplier of choice but he's retired so I'm grabbing what I can, where I can.

Have you had much success with nyjer seed? Do you need a special dispenser for it?

I have one of these - they seem to like it - at times I've had half a dozen feeding plus a queue. Recently had family approach with young not yet with red head sitting in the tray to feed.

[Lento]

I don't bother with nyjer at all: goldfinches seem to be hungry little birds and readily tuck into a good general seed mix.