EddieB Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Absolutely delighted to see a treecreeper in my "local patch" this afternoon. They used to be fairly common (but never that easy to see), until a wet spring three years ago(?) when they disappeared. This was my first sighting since then - a celebration is called for! I also enjoyed watching a pair of nuthatches foraging and tapping at the tree bark like miniature woodpeckers. They've nested there in previous years - let's hope they do so again this year. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 ....excellent bird days in the garden just now....spent 5 mins watching a wren exploring the flora in the flower pots today, looking for mites etc. Feeders being emptied quickly by the gatherings of regular suspects. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted March 10, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 10, 2015 We had a lesser redpoll (according to rspb website) in the garden yesterday never seen one here before. Are they quite rare? We are very lucky here in north Norfolk with the amount of different species we get on the feeders. An unexpected bonus of putting food out we have a semi tame wood mouse which sits by the side of a pond eating and just looks at us. When we had a cold snap I was doing some modeling in the shed only to find him sitting on a shelf looking at me! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 (edited) ....common here December to June Russ but we have friends living 10 miles away who have never seen one so choosy seems to sum them up...there are migratory and resident flocks. Bird guide shows Norfolk as the same as here. Dave Edited March 10, 2015 by Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 2 goldcrests regularly visit the Xmas tree in my garden, flitting from branch to branch looking for insects. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Mallard60022 Posted March 11, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 11, 2015 If I stretch my garden to near Barnsley (Wentworth 'Castle') I can tell you about the fantasic Nuthatch I heard calling and then saw for a good half hour yesterday lunchtime. I've seen them before but never heard the call. Lovely and very loud. After about twenty minutes another male (presumably) turned up and started competing!!!!! At home we now have a 'new' single, male Chaffy that's turned up this week. Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Bird seed and nuts hanging out in open view of birds for the last week. The hanging stand is situated in an open part of the garden, clear lines of sight so approaching cate can be seen. Trees within a few feet. No visitors yet. Not even a dicky bird! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Horsetan Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 I seem to have developed a new species of feral pigeon recently: the humming pigeon. Basically, these flying rats have now perfected the art of hovering around the hanging cylinder feeders whilst simultaneously filching the contents. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 ....we use the covered bird table with reduced access approach.....stiff nylon garden mesh sides with gaps big enough for a collared dove but not a pigeon. The pigeons never have mastered eating at the table...they're just not nimble enough to get into it. The only food which pigeons eat in our garden is windfalls from other birds feeding. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Bird seed and nuts hanging out in open view of birds for the last week. The hanging stand is situated in an open part of the garden, clear lines of sight so approaching cate can be seen. Trees within a few feet. No visitors yet. Not even a dicky bird! ....maybe your neighbours are offering better nosh (higher calorific value)...birds aren't daft.....try something like niger seed or sunflower hearts but only put out a small amount to begin with as it takes a while for them to accept a new feeding area and your seed can go off in the meantime. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonny777 Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 Bird seed and nuts hanging out in open view of birds for the last week. The hanging stand is situated in an open part of the garden, clear lines of sight so approaching cate can be seen. Trees within a few feet. No visitors yet. Not even a dicky bird! Don't give up hope just yet. I know that a week seems a long time, but you may not be aware of just how much regular food has been put out in other gardens over a period of many years, which the birds are used to. Birds appear to be creatures of habit, and they seem naturally suspicious of anything new - even if it is full of food. I bought a new circular shaped fat ball feeder which held about 12 fat balls as against my old vertical one's 4. The birds virtually ignored it for about 10 days, even though they had been feeding from the old one at very regular intervals, and there are other well used seed and nut feeders nearby in the garden. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 (edited) Our Blackbird population has been reduced by one - we were visited by a Mr Sparrow-hawk this morning , who spent around an hour despatching, plucking and eating on the patio right outside the kitchen window - guess who got the job of clearing up the pile of feathers? Edited March 23, 2015 by shortliner Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2015 Blue tits are now nest building in the boxes we put up, the amount of 'fluff' they are taking in would make a 15 tog duvet! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Premium Share Posted March 23, 2015 Don't give up hope just yet. I know that a week seems a long time, but you may not be aware of just how much regular food has been put out in other gardens over a period of many years, which the birds are used to. Birds appear to be creatures of habit, and they seem naturally suspicious of anything new - even if it is full of food. I bought a new circular shaped fat ball feeder which held about 12 fat balls as against my old vertical one's 4. The birds virtually ignored it for about 10 days, even though they had been feeding from the old one at very regular intervals, and there are other well used seed and nut feeders nearby in the garden. For some reason they will accept something quickly in one position and not somewhere else. I put a new fat ball feeder* up last Tuesday, by Saturday it was being used, including by a Blackcap (a new bird to our garden!) Since then all sorts of Tits have been regularly using it. I had fat balls close to other feeders in another part of the garden and they were totally ignored! The fat balls became rancid and had to be dumped. * I put a proper fat ball container inside a squirrel-proof cage. (Leaving them in plastic nets is not recommended). The Moorhen which was a regular in our garden since October hasn't been seen since 12th February. Strangely others which were in the countryside around have also disappeared. Keith Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 ....we found that an entire container of fat balls had to be thrown away because the birds wouldn't eat them....ditto fat in coconut shells from Wilko. For some reason the fat in coconut shells from Home Bargains is eaten in quick order....therefore we only buy them from there. Choosy birds Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2015 ....we found that an entire container of fat balls had to be thrown away because the birds wouldn't eat them....ditto fat in coconut shells from Wilko. For some reason the fat in coconut shells from Home Bargains is eaten in quick order....therefore we only buy them from there. Choosy birds Dave Are these different fat balls in the same feeding place or a slightly different location ? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold russ p Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2015 It's amazing how picky wild animals can be, we have a pair of rescued hedgehogs and they flatly refuse to eat whiskers chicken cat food but love Felix. We found this the opposite way round when we were feeding a wild one in our old garden in sheringham 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Are these different fat balls in the same feeding place or a slightly different location ? ....identical Chris....hanging from the same hook. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2015 ....identical Chris....hanging from the same hook. Dave Thats unusual, There must of been something about them they didn't like, can't think what though ? We get ours from Fortnum & Masons, an altogether better class of tit uses them....... 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Downendian Posted March 23, 2015 RMweb Gold Share Posted March 23, 2015 I have six nesting boxes scattered around my Devon garden - been there for five years with no occupants. First one occupied this year with a pair of (I think) blue tits, they were making a hell of a racket in it earlier nest building. A little pleased that spring is here. Neil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
lightengine Posted March 23, 2015 Share Posted March 23, 2015 Still no visitors to the bird feeder, but here is one of 2 goldfinches visiting the Christmas tree only a few feet away. 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
34theletterbetweenB&D Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Goldfinches eh? Large flock about 200 yards from home, can almost guarantee seeing them if you know where to look. Very rarely in our garden though. Thats unusual, There must of been something about them they didn't like, can't think what though ? We get ours from Fortnum & Masons, an altogether better class of tit uses them....... FiL uses a mixed seed in his feeder, and his visitors seem to like it. Three miles away and with a somewhat larger range of species, but still complete overlap of the common visitors, and mixed seed results in large scale dumping on the ground to get at the preferred content. We have to run single seed feeders only. Also had to put the peanut dispenser on a very thin branch where a badger cannot venture in its tree climbing exploits. They haven't worked out 'chew throught the branch' yet, so no talking to badgers and giving them ideas please... 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter220950 Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 Where have all our garden birds gone? Well one of them, namely Mr Starling of this Parish, has just seen fit to come down my log burner flue and take up residence in the top part of the fire, I wondered what the noise was. - A quick release of the chimey cleaning door and the little fellow flew out into the living room, and after a few failed attempts to fly through closed windows, managed to find the open one and flew away. All I have to do now is clean up the soot smuts! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Lurker Posted March 24, 2015 Share Posted March 24, 2015 I can tell spring is well on the way. We've had visits from sparrows blue and great tits, goldfinches and a robin as well as the usual Mr and Mrs Blackbird and pigeons. The parakeets have inspected the cherry blossom and found it wanting, and the magpies patrol the area, fighting over chimney put vantage points. Meanwhile the crows keep a crafy eye on goings on from afar. No sign yet of raptors on the top of the Marlowe Building yet, a little early in the year for that. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torr Giffard LSWR 1951-71 Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Aft'noon all, I was surprised to see a chaffinch dining on the niger seed feeder earlier....I've seen them perched on the sunflower heart feeder, eating those on occasions but this was a new one on me. Dave Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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