RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted April 16, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 16, 2012 I have to say that looks like a jackdaw to me John - hooded crows (below taken on Mull a few years ago) are much paler grey over most of their bodies. Where do you live? Theres a good old country saying that helps with corvids (crows) "A rook on its own is a crow - a crow in a crowd is a rook" Tells you that crows are generally solitary and rooks sociable - as are jackdaws, they often roost in the vicinity of rooks Kind regards Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 16, 2012 Author Share Posted April 16, 2012 No general improvement in numbers here but we've had two 'exotica': A female stonechat and some curlews. Although we have extensive moorland nearby, I didn't know there were stonechats in the area. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted April 16, 2012 Share Posted April 16, 2012 'Where have all the garden birds gone?' I know where one of ours went, a hawk of some description ate it leaving all the feathers on the back lawn. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold The Stationmaster Posted April 17, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2012 One of ours (a male chaffinch) has taken to tapping with his beak on the study window - not sure if he is fighting teh reflected image he might see or fancies the plant on the windowsill? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted April 17, 2012 Author Share Posted April 17, 2012 Perhaps it wants to come in. I've found chaffinches to be remarkably tame on occasions. Last year we had one which happily sat on an open hand while feeding. (My hand - not the chaffinch's). 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 (edited) We have a long standing pair of herring gulls who do that (come in that is). The male once calmly wandered into the sitting room through the open French windows and then couldn't work out how to get out again - hearing some squawks and the odd cat making a run for it I had to go down and catch him so I could rerelease him outside (notable how incredibly light he was for a big bird). Edited April 17, 2012 by 10800 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted April 17, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted April 17, 2012 We have a long standing pair of herring gulls who do that (come in that is). The male once calmly wandered into the sitting room through the open French windows and then couldn't work out how to get out again - hearing some squawks and the odd cat making a run for it I had to go down and catch him so I could rerelease him outside (notable how incredibly light he was for a big bird). He'd probably "lightened" himself in your living room ! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Baby Deltic Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 They're in the cat. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
10800 Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 He'd probably "lightened" himself in your living room ! Remarkably no he didn't! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Bedding Posted April 17, 2012 Share Posted April 17, 2012 The numbers of garden birds do seem to be proportional to the birdseed that is placed out for them. Also, and as commented on by others, the once-rare-ish sparrowhawk is thriving, and I would say on a slight increase. Whilst driving along a Dorset country lane t'other afternoon, no camera available, a sparrowhawk appeared from my left, flew in close formation alongside the car for several seconds until I slowed down. It then peeled off across the front of the car and disappeared over the nearside hedge. It looked very sleek and well-fed. PB Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Anthony Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 Here on the corner of Tooting Bec Common in London SW, I have been noticing the odd Goldfinch, so put up a Niger seed feeder. Although not overwhelmed by them, the word does seem to have got around, and there is a pleasing display of them - so pretty, and makes it feel even more like the countryside! Occasional visitors have been a Blackcap and a Goldcrest, as well as a Yaffle (Green Woodpecker). More frequent are bl***y Parakeets and Feral Pigeons. The latter trample all over my flowerbeds - grrr!! Anthony Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Bernard Lamb Posted April 18, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted April 18, 2012 How things have changed in the last few years. You hardly ever see a Thrush or a Sparrow these days, but Red Kites are overhead on most days and a Little Egret has taken up residence on the local river. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
shortliner Posted April 18, 2012 Share Posted April 18, 2012 I doubt you'll find too many of these in your garden ! http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=EUEZkwJulBY 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 8, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 8, 2012 Had Abbotswood Junction set up in the garden yesterday - see the layout thread for videos Ambient sound track stars the local sparrows and a neighbour's parrot. The local robin thought it was all for his benefit as he quickly found a perch on the layout edge but wouldn't sit still long nough for a photo! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium 7013 Posted May 9, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 9, 2012 (edited) Birds that visit my garden Hedge Sparrow, Dunnock, Greenfinch, Goldfinch,Chaffinch,Greater & Lesser spotted +Green Woodpecker, Pigeon,Collared Dove,Great,Coal,and Blue tits, Blackbird, Thrush, Starling, Sparrowhawk (to feast on the others) Heron (to feast on my fish), Rook,Crow, Magpie, Tree Creeper, Robin and Morgana Le Fay. No, only joking, all of them except the last one are fantasies, or is it the other way round? Edited May 9, 2012 by 7013 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Natalie Graham Posted May 9, 2012 Share Posted May 9, 2012 On the subject of birds that come into the house: 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 9, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 9, 2012 The goldfish had better watch out!!!! Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium PhilJ W Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 10, 2012 I was clearing some rubbish from the garden over last weekend. When I was loading the wheelbarrow a robin came down and started delving in the wheelbarrow for insects despite my standing only inches away from him(her). Having got a beak full of insects it flew away coming back a few minutes later for more. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Bernard Lamb Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Premium Share Posted May 10, 2012 The first swift arrived this morning. By lunch time there were seven or eight zooming about. Always a sign that summer is on the way. Then it started chucking it down again. Other recent unusual sightings. A gold crest on the window sill pecking at the grape vine. A heron fishing in the pond in the centre of Watford. Bernard Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
bike2steam Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 While working in the garden today it seems the Great Tit has filled the vacuum left by the sad loss of the Greenfinch, due to disease,of being most common bird.On a journey, a few days ago, to Aylesbury I was surprised at how common the Red Kite has become between Newbury, and Aylesbury, I lost count of sightings but at a guess it was a few dozen,but south of Newbury( via Andover, and Salisbury) I didn't notice a single one. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Endacott Posted May 10, 2012 Share Posted May 10, 2012 I saw a Jay on Saturday - for the first time in years. Geoff Endacott Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2012 There are a few around in the centre of Cheltenham Geoff - but not common. Most common bird in Chelt centre - pied wagtails, hundreds of them roost there Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 10, 2012 Author Share Posted May 10, 2012 I'm pleased to say that some birds are filtering back - but still nothing like the numbers as before. Some exotica (to us) included. Today's star was a Tree Sparrow. In the last week or so we've had regular visits from Siskins, Goldfinches, Goldcrests, and the biggest surprise, a pair of Redpoll. Ducks are nesting next to the stream. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold chris p bacon Posted May 10, 2012 RMweb Gold Share Posted May 10, 2012 Well everything went quiet in the garden a couple of days ago. This would appear to be the reason why Looks to be a Juvenile on closer inspection hung around for a few hours sitting patiently, then disappeared for an hour returning for several more hours in roughly the same spot. I was convinced I could hear the Blue Tits going "ssshhhh, it'll see us" 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DDolfelin Posted May 11, 2012 Author Share Posted May 11, 2012 Good 'capture', Chris. Difficult to get decent pictures of them (especially when flying!) Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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