Where have all our garden birds gone?

[chris p bacon]

Blue tits have been nosing around the nesting box this week.

 

 

I think they have something on their mind.................

[PhilJ W]

A bit of advice please. At Christmas you can often get bottles of alcoholic drinks in wooden boxes. I have one such box from several years ago that appears to be the right dimensions for a nesting box, 5" X 5" X 10" (inside). It has a sliding lid like the old fashioned school pencil boxes and is solid wood not plywood. Could it be adapted as a nesting box? I was thinking of attaching the lid vertically to a tree or post so that the box slid down over it or attaching the box so that the lid was at the side. As I said the box is solid wood with sides approx 5 mm thick.

[dhjgreen]

Bit of roof felt to keep it dry, no perch (helps predators), hole to suit the size of bird you are likely to attract.

[PhilJ W]

Bit of roof felt to keep it dry, no perch (helps predators), hole to suit the size of bird you are likely to attract.

Thanks, I was thinking of adding a shingle to the top angled so that water doesn't gather. It looks as if it would be better to attach the lid and slide the box onto it in that case to stop water entering and it will be easier to attach it more securely.

[lightengine]

1 coal tit visited the Xmas tree yesterday in amongst the branches searching for food.

Last week I saw my first bull finches for many many years. Walking over the viaduct at Kingskerswell that passes over the railway I saw two in the bushes.

[Mallard60022]

Thanks, I was thinking of adding a shingle to the top angled so that water doesn't gather. It looks as if it would be better to attach the lid and slide the box onto it in that case to stop water entering and it will be easier to attach it more securely.

Stuff online about bird-boxes could be helpful to you re hole sizes etc. and orientation, height that sort of thing.

Phil 

[DDolfelin]

Redpolls, Siskins, Goldfinches, LTTs plus the usual suspects here.

Lovely Red Kite low overhead a few minutes ago.

[Mallard60022]

Send some Redpolls down this way old bean. Never seen one knowingly.

Phil

[dhjgreen]

Send some Redpolls down this way old bean. Never seen one knowingly.

Phil

I am informed by the management that you need to look near birch and alder trees, as they like the seed.

[DDolfelin]

I am informed by the management that you need to look near birch and alder trees, as they like the seed.

 

Yes - they come for the Nijer Seed on the feeders but plenty of trees to go at too.

[Mallard60022]

Yes - they come for the Nijer Seed on the feeders but plenty of trees to go at too.

There are Redpolls locally at the reserve area but never seen them in the garden. However, thanks for that tip.

Phil

[jetmorgan]

Charlie Chaffinch, Doris Dove and Larry Long Tailed Tit have been having a feast in the front garden while Jenny Wren has been having a bath in the back garden....meanwhile we've had a furry interloper as well

[jetmorgan]

Almost forgot Cyril Coal Tit.

[Mallard60022]

Almost forgot Cyril Coal Tit.

Great pics.

Had a  young Greenfinch in the garden yesterday but sadly it had the horrible foot 'fungus'. However the rest of the bird looked quite healthy and long may that last.

3 Reed Bunting this morning.

Phil

[dhjgreen]

Only seen reed bunting once this winter.

[jetmorgan]

Great pics.

Had a  young Greenfinch in the garden yesterday but sadly it had the horrible foot 'fungus'. However the rest of the bird looked quite healthy and long may that last.

3 Reed Bunting this morning.

Phil

I've had a Blue Tit in the garden with some sort of damaged leg earlier in the year and it seemed to cope fairly well, although I haven't seen it for a few weeks now. I wonder if your Greenfinch has that parasite Trichomonosis...I don't know what the symptoms are of that disease but it is supposed to rather rife among the finch families. More likely it just damaged it's leg somehow and some sort of infection has set in. might be an idea to give your feeders a good wash and clean to stop it transmitting anything to other birds.

[dhjgreen]

Never knowingly seen a Firecrest so I can't comment with certainty, however I also assumed that the Firecrest had a red flash on the head and the Goldcrest a bright yellow flash.

Beautiful little birds when seen (rarely) and more often heard I'm told. 

Phil

 

The black and white eye stripe identifies the firecrest. The red crown flash is a mating display in both species. Thought that was correct but looked it up to be certain

[steve1]

This is our impromptu lake at the back of the house. The swans are easily visible but i don't have means to identify the other occupants.

 

 

steve

[Mallard60022]

I've had a Blue Tit in the garden with some sort of damaged leg earlier in the year and it seemed to cope fairly well, although I haven't seen it for a few weeks now. I wonder if your Greenfinch has that parasite Trichomonosis...I don't know what the symptoms are of that disease but it is supposed to rather rife among the finch families. More likely it just damaged it's leg somehow and some sort of infection has set in. might be an idea to give your feeders a good wash and clean to stop it transmitting anything to other birds.

It was deffo the disease as the legs were both discoloured and scabbed equally. Fortunately it was only ground feeding but I suppose I should clean those areas too. Sadly Finches seem prone to this leg and foot condition.

Probably this condition     http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=3068

Phil

[jonny777]

On the subject of goldcrests, I was watching one through the binoculars a few minutes ago as the bird darted around the holly tree when - knock me down with a feather - a second one appeared.

 

I do hope they are a pair and will nest somewhere close by this spring. I would love to see a whole family of them.

[Budgie]

I was working on my garden layout when a couple of things happened. First of all a robin sat on a branch of the old apple tree not one foot from my nose, and later I saw two robins looking for food on the part of the layout I had been working on about five minutes earlier. I reckon the garden railway passes within a couple of yards of their nest. I'm going to have to be extra careful, as I do not want to frighten them away. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

They won't go away. Our locals follow me into the fruit cage when I open a door to do the watering. Once they associate your activity with making food supply accessible, they won't give up.

[Flying Pig]

This is our impromptu lake at the back of the house. The swans are easily visible but i don't have means to identify the other occupants.

steve

Keep an eye on those swans. There were whoopers on the floods behind North Duffield at the beginning of the year.

[PhilJ W]

It was deffo the disease as the legs were both discoloured and scabbed equally. Fortunately it was only ground feeding but I suppose I should clean those areas too. Sadly Finches seem prone to this leg and foot condition.

Probably this condition     http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=15+1829&aid=3068

Phil

It says that treatment can be given orally, perhaps there is wild bird food that contains it. Alternatively as the condition is caused by mites is there something that keeps them away from the bird table.

Edited February 19, 2017 by PhilJ W

[Mallard60022]

I was working on my garden layout when a couple of things happened. First of all a robin sat on a branch of the old apple tree not one foot from my nose, and later I saw two robins looking for food on the part of the layout I had been working on about five minutes earlier. I reckon the garden railway passes within a couple of yards of their nest. I'm going to have to be extra careful, as I do not want to frighten them away. 

They will only be frightened if you run Mr Thompson's A2/3s.

Phil

Edited February 19, 2017 by Mallard60022