RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019
Discussion
My six year old granddaughter is coming round this morning for us to do the birdwatch together. We intend to be stationed at the window overlooking the bird feeders, with our binoculars around our necks, plates of sandwiches and thermos flasks in front of us, meanwhile toasting our toes on the radiator. I hope the wren turns up.
Recently finished ours:-
3 Red Kite (on lawn - not unusual here)
3 Magpie
1 Willow Tit
1 Nuthatch
1 Blackbird
4 Blue Tit
7 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
2 Dunnock
3 Goldfinch
1 Great Tit
3 Robin
2 Wood Pigeon
Numbers are down (typical) and some of the regulars didn't turn up either. It seems it now runs on Monday too, so I might have another go tomorrow.
3 Red Kite (on lawn - not unusual here)
3 Magpie
1 Willow Tit
1 Nuthatch
1 Blackbird
4 Blue Tit
7 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
2 Dunnock
3 Goldfinch
1 Great Tit
3 Robin
2 Wood Pigeon
Numbers are down (typical) and some of the regulars didn't turn up either. It seems it now runs on Monday too, so I might have another go tomorrow.
Mort7 said:
Recently finished ours:-
3 Red Kite (on lawn - not unusual here)
3 Magpie
1 Willow Tit
1 Nuthatch
1 Blackbird
4 Blue Tit
7 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
2 Dunnock
3 Goldfinch
1 Great Tit
3 Robin
2 Wood Pigeon
Numbers are down (typical) and some of the regulars didn't turn up either. It seems it now runs on Monday too, so I might have another go tomorrow.
Nice selection Nick.3 Red Kite (on lawn - not unusual here)
3 Magpie
1 Willow Tit
1 Nuthatch
1 Blackbird
4 Blue Tit
7 Chaffinch
2 Coal Tit
2 Dunnock
3 Goldfinch
1 Great Tit
3 Robin
2 Wood Pigeon
Numbers are down (typical) and some of the regulars didn't turn up either. It seems it now runs on Monday too, so I might have another go tomorrow.
I had a devious plan re the count. I chose an hour to pretend to count birds knowing they wouldn't turn up and I would do the count the following hour when they all arrived.
I then had an epiphany. The moment I saw more than 1/2 dozen birds I'd start the count then. That seemed to yield better results.
When you think about it the RSPB probably specify an hour as most people wouldn't want to do longer than that. But you could do an entire day if you wanted to, and as long as you only log the maximum number of a particular species that you see then the count would be valid. Or am I missing something obvious?
Has anyone else been invaded by goldfinches?
Until this winter I'd never seen a Goldfinch in the garden, around mid December a flock of them appeared and have been here ever since.
There are too many to count, I would estimate somewhere between 30 and 40!
While I was doing the survey eight Long-tail Tits turned up for a couple of minutes.
Haven't seen any for year, but when I did, the same thing happened, they arrived then left a couple of minutes later, not to be seen again for another year!
Unfortunately the LS woodpecker didn't turn up on the day, although the Tree Creeper did!
Until this winter I'd never seen a Goldfinch in the garden, around mid December a flock of them appeared and have been here ever since.
There are too many to count, I would estimate somewhere between 30 and 40!
While I was doing the survey eight Long-tail Tits turned up for a couple of minutes.
Haven't seen any for year, but when I did, the same thing happened, they arrived then left a couple of minutes later, not to be seen again for another year!
Unfortunately the LS woodpecker didn't turn up on the day, although the Tree Creeper did!
Yes, goldfinches do seem to be a lot more common here too. Greenfinches are now a rarity, and house sparrows are non-existent. We get family groups of long-tailed tits too, as occasional visitors. Many birds form mixed flocks for mutual protection at this time of year, so we occasionally get yellowhammers, Siskins, bullfinches, etc as part of that.
Edited by Mort7 on Tuesday 29th January 15:04
Shame we didn't have this snow for the birdwatch, it always brings so many more birds into our garden. All the same we got the following this year, which was fairly typical:
40+ sparrows
8 starling
3 blackbirds
2 magpie
8 feral pigeon (grrr)
2 bluetits
male blackcap
wren
robin
dunnock
We've not seen coal or great tits here this year at all, which is really sad. Also lost the collared doves and wood pigeon. Do have regular Long-tails but they never turn up when we're counting. Our sparrows have a bad habit of dominating all the feeders, I've tried all sorts of ways of getting a better mix but the huge sparrow flocks just fund and destroy everything in sight.
On the plus side it brings in a very regular sparrowhawk that actually appeared in our watch last year.
40+ sparrows
8 starling
3 blackbirds
2 magpie
8 feral pigeon (grrr)
2 bluetits
male blackcap
wren
robin
dunnock
We've not seen coal or great tits here this year at all, which is really sad. Also lost the collared doves and wood pigeon. Do have regular Long-tails but they never turn up when we're counting. Our sparrows have a bad habit of dominating all the feeders, I've tried all sorts of ways of getting a better mix but the huge sparrow flocks just fund and destroy everything in sight.
On the plus side it brings in a very regular sparrowhawk that actually appeared in our watch last year.
My previous neighbour planted lavender bushes beside the path to her house - and they must be to goldfinches as Dreamies are to cats. The local goldfinch charm has been going nuts over the bushes, except when chased off by sparrows.
Otherwise it's just pigeons which seem to dominate - although there ae quite a few magpies around. Only an occasional red kite in this part of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds though, whereas a few miles east in the Chilterns there are dozens.
Otherwise it's just pigeons which seem to dominate - although there ae quite a few magpies around. Only an occasional red kite in this part of the Oxfordshire Cotswolds though, whereas a few miles east in the Chilterns there are dozens.
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