Big Garden Birdwatch This Weekend.

[Tilly2]

Don't forget to watch the birdies.

[ladybirder]

Yesterday doesn't count tony. Go and do it again tomorrow:-))

[Tilly2]

Did you see four robins at one time, lilacben? Were they fighting?

[TonyV]

Tilly have about 5 or 6 blackbirds that visit and they have a good scrap lol

[TonyV]

Will do mine tomorrow but community garden that I volunteer at only opens 3 days a week Ladybirder

[Tilly2]

Yes, Tony. They spend more time scrapping than eating. None of them get the chance to eat.

[melv16]

Willow warblers and chiff chaffs are staying here for the winter as well.

[lilacben]

Tilly, No there was two larger ones one side of the garden and two smaller ones on the other side.... Never seen that before.?

[melv16]

The larger ones will be continental birds, they seem to be bigger from Scandinavia. This also is the case with bullfinches.

[TonyV]

Blackbirds manage to take time out from scrapping to eat robins meal worms though and try to eat tits fat ball

[Tilly2]

I haven't seen a bullfinch for years.

[Tilly2]

I did see one bird that I couldn't identify. It looked like a sparrow but when I looked at it with the binoculars it was a softer, almost pinky brown and it had a seed eating beak and lovely big eyes.

[andres]

First time that we have seen a Mistle thrush(Stormcock) in our garden and we have lived here for 48 years. He is a nuisance though because he waits until the other birds are feeding and then dives down and scatters them even the pigeons.He doesn't appear to want the food but just to scare the other birds. Beautiful bird but I wish he would go.Anyone else have this bird in their garden.

[ladybirder]

Not recently andres, and not where I live now. But where I used to live a couple of mistle thrushes arrived one snowy morning, landed on a bush in my garden which was covered in berries and stayed there until they had eaten every one. They saw off every other bird that tried to get near them. I couldn't stop watching as the snow continued all day and they just kept on eating.

[Chipchopper]

All done.
8 species counted, Great spotted woodpecker being the highlight.

[melv16]

That sounds like a female chaffinch to me ,tilly.

[Chipchopper]

Could it have been a Linnet, Tilly ?

[TonyV]

5 black birds , robin & a couple of wrens is my count

[Maydup]

All done and what a lovely day for it. I remember last year being really wet and like me all the birds took shelter.

I saw 6 blackbirds, 20+ sparrows, starlings, chaffinches, greenfinch, blue and great tits, collar dove etc. All quiet now!

[Tilly2]

No, melv, not a female chaffinch. I know what they look like. Thanks anyway. Off to Google 'linnet'

[Tilly2]

Chip, having had a google, I think it may have been a female linnet. Thank you for that. How exciting. I have never seen one before.