Author: Gav

Been away for a few days & indoors so havenā€™t seen a lot.

Hi all, sorry for the slow updates, Iā€™ve been away for the past few days and havenā€™t really had a chance to see many birds, hereā€™s my list:

Sunday morning, my garden:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Dunnock x 1
  3. Magpie x 1

Sunday Birmingham airport:

  1. Kestrel x 1 ā€“ first for the year.
  2. Starlings x 2

Monday was indoors all day and saw nothing

Tuesday managed to see about 20 pigeons flying past hotel window before heading to the Focus On Imaging halls at the NEC Birmingham, but after that nothing for the rest of the day.Ā  Tomorrow should get back to normal with hopefully a good list of garden birds.

A very warm day in Edinburgh and a great day of birding and gardening!

Wow what a wonderful day in Edinburgh, I actually think I got sunburnt! Ā It was definitely T-shirt weather, great for being out in the garden and there were a lot of birds around, finally got a full set of tits that visit my garden in one day, hereā€™s the list:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Bullfinch x 1 Male
  4. Carrion crow x 2
  5. Coal Tit x 1
  6. Common Buzzard x 1 -flying the lowest Iā€™ve seen it over my house. Ā Very awesome!
  7. Dunnock x 2
  8. Feral Pigeon x 1
  9. Great Tit x 1
  10. Long-tailed tit x 2
  11. Magpie x 2
  12. Woodpigeon x 2

Not sure where the chaffinches, robins and wrens have got to this year, the wren hasnā€™t even made it on the list yet and weā€™re over 2 months in!

Iā€™m not sure if Iā€™ll have internet access for the next few days, so donā€™t worry if Iā€™m not here. Ā I will try and do the finance updates for SaverScene & Saver Scene AustraliaĀ (now closed as I move into gardening as a profession) and any bird lists that I get to see if I have internet access, if not theyā€™ll be a few days late, but will keep record.

A magpie pops up and saves the list of being only 2 birds!

been another hectic day today and I thought I was only going to get to see 2 species of birds and then suddenly a magpie pops up on the window sill, I was very happy, it looked to be having a great time, think it was stealing bulbs from the garden! Ā Hereā€™s my very short list:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 3
  3. Magpie x 1

The day became fantastically sunny in Edinburgh, Bird Guides Photo of the week.

Another busy day today, but the afternoon was glorious and sunny so I went out to cut back theĀ Buddleia in my garden, the plant recommend on the Butterfly Conservation top 100, while doing this I was treated to the wonderful chirps of the little bobbing long-tailed tits, there were 2 feeding on the fat in the RSPB half coconuts, absolutely superb birds full of character, Iā€™m pretty positive there were more near by but I didnā€™t see them, so just 2 have been added today:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 3
  3. Coal Tit x 1
  4. Dunnock x 4
  5. Long-tailed tit x 2
  6. Magpie x 1
  7. Woodpigeon x 2

Terrible list for today!

I was glad to see 6 starlings at the end of today as thereā€™d only been 2 woodpigeons earlier, the day was hectic again, my carpal tunnel is getting better and Iā€™ve started working on the Australian version of finance site Saver Scene ā€“ Saver Scene Australia (now closed as I move into gardening as a profession) again as Iā€™d taken a lot of time off to try and get my hands to heal. As well as the workmen still putting in the new central heating system so no access to the back garden again and only looked out the front and had 2 sightings. there were gulls high up and I couldnā€™t identify them, so this is it for today:

  1. Starlings x 6 ā€“ flying over their roost in the beautiful sunset.
  2. Woodpigeon x 2 ā€“ they were really into spring activity!

Front garden bird watching today, plus more wildlife gardening tips.

The fog has gottenĀ incrediblyĀ thick here in Edinburgh tonight, whoā€™s bright idea was it to get the central heating replaced in February? Ā Oh thatā€™s right mine! Ā Itā€™s freezing! Ā Due to works going on in all the back rooms today I didnā€™t really get a chance to see the back garden and instead had to watch a small part of hedge in the front and got one good surprise hereā€™s what I was lucky enough to see:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Carrion crow x 1 ā€“ fly over
  3. Dunnock x 1
  4. Grey Heron x 1 ā€“ fly over
  5. Woodpigeon x 2

I donā€™t think Iā€™ve used this photo on here, but one of my regular carrion crows that flies over the garden:

Carrion Crow

Carrion Crow

Yesterday I posted up about wildlife gardening and wanted to mention another great post that gives good information about planting not only nectar rich flowers and plants for adult butterflies but also adding plants for caterpillars:Ā Gardening for butterflies ā€“ adults v caterpillars | Butterflies and Gardens

Starlings zigged & zagged through the sky, garden bird list.

Iā€™ve had a very busy day today, weā€™re getting a new central heating system put in and itā€™s been a bit hectic, I did have time to do Monday updates on ISA, Savings and Credit CardsĀ and to put together the list of 100 best plants for attracting wildlifeĀ to your garden. Ā I also manage to get out and see a few birds in or over the garden, including 13 starlings that I got to watch for about 10 minutes as they zigged and zaggedĀ Ā through the sky, diving in close and checking their roosting place then flicking back into the sky high over the roost, watching it from every angle, amazing to watch, I hope to one day see one of the huge murmurationsĀ as seen in Wexford.

Hereā€™s the list of the birds I did have theĀ fortuneĀ to see today:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 3 fly overs
  4. Chaffinch x 1
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. Magpie x 2 fly overs
  7. Starlings x 13
  8. Woodpigeon x 5

Watched the Rugby, more DIY and few birds about.

What a wonderful day for Scottish Rugby! Ā Today started with snow, a lot of snow but a few hours later there was almost none lying, by the end of the day it was just a boggy mess. Ā I would have expected a lot more birds around however thereā€™s also a lot of insects about so the birds arenā€™t needing the feeders as much as a few weeks ago. Ā Itā€™s amazing how many moths are about, talking to others theyā€™ve had almost none but Iā€™m having to remove and release up to 5 a day from the house, so there should be a lot more out and about. Ā Hereā€™s my list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Bullfinch x 1 ā€“ female
  4. Dunnock x 1
  5. Feral Pigeon x 1
  6. Magpie x 2
  7. Woodpigeon x 4 ā€“ really showing mating behaviour today.

A day of Rugby and DIY, plus got to see a few birds.

Spent most of the day doing DIY or taking glances at the rugby, didnā€™t have a lot of time for birdwatching only when outside with the dog, that said still got a good list and it was fantastic to see a pair of long-tailed tits, I heard them long before I saw them, theyā€™ve got such a great call. Ā Hereā€™s the list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 3
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 22 fly overs
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. House Sparrow x 6
  7. Long-tailed Tits x 2
  8. Robin x 1
  9. Woodpigeon x 4

Evidence a Sparrowhawk had been and my garden bird list.

Had a lot on over the last few days and more things happening tomorrow so not a lot of time for birding :( I did however notice that thereā€™d been a Sparrowhawk in the garden, sadly due to the feathers that were left of a small song bird. Ā Hereā€™s my garden bird list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Coal Tit x 1
  4. Dunnock x 1
  5. House Sparrow x 4
  6. Magpie x 2
  7. Sparrowhawk x evidence one had been
  8. Woodpigeon x 3