Tag: Carrion Crow

Added Collared Dove to my list today.

Well done to England in the Rugby, probably the more exciting game of the weekend, got a bit worried about the scrums and ref at the start but things settled. Ā English defence is amazing! Ā Now onto the birds, I managed to add another first for the garden aĀ collared dove, very happy to see one show up in the garden, although itā€™s the one bird my dog doesnā€™t seem to like due to the noise they make.

The day started with heavy snow showers, it was quickly burnt off by the sun, then returnedĀ intermittently throughout the day and as dusk rolled in was quite heavy again and is lying out there now. It was the first day the feeders were heavily used in a few weeks and were almost cleared out. Ā The Long Tailed Tits were back and was great to see 2 birds together inside a RSPB half coconut eating the fat, it seems to be their favourite as they dash to branches near by have a feed then back to the coconut.

Hereā€™s my list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Carrion crow x 4 fly over
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Collared Dove x 1
  6. Dunnock x 1
  7. Feral Pigeon x 1
  8. Long-tailed tit x 2
  9. Magpie x 2
  10. Woodpigeon x 1

I wonder where all my house sparrows have gone? Ā Not seen any since February 23rd

A very grey day today in Edinburgh, spent inside playing Halo on the Xbox

I didnā€™t get a lot of bird watching today, just when I was outside with Chewie (my dog) as thereā€™s a free Xbox 360 Live Gold weekend in the UK Ā Free Xbox LIVE Gold Weekend March 8th to 10th 2013 in the UKĀ and because I canā€™t afford a gold membership Iā€™ve been taking advantage of it (not good for my carpal tunnel!). Ā And of course the Rugby was on today, bit disappointed with the Scottish game today, but 18 points, all penalty kicks, was still decent for Scotland.

However I did get out a few times and managed to spot a few birds and I saw the Long-tailed tits every time I was outside today, hopefully it means theyā€™re sticking around the garden somewhere. Ā Thatā€™d be great, theyā€™re also very happy with me being 2 meters away from them, very happy with that, my have to get my camera out soon!

Hereā€™s my bird list for day.

  1. Blackbird x ā€“ I think there was singing at about 4.30am, however not 100% sure if it was a blackbird, anyone got a good recording?
  2. Carrion crow x 4 ā€“ fly overs
  3. Coal Tit x 1
  4. Long-tailed tit x 2
  5. Magpie x 1
  6. Starlings x 9 ā€“ flyovers
  7. Woodpigeon x 1

Back to my garden bird watching.

It

was weird to come back from a few days away and find that the feeder hasnā€™t gone down at all, at least Iā€™ve not missed any rare species dropping by while I was away! Ā Today although back at home was busy indoors working on a site for my Australian friends who asked for a version of the finance pages Iā€™ve made for the UK and this is what Iā€™ve managed so farĀ Saver Scene Australia Finance (now closed as I move into gardening as a profession)Ā it looks at the best deals for credit cards, cash savings and due to the fact many Australian banks charge for bank accounts, yes; the standard current account we get free here in the UK, Iā€™ve added a section to help my Aussie friends and family find free bank accounts!

Over the next few days Iā€™ll try to write up a bit about Focus on Imaging that I went to in Birmingham, where Iā€™d hoped to get out for some birding, but spent every day at the NEC seeing as much as I could in the time I was there. Ā Danny Green showed some great photos if you havenā€™t seen his work he does some great wildlife photography Danny Green PhotographyĀ well worth checking.

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 1
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. Magpie x 9
  7. Woodpigeon x 3

If you havenā€™t already make sure you cut back your Buddleia/Buddleja so that new growth can sprout new growth which will bring more flowers, see whatĀ Lyn from Butterflies and Gardens did to hers over the weekend here:Ā Buddleia pruning.Ā  Hope to have my own gardening advice website up and running in 2019.

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.

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

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

Dunnocks really into full Spring behaviour!

The Dunnocks were really into spring mood today, lots of flitting and mating behaviour, I hope that theyā€™ll nest somewhere in the garden, obviously the new wildlife hedge: Getting ready for the RSPB hedge*.Ā which was planted in January and looks more like sticks coming out of the ground than trees, but weā€™ve got a niceĀ privetĀ hedge running the whole length of the garden and I know birds have nested there before, hope to see more! Ā Been very busy today so no new photos, but hereā€™s my garden bird list:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Carrion crow x 2
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Dunnock x 4
  6. House Sparrow x 2
  7. Woodpigeon x 1

I donā€™t know where all the Magpies of the last few days have go to.

 

* Hedge plants that were added to attract garden birds:

This Bird Friendly hedge pack is a bundle of RSPB approved 50 plants.

  • 10 x Hawthorn – Crataegus monogyna – frothy white, may flowers in spring and bright red haws in autumn
  • 5 x Wild Privet – Ligustrum vulgare – white flowers, black berries
  • 5 x Hazel – Corylus avellana – catkins in February, fresh green leaves, nuts in autumn
  • 5 x Wild Damson – Prunus domestica – white blossom on black twigs
  • 5 x Guelder Rose – Viburnum opulus – lacecap flowers, redcurrant looking berries
  • 5 x Blackthorn – Prunus spinosa – fluffy white blossom, black autumn berries
  • 5 x Dog Rose – Rosa canina – single white roses, red rose hips in autumn
  • 5 x Elderflower – Sambucus nigra – lacy white flowers, maroon berries
  • 5 x Crabapple – Malus sylvestris – stunning pink blossom, crabapples in autumn.

First bee of the year, garden bird list, Edinburgh Sunset.

Another great sign of spring for me happened today; my first bee of the year! Ā Very exciting, I was taking a break in the sun, I couldnā€™t resist it, the light had been streaming in through the windows while I worked on the finance pages forĀ (UPDATE: saverscene now CLOSED due to moving to carer in horticulture hope to have my gardening website up early 2019) & updating the best interest rates for ISAs, Savings and deals on credit cards was nowhere near as interesting as being outside in the sun, so I had to take that break and whilst outside soaking up a few rays of light a bee flew past and settle on a plant in flower, a beautiful blossom tree but sadly Iā€™m unsure what type Iā€™ll try and photos soon and see if anyone can recognise it as the bee seemed to really enjoy it.

Sadly my bird list hasnā€™t been as exciting as seeing the first bee of the year, there was a lot of noise and many magpies around chasing each other from tree top to tree top around the neighbourhood, was great to watch but more to hear. Ā I also think thereā€™s a small flock of starlings roosting in the monkey puzzle tree opposite my house I was taking photos of the sunset and wasnā€™t 100% on my birding game but Iā€™ll keep an eye out tomorrow and hopefully be able to add starlings to my local list.

My Garden bird list:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Carrion crow x 1
  4. Chaffinch x 1
  5. Dunnock x 2
  6. House Sparrow x 2
  7. Magpie x 16
  8. Woodpigeon x 1

And as I said before I was photographing the sunsets yesterday, and today, hereā€™s the first picture Iā€™ve had time to look at and size for web from yesterday:

Edinburgh Sunset