Tag: Coal Tits

Magpies getting ready for nesting, small garden bird list.

It was grey, misty and wet here in Edinburgh today, I thought that will bring the birds to the garden searching for food, but I was wrong, a very slow day on the feeders however there were 2 magpies breaking twigs off the tree in the front garden and preparing for a nest, be great to know where theyā€™re nesting! Ā Hereā€™s my garden bird list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Chaffinch x 1 ā€“ female
  3. Coal Tit x 1
  4. Long-tailed tit x 2
  5. Magpie x 3 ā€“ 2 of them were collecting twigs for nesting
  6. Woodpigeon x 2

I received an email about aĀ free packaging and postage voucher code for the RSPB shop when you spend over Ā£25, more details can be found here:

RSPB free postage voucher codeĀ ā€“ not sure how long the voucher code goes for as there didnā€™t seem to be an expiry date.

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.

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

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

Garden Bird List, Scottish Birdfair 2 for 1 tickets and Wexford Starling Murmuration!

A very quiet day in the garden, a couple of magpies back and 1 female bullfinch which was a delight to see, but the weatherā€™s turned cold again and the birds are back to feeding rapidly and not showing much in the way of breeding behaviour.

If youā€™re thinking of going to the Scottish Birdfair ā€“Ā www.scottishbirdfair.org.ukĀ ā€“ thereā€™s currently an offer on until the 17th of March 2013 where you can get early bird 2 for 1 tickets! Ā You just have to use the voucher codes: Day tickets ā€“ 241RSPBDay or Weekend tickets ā€“ 241RSPBWeekendĀ Iā€™m hoping to go for the weekend this year, I enjoyed last year but only got a day ticket and went on the wet Saturday where there were 2 hour lines for food, hopefully food tents are better prepared this year!

Hereā€™s my garden bird list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Bullfinch x 1 ā€“ female
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Dunnock x 2
  6. Great Tit x 2
  7. House Sparrow x 3
  8. Magpie x 2
  9. Woodpigeon x 1

you may have noticed thereā€™s still no Starlings, Iā€™ve been watching the Monkey Puzzle tree opposite to see if they roost in there each evening and all Iā€™ve seen in the last few 2 days is woodpigeon and magpies, however the tree does make for a great silhouette.

Monkey Puzzle tree silhouette

Monkey Puzzle tree silhouette ā€“ you can also see the silhouette of a woodpigeon just to the left.

although Iā€™ve not seen any starlings about thereā€™s some great scenes in Wexford Ireland:

Wexford StarlingĀ Murmuration

Thanks to BirdGuides Ireland & Edward DelaneyĀ for this video.

Starlings gathering together at at roost site in one of natureā€™s most amazing spectacles, a murmuration. And what makes it even more amazing is that no-one really understands why they perform these amazing aerobatics. Enjoy!

If you want to try and see a starling murmuration yourself BBC Winterwatch have put this list together:Ā Where to experience a starling murmuration this winter.

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.

National Nest Box Week & my garden bird list.

Been pretty busy today so didnā€™t get a great lot of time for bird watching, did get to see 5 MagpiesĀ squabblingĀ and making loads of noise which was exciting and entertaining, also the coal tits seemed flightier and more suspicious of activity in the garden, not sure if it was a cat in the garden or it theyā€™re starting to breed, I hope not the later as Iā€™ve not finished cutting back the hedges and unsure if the weather will turn again, Iā€™ve also not got my sparrow nestbox up yet! Ā Will try to have them up very soon as it is currently NationalĀ nest box week.

Hereā€™s my garden bird list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 1 ā€“ flyover
  4. Coal Tit x 2
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. Magpie x 5
  7. Woodpigeon x 1

Getting ready for nesting season!

A very sunny day here in Edinburgh, spring feels really in full swing and we were cutting back a privet hedge today to make sure itā€™s done before the birds start nesting. Ā Found an old nest in the hedge from last year, which hopefully gives promising signs that there maybe nest building and young birds in the garden later this year. Ā Hopefully Iā€™ll be out with the camera a bit more soon, my hands are starting to feel slightly better, hereā€™s the list for today:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion Crow x 1 ā€“ flyover
  4. Coal Tit x 1
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. House Sparrow x 3
  7. Magpie x 1
  8. Woodpigeon x 1