Tag: Robin

Small amounts of snow brings out a few birds. Plus photo of a Robin.

Today started off slightly white, pretty sure itā€™s the first snow for just over 2 weeks and then finished very wet. Ā The birds were loving a left over vegan pancake from yesterday. Ā The bad weather brought out the birds today and one of the longest lists Iā€™ve had in a few days:

  1. Blackbird x 4
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 4 ā€“ fly overs
  4. Chaffinch x 1
  5. Coal Tit x 1
  6. Dunnock x 1
  7. Feral Pigeon x 1
  8. House Sparrow x 3
  9. Robin x 1
  10. Woodpigeon x 3

Hopefully get Robins nesting in the garden this year, below is a photo of one that was collecting my hair that Iā€™d had cut and put out for the birds:

Robin collecting hair for nest building

Robin collecting hair for nest building

Not sure why but colours have washed out a lot on export.

The Tesco Robin is back and a new species for my year list.

The other day I added the Robin in Corstorphine Tesco ā€“ 4th of February 2013Ā ā€“ I was down there last night, not sure if it was after midnight but my guess is it would have been or very close so Iā€™ve added it to todayā€™s list. Ā In good news I have finally managed to add Starlings to my list for the year.

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Chaffinch x 2
  3. Dunnock x 1
  4. House Sparrow x 3
  5. Magpie x 1
  6. Starlings x 5 ā€“ fly overs
  7. Woodpigeon x 3

At Tesco Corstorphine:

  1. Robin x 1

Hopefully the starlings will start to show in the garden rather than just flying over, and I get chances to photograph them like this:

Starlings feeding time

Starlings feeding time

Only 5 species in my garden today.

Sorry my carpal tunnelā€™s flared very badly over the last few days, I would have liked to have written more about the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch and other posts. Ā On top of the birds listed below there were 5 gulls flying over head but I couldnā€™t see what they were. Ā Hereā€™s the list from my garden today:

  1. Blackbird x 3
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Coal Tit x 1
  4. House Sparrow x 6
  5. Robin x 1

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch ā€“ Day 1.

Hi all, Iā€™ve been busy getting ready for Australia day celebrations and I only got an hour of straight birdwatching for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, normally I look out the window when getting lunch, breakfast etc. Ā I hope to get a better count tomorrow for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, todayā€™s list wasnā€™t as full as my usual list of garden birds:

  1. Blackbird x 1
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Coal Tit x 2
  4. Fieldfare x 1 ā€“ this one was later than the hour I did, once again my dog alerted me to the fact there was a different bird that he doesnā€™t recognise the call.
  5. Greenfinch x 1
  6. House Sparrow x 2
  7. Magpie x 9
  8. Robin x 1

A good list for just looking during breakfast & lunch.

Once again my listingā€™s a bit later than normal today, a lot on at the moment. Ā Still had a chance to check at breakfast & lunch for a few birds and came up with a decent list, including just one fieldfare today:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 1
  3. Carrion crow x 6
  4. Coal Tit x 2
  5. Dunnock x 1
  6. Fieldfare x 1
  7. Greenfinch x 2
  8. House Sparrow x 4
  9. Robin x 1
  10. Woodpigeon x 1

Hopefully have a few more photos for the site soon.

The birds I saw today were in my garden:

Great to hear 12 house sparrows in the garden.

The garden bird list today is a bit short, but I was very happy to see 12 house sparrows theyā€™re so great to hear the noisy chatter in the garden:

  1. Blackbird x 3
  2. Blue Tit x 4
  3. Carrion crow x 1
  4. Chaffinch x 2
  5. Coal Tit x 1
  6. Greenfinch x 1
  7. House Sparrow x 12
  8. Robin x 1Ā added 13.20
  9. Woodpigeon x 1

The SOC Laurie Campbell nature photography exhibition and snow!

Managed to get out to Aberlady to the SOC Waterston House to see the newĀ Laurie Campbell nature photography exhibition ā€“ find out moreĀ as with all of Laurieā€™s work it was fantastic! The crowd was very small, by the time it was closing only 1 other person was there, however we didnā€™t get there until quite late due to work and slow going on the roads due to snow.

With the snow I thought thereā€™d be a lot more birds in the garden, especially as I was outside filling the feeders at about midnight so I knew theyā€™d be full for the morning, hardly anythingā€™s been touched, hereā€™s my list so far, hopefully update later in the day:

  1. Blackbird x 4
  2. Black-headed Gull x 2 ā€“ fly overs
  3. Blue Tit x 2
  4. Bullfinch x 3
  5. Carrion crow x 1 ā€“ fly over
  6. Coal Tit x 2
  7. Dunnock x 3
  8. Greenfinch x 1
  9. House Sparrow x 9
  10. Robin x 1
  11. Woodpigeon x 3

Ground frozen solid and the garden birds not staying around.

The ground has frozen solid in my garden and the birds seem very busy flying around but not settling long enough to see what they are, they donā€™t seem that interested in the feeders today, I had noticed a fair few insects in the air yesterday which surprised me for such a cold winters day. Off to watch BBC Winterwatch on the iplayer and see if Chris Packhamā€™s added any more Madness song titles to his list, hereā€™s my very cold morningā€™s garden bird count:

  1. Blackbird x 4
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Carrion crow x 1
  4. Chaffinch x 1
  5. Coal Tit x 2
  6. Dunnock x 1 added 11.34
  7. House Sparrow x 11 updated 11.34
  8. Magpie x 1 added 11.34
  9. Robin x 1 added 11.34
  10. Woodpigeon x 3

The Cat is back so very few birds.

Sadly the cat is back, it runs away for 5 minutes and then is back stalking in the grass, Iā€™ve now put some wire around the bottom of the hedge to try and stop it getting in, but sadly it means the fox and badger wonā€™t be able to use the same path, very frustrating! Ā I wonā€™t be able to keep an eye on outside as much as on the weekend as today is the day I update my finance pages today: SaverScence.co.uk [closed June 2018 as I move to a career in gardening after studying horticulture at Royal Botanic Gardens Edinburgh] ā€“ UK finance for the best rates for savings & ISAs, hopefully thereā€™ll be more birds tomorrow. Ā hereā€™s my veryĀ meagreĀ list:

  1. Blackbird x 2
  2. Blue Tit x 2
  3. Coal Tit x 1Ā update 13.55 ā€“ during my lunch break :D
  4. Great Tit x 2Ā update 13.55
  5. Magpie x 1Ā update 13.55
  6. Robin x 1Ā update 13.55
  7. Woodpigeon x 1

Snow falling in Edinburgh and my first Blackcap of the year.

The snow has started to fall again in Edinburgh and thereā€™s been another first for the year a Blackcap –Ā there may have been 2 as one was feeding on some fatballs and another bird flew in and knocked it off, it all happened so fast I didnā€™t see if it was another blackcap. Remember if you have seen any Blackcaps during January theĀ Ā is currently running. Also addedĀ Feral Pigeon to the list today, I would have thought itā€™d be one on the list for the year by now but due to the fact Iā€™ve been stuck at home due to injury and itā€™s not overly common in our garden I hadnā€™t seen any!

  1. Blackbird x 4
  2. Blackcap x 1 ā€“ Female.
  3. Blue Tit x 2
  4. Carrion crow x1
  5. Chaffinch x 2
  6. Coal Tit x 3
  7. Dunnock x 2
  8. Feral Pigeon Ā x 3
  9. Goldcrest x 2Ā updated 15.22 ā€“ this is another first for the year, and a first Iā€™ve seen in my new garden!Ā 
  10. Greenfinch x 12
  11. House Sparrow x 2
  12. Long-tailed tit x 2Ā updated 15.37
  13. Magpie x1
  14. Robin x 1 ā€“ good to see the Robin back!
  15. Woodpigeon x 5