Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Fallow Stag, Knowle Park.

Monday 23 November 2015

** Garden Birdwatch. Sunday 22/11/2015.**

It has been a while since I did any garden birdwatching, and that must have been a omen to do it. After about 20 minutes while I was watching the Great Tits, Blue Tits, and L/T/Tits  in the bush just along from the kitchen window feeding on the fat cake, and whole peanuts and sunflower hearts, taking them away to eat safely, along came a COAL TIT. I couldn't believe it. That is not only a first for my garden list, taking my life tally to 62, that includes fly overs, but also for Halling list taking that total to 102.
I thought it might it might just be passing through, but it stayed all day. I decided to to keep a eye out today, Monday to see if it would turn up again, and it did, but this time it brought a mate with it, brilliant, all I can hope is it stays around for a long time. All the time there is food I don't see why not.
The peanut feeder didn't stay full for long. They say a elephant never forgets, well nor does a Jay. Last winter it was back and forth continually and yesterday one turned up, I couldn't believe it, and the another one joined it on another visit. Last winter at times I had 3 in the garden.
After having a break and coming back for another watch I was even more surprised. I thought the Coal Tit was the highlight, but I was taken aback to find a female BRAMBLING feeding at the top of the garden with  the finches. I tried to get a photo of it for a record shot which I did but is isn't good. I am struggling with taking pictures at times now. I am waiting to go into hospital to have painkilling anti-inflammatory injections in every knuckle due to very bad osteo-arthritis. I know what to expect because I have had it done before.
Back to birding, below is the pic I took.


As with the Coal Tit, I was hoping that it might return today, and it did, I told Pam where it was and she had a good look at it through the bins. I haven't heard of many being around at the moment, I feel quite privileged to have one in the garden at this time of the year, I am normally lucky to see one deeper into the winter. To end the day yesterday a female SPARROWHAWK shot over the roof chasing some Starlings. Another garden bird I don't see very often is a Wren, and that has been showing well.
I cannot remember having so many birds in the garden at this time of year before..
Below is a list of the birds that I saw yesterday and today.
BLUE TIT, GREAT TIT, L/T/TIT, COAL TIT, CHAFFINCH, GOLDFINCH, GREENFINCH, BRAMBLING, HOUSE SPARROW (daily visit of about 15-20) ROBIN, DUNNOCK, WREN, STARLING, BLACKBIRD, C/DOVE, W/PIGEON, JAY, SPARROWHAWK,
FLY OVER: MAGPIE, C/CROW, JACKDAW, B/H/GULL, C/GULL, HERRING GULL, .

Now for my Bird of the Day  which is the   *** COAL TIT.***

6 comments:

  1. Now that is a great garden watch, Ken! Funny about the jays having memories like elephants.

    Hope the steroid injections do the trick for you. My husband tells me that they are painful but are worth it for him for longterm lessening of arthritis pain.

    cheers!

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  2. Wilma.
    Thank you for your comment. Your husband is right, they are painful. I did get relief from them, but like a lot of things they wear off, that's why it can be a ongoing thing.

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  3. Not had a Jay in the Garden for ages Ken, and not had a Brambling since 2013 on my patch! well done to you and your garden feeding station :-)

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  4. Warren.
    I would quite easily forfeit a Jay for some of the great birds that you get in your garden, You have a wonderful variety of species.

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  5. Never had Brambling in my new garden, but do get Coal Tits. So my bird of the day would have been Brambling Ken.
    Two great garden ticks either way.

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  6. Phil
    This could be the year, Bramblings are coming.

    ReplyDelete