I'd love to know your fledging/juvinille activities and which birds are visiting your gardens this Spring-Time?
My experiences:
STARLINGS! The garden is constantly covered with Starlings at present - I counted between 30 - 50 in recent weeks - similar to the amount during Winter. I do always have Starlings but usually no more than 15 -20.
I have two Juvenile Blackbird visitors, how sweet and how lonesome do they look? I put food down where they usually stand - but they are so nervous, the Starlings end up overtaking.. so I am working on this.
During the beginning of the breeding season, one Blackbird timelessy defended one hedge/conifer hedgerow, with his female occasionally coming out during evening time - he was wonderful to watch he would not let any other birds/people etc.. get close. Everyday I would see him perched on top the hedgerow in the same place. Until, one afternoon he moved to a fence top and out of nowhere a Sparrowhawk swooped down and that was that...I know that they have to eat to and feed their little ones - but that Blackbird really had done his bit - bless him. That was a sad day.
On to more cheerful things, we always have Robins in the garden (throughout the year), and yesterday evening for the first time I saw a juvenile Robin, walking on his own, churping, he made his way from the side of our home to the back garden. Then, daddy appeared with a long worm, he feed his little one, but only allowed him to have tiny bit of the worm. He then flew alittle further from the juvenile and tempted him again, giving only a tiny part of the worm to the juvenile.
We get Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and Green Woodpeckers - I can hear the Green Woodpeckers every morning - at around 06-0700.
We have Tree and House Sparrows.
Otherwise, I notice that the Long-Tailed Tits we had during Autumn/Winter through until only 3weeks ago, have declined - I only get x2 - during early evenings now.
I have however, for the first time ever started to get Gold Finches - and Green Finches - I've only seen a solitary Green Finch, and up to x4 Gold Finches at any one time.
I regularly see Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits and Chaffinches, especially during early evening.
We did have some Coal Tits, but I have not seen any in the garden since Feb..
The Pigeons are arriving in mass - I counted over 20 at any one time during the past few weeks, they arrive in a 'crew', wait on the roof and then cause mayhem! We call them the 'ASBO CREW'!
I have regular Magpies - always in pairs, Doves - all but x1 are in pairs, x1 Rook and x1 Raven - the Raven is extremely nervous when he is on the ground and looks at though he is frightened to pick up the food - I put out Suet Pellets for him - when attempting to eat, he constantly looks around and jumps back each time he picks up a Suet Pellet? He is scared of the other birds - even the Sparrows??
They all love the Mealworms, live and soaked dried ones, I have a special place for the Blackbird mummies and daddies, who now allow me to prevent the Starlings from that part of the Garden, whilst they pick up the worms right next to me..and then fly off with mouth fulls.
The others do have a selection of places that are full of mealworms as well, which they now seem to understand, and they are starting to leave the Blackbirds with their designated area. At least until the coast is clear!!
I'd love to know your experiences.
NIKX
hi nikx,
thought i would let you know of my visitors in my garden. like you i have been inundated with starlings,that is, until the freeze,since then numbers have dropped dramaticaly,i think this may be because they have found new feeding grounds,as there is a farm close by.i have been pleased with the number of goldfinches calling in,they certainly love nyger seed, i have had four pairs feeding regularly. my problem i am experiencing is with magpies, they have taken four blackbird fledglings so far,i know it is natural but it is still upsetting.
NIKX said: I'd love to know your fledging/juvinille activities and which birds are visiting your gardens this Spring-Time? My experiences: STARLINGS! The garden is constantly covered with Starlings at present - I counted between 30 - 50 in recent weeks - similar to the amount during Winter. I do always have Starlings but usually no more than 15 -20. I have two Juvenile Blackbird visitors, how sweet and how lonesome do they look? I put food down where they usually stand - but they are so nervous, the Starlings end up overtaking.. so I am working on this. During the beginning of the breeding season, one Blackbird timelessy defended one hedge/conifer hedgerow, with his female occasionally coming out during evening time - he was wonderful to watch he would not let any other birds/people etc.. get close. Everyday I would see him perched on top the hedgerow in the same place. Until, one afternoon he moved to a fence top and out of nowhere a Sparrowhawk swooped down and that was that...I know that they have to eat to and feed their little ones - but that Blackbird really had done his bit - bless him. That was a sad day. On to more cheerful things, we always have Robins in the garden (throughout the year), and yesterday evening for the first time I saw a juvenile Robin, walking on his own, churping, he made his way from the side of our home to the back garden. Then, daddy appeared with a long worm, he feed his little one, but only allowed him to have tiny bit of the worm. He then flew alittle further from the juvenile and tempted him again, giving only a tiny part of the worm to the juvenile. We get Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers and Green Woodpeckers - I can hear the Green Woodpeckers every morning - at around 06-0700. We have Tree and House Sparrows. Otherwise, I notice that the Long-Tailed Tits we had during Autumn/Winter through until only 3weeks ago, have declined - I only get x2 - during early evenings now. I have however, for the first time ever started to get Gold Finches - and Green Finches - I've only seen a solitary Green Finch, and up to x4 Gold Finches at any one time. I regularly see Robins, Great Tits, Blue Tits and Chaffinches, especially during early evening. We did have some Coal Tits, but I have not seen any in the garden since Feb.. The Pigeons are arriving in mass - I counted over 20 at any one time during the past few weeks, they arrive in a 'crew', wait on the roof and then cause mayhem! We call them the 'ASBO CREW'! I have regular Magpies - always in pairs, Doves - all but x1 are in pairs, x1 Rook and x1 Raven - the Raven is extremely nervous when he is on the ground and looks at though he is frightened to pick up the food - I put out Suet Pellets for him - when attempting to eat, he constantly looks around and jumps back each time he picks up a Suet Pellet? He is scared of the other birds - even the Sparrows?? They all love the Mealworms, live and soaked dried ones, I have a special place for the Blackbird mummies and daddies, who now allow me to prevent the Starlings from that part of the Garden, whilst they pick up the worms right next to me..and then fly off with mouth fulls. The others do have a selection of places that are full of mealworms as well, which they now seem to understand, and they are starting to leave the Blackbirds with their designated area. At least until the coast is clear!! I'd love to know your experiences.
Well I don't know whether they are fledging related appearances or not but, in the last two days, a Blackcap and a Thrush have visited us for the first time.
Absolutely delighted with this turn of events.