What an amazing experience!! For someone who couldn't tell the difference between a blackbird and a turkey a couple of weeks ago & showed no interest or time! I'm now totally hooked all thanks to an RSPB stand at my local garden centre a couple of months ago & joining up.
I've learnt to recognise so many species over the last couple of weeks through looking at photos, reading threads & getting replies from such helpful folk on this site :D
Although most can't be counted in my "official" 1 hour count. I spotted 3 buzzards on the A9 coming home from Inverness this afternoon & then went on to do my garden count. I'd 16 starlings at once! robins, greenfinches, gold finches, coal tits, blue tits, blackbirds, chaffinches, sparrows and the most amazing site (after the count finished) was training my binoculars onto the tree at the side of my house thinking it was a mass of sparrows! It was 36 finches!! who perched for some time.....greenfinches, goldfinches and a mix of male and female chaffinches.
Unfortuantely no sign of my Great Spotted Woodpecker today (I've only seen him once on my feeder) Fantastic day! Doing the same tomorrow but in the morning for my own records. Fab new hobby! Thanks to all X
That's a fab day you've had!!! I'm in agreement with you about a new hobby and everyone is so friendly on this site, it's fab! I'm hooked!! x
Maggie x
Hi Lynnie,
Glad you are enjoying your new hobby, and now you have found this forum you have found a whole host of like-minded people!! Be careful, it is very addictive.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Welcome to the club it drives my family mad when were out pulling over to watch a circling Buzzard or a Red Kite but its absolutely awe inspiring and as a hobby its good fresh air interest and exercise outdoors or from the comfort of your window its all things to all people (many happy years ahead)
Terry
Hi Lynnie!!!!
Recently got into birdwatching myself but started through my love of photography as birds make such a fantastic subject to photograph. And like yourself and many other members is does not take long to get completely hooked. Now i cannot get enough.
It does sound like you get a nice range of birds through you garden, jealous of the spotted Woodpecker that has visited your garden :) although did see my very 1st ever Green Woodpecker a few weeks ago. Yet to get any Greenfinches and Goldfinches visit, mainly starlings, collared doves, wood pigeons, blue tits and robins are the ones that are frequent visitors.
Hope that you get plenty of years enjoyment out of your new found hobby :)
Mark
Thanks everyone, I've always been so busy rushing about I've never taken much heid of the birds, just fed them! lol. I've had hedgehogs, frogs, an otter!!! and now all these birds on my doorstep. Here's to a new camera now ! ;) Jeepers I took up this hobby as a New Years Resolution to get more fresh air and spend less time on Facebook!! I've replaced it with this! haha X Hope it's another cracker of a day tomorrow, I'll be out! regards Linnie x
Nyger that will bring them in to start with hen they seem to swap to sunflower hearts
Hi Re your spotted woodpeckers I had 2 in my small village garden one in the tree watching and one on the feeder then they swapped many times they were feeding on peanuts but would not tolerate any disturbance in fact i only every saw them from a neighbours house by chance but he said he "had been watching them when we were at work" and they came for many days then gone and never seen again
terry
Hi Terry, that's interesting as mine disappeared to unless they are visiting in daylight when I am at work. Mine was going between hanging onto the side of a conifer in my garden to the birdfeeder right next to it & feeding only on the fatballs, ignoring the peanuts. My friends one does likewise. I have woods directly next to the house so I'm hoping they'll soon be nesting in there & I'll hear them tapping in Spring to indicate if they are still about. Let's hope we both get a return visit, beautiful birds! Linnie
Glad you took in the delights of doing the garden watch. I was the same just a few years ago. Didn't know a Goldfinch from a Chaffinch.
I only knew Magpies, Blue Tits, Blackbirds and Robins. And all the gulls were "seagulls" LOL
Still to study the gulls hunter lol. Had another fab day today, driving to work in the morning and 2 buzzards perched on the roadside fence and then a Kite flew inches from my windscreen holding something in it's beak, some fright I got !! What a size! forked tail so I'm assuming it was a kite :) x