OFF-SEASON OBS - LOCH GARTEN - September 2019-February 2020

03 September

Looks like the "other birds" have done very well while we haven't been looking :o   There were a lot of GSW visits, including 3 at the same time:

Yesterday's Crestie - we can see it in the foliage behind :)

Coal Tits were first in this morning - no-one seen before daycam:

These are from 6+ frustrating hours of feeder - frustrating partly because the squirrels and GSWs were hogging the peanuts so the little birds couldn't get a look-in, partly because of smudges and only half a feeder, and partly because of shaky fingers ;)

Chaffinches were not as plentiful as the tits, so I was hopeful of getting a good shot of this one - but it promptly fed from the other side of the feeder, dang!

At last the little birds got to congregate, but not for long!

There was an earlier package-carrier but I didn't bother to snap him, thinking he was an isolated instance - but then these 3 followed.  What are they up to?

I haven't done any squirrels yet because, for a start, I'm cross with them - and besides, mine are looking very ginger :-/

A cheerful introduction to the off-season, scylla, and I must say a welcome one, returning us to a sense of "normalcy" whatever that is (I certainly don't know!).

scylla said:

There was an earlier package-carrier but I didn't bother to snap him, thinking he was an isolated instance - but then these 3 followed.  What are they up to?

Hi scylla. I watched similar activity yesterday and decided that they must be staff, packing stuff up at the end of the season perhaps and moving it elsewhere?

Top!

and bottom!

(c) RSPB Loch Garten

04 September Feeder Birds cont'd...

In truth I was looking for a Crestie, they used to come in late - but none found :(

A Chaffie and one waiting:

Was this a juvenile Chaffinch?

A Wood Pigeon paid a brief visit - this was the only full view I could get and it's behind smudges:

This morning this chappie was first at the feeder:

What with him and the squirrels, this was the result:

The squirrels I've seen have not had tufts on their ears - are they seasonal... or geographical?

Hi Scylla, lovely captures ... 'Ear tufts on red squirrels are moulted in the summer and become more prominent in winter.' Can't attribute as now don't know where I read it!!

Adult and Juvenile? GSW.