Garden in the rain

Allow me to set the scene, last night, I thought I might take a trundle to Poole, the park and Baiter just along from the harbour have been having some nice sightings recently, and I'd never been there. I awake this morning to weather warnings, saying stay away from the coast and Poole harbour because of expected very high spring tide. And 90% chance of rain. Bleedin' typical!! As you'll see, the light and sky changed minute by minute from slate grey to bright blue!

So, I decided to host my very own Big Garden Watch... There are several ID's I'm unsure of (for a change!!) so any help gratefully received :o)

Fieldfare (thanks to Hazel, TJ and Alan for confirmation in another thread

Jackdaw

Mr Pheasant looking magnificent

Three of his five bird hareem

Blackbird

Mr and Mrs Jackdaw revisiting last years nesting chimney

Mrs Goldie?

Robin

Mrs Blackbird? (colour and "pattern" seem wrong)

Redwing? (if so, my 1st...same as 1st Fieldfare!)

Don't know this one, might just be an odd angle

Collared Dove through glass in the rain!)

Chaffy

Dunnock

More Chaffy action

The newest superheroes, Blackbird and Robin

Goldfinch

Not seen starlings in the garden for a couple of months...

Greenfinch? (Not seen one of these in the garden for a while, either)

Don't know! (Not strictly in the garden, but not far outside it :o) )

Another Mrs Blackbird?, that doesn't look quite right...may just be the sun shining...

And possibly Mrs Blackcap, in which case it's the first one since about February!

There were 8 or 10 Blackbirds playing  chase me, with no regards to gender, all morning, but only the chaffinch had any sense, he was the only one to only come out between the showers!

  • I'll be honest with you Alan, I meant goldfinch.... so 3 new to me species in one morning!!!!!
  • You're doing well with your garden birds. PB. A great variety. You wait until the Big Garden Birdwatch in January when they will all magically disappear.
  • And not only that...... They were in MY garden!!!!!!!
  • I hope you don't mind, PB, but I've lightened your photo of the Redwing so you can see what an attractive bird it is. 

  • Who needs to go out when you are getting all those beauties in your garden PB. Agree with Alan re Goldcrest, and yes to all the Mrs Blackbirds you were asking about, Greenfinch and the Redwing half way down and female Blackcap at the end. Not quite sure about the one under the Greenfinch when I zoom in on photo so will leave someone else to ID that one. Great to get the two winter thrushes with Fieldfare and Redwing, they are often together in flocks. Now all you need to get is a Waxwing lol just keep the berries on display !

    x-post with Tony 

  • Unknown said:
    I hope you don't mind

    Not at all Tony, I can point and click and crop, but any more complex post production than that leaves me baffled!

  • Thanks for all the comments and ID help everyone. And to think, I was disappointed the forecast was so poor I wouldn't be going out!
  • PimperneBloke said:

    Allow me to set the scene, last night, I thought I might take a trundle to Poole, the park and Baiter just along from the harbour have been having some nice sightings recently, and I'd never been there. I awake this morning to weather warnings, saying stay away from the coast and Poole harbour because of expected very high spring tide. And 90% chance of rain. Bleedin' typical!! As you'll see, the light and sky changed minute by minute from slate grey to bright blue!

    So, I decided to host my very own Big Garden Watch... There are several ID's I'm unsure of (for a change!!) so any help gratefully received :o)

    Don't know this one, might just be an odd angle

    Collared Dove through glass in the rain!)

    Chaffy

    Super photos PB, especially considering the inclement weather, you've done well.

    A shame about the chaffy. The virus I understand is called: "Fringilla papillomavirus", and seems to be very common around here.

    The very dark photo of the unidentified bird, after being a little cheeky and trying to lighten the photo, looks like it could be another Mrs B.

  • It's surprising what will turn up in the garden, when you have the time to look properly. Nice to have a Blackcap around at this time, although odd you haven't seen one since last winter. You obviously get the German winter visitors instead of the more usual summer migrants for some reason.
  • Unknown said:
    German winter visitors

    That'll be the bratwurst, sauerkraut  and black forest gateau we leave out I expect, Nige...