Fat ball feeder visitors

simonali said:

Mike, I literally can't recall the last time I saw a starling. They seem to be very rare round these parts.

Starlings are still quite scarce in many places.

I wouldn't say we have that large number, but summertime, seeing close on 20 or so in our (very urban) garden isn't a rare thing the last three or four years.

I have snapped an averagely good photo of the mystery visitor. I'm pretty sure it's a female blackcap?

Found this funny pic of a moulting blackbird on the camera. Beak is a bit yellow...

Yes I would agree, female Blackcap, a lovely visitor to get, have not had one of those in my garden. A lovely looking Blackbird in moult, looks like she has one of those frilly skirts on about to do a dance!

Try using a guardian feeder, it has a cage around the outside with gaps too small for starling sized or larger. RsPB shop has them, as do various online retailers

Apologies for the revival. After a fair few months with next to no feathered visitors things have been hotting up again recently. Have spotted a male blackcap in the last few weeks but the female never seemed to reappear. Also had most of the tit family including a pack of long tailed ones, although they've not been back for a few days. Have had a greenfinch or two, as well. These seem to feed quite slowly and sit on the seed feeder for minutes at a time. I never did get that superzoom camera, though!

You know they'll all disappear again for the weekend, as it's Gardenwatch again

In typical fashion and the opposite of what you just said, all the birds I just said hadn't been around suddenly appeared! The male blackcap was just joined by a female and the long tailed tits reappeared.

There are sparrows on all of the feeders and they drop stuff constantly. There is a dunnock, a robin and a juvenile blackbird picking up the bits they drop and I just spotted a mouse grabbing something for lunch too.

Sound like a perfect garden party to me although I doubt very much its a juvenile Blackbird at this time if year...perhaps its a female? Enjoy all your visitors;-)