My goldies also quarrel, or at least one of them does. He chases the others off the feeder he is on, but lets them use a different one. They swap about between nyjer and sunflower hearts.
I have always had 30+ house sparrows - never, ever seen them on the nyjer though.
Cheers, Linda.
See my photos on Flickr
Susan H said: Edit:- And I have a Great Tit who is a wind-up merchant. Waited until nearly 5 p.m. today (too dark for a photograph) then arrived on the trellis and chirruped until I looked up and noticed it. I swear I saw it grin before it flew away!
Edit:- And I have a Great Tit who is a wind-up merchant. Waited until nearly 5 p.m. today (too dark for a photograph) then arrived on the trellis and chirruped until I looked up and noticed it. I swear I saw it grin before it flew away!
My single great tit does the same to me!!
My one greenfinch who comes with the goldfinches very occasionally must have lost his sat nav.
For a few weeks now I have had a female Blackcap visiting daily and she duly turned up for the Big Count. I have, this morning, noticed for the first time a male Blackcap. Noticed a week late but was probably around all the time. Isn't that just typical!!
The necessity of bird-watching is a really good reason for avoiding all forms of housework.
The dust will still be there tomorrow - the birds may not be!
Squirrel, I was updating myself on blackcaps and found the RSPB was asking you to report sightings in winter. Go to RSPB/ Blackcap and click 'in winter'. You may already know this but I found it interesting as I thought they mostly migrated.
Many thanks Brenda, I will do that now as I wasn't aware they wanted information. I am pleased to report my one pied wagtail has become two - one of each. In fact a number of my regulars have been pairing up over the last week. Wood pigeons and collared doves are two more species where, now, you don't see one without the other. Love is definitely in the air!!!!!!
Edit: I just tried that and it only came up with the Bird Identifier. I will have to search and see if I can find it elsewhere.
I have just tried putting blakcap into Google and one of the alternatives was the RSPB page. This site took me to wrong page.Great news about pied wagtail. Are you near a stream? I was just thinking if they will nest in your garden.
Hi Squirrel, it's on the following link, and the wording is below the link. It involves reporting it to the BTO Birdtrack scheme.
http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/b/blackcap/winter.aspx
"If you see a blackcap during winter, please add details of your sighting to Birdtrack, a BTO, RSPB and Birdwatch Ireland project. By collecting information about where birds are when, we can learn more about their changing behaviour and populations."
Hi Brenda, I have found something called Birdtrack which appears to be BTO and RSPB working together so I will sign up to that once I have read all the small print. We have lots of streams near by and the river Chess runs all over the place around here. Do P.W.s like to be near streams, then? Just wondering as in heavy rain the road regularly floods so they could park themselves in the back garden knowing they wouldn't have far to go for a quick paddle or a spot of skinny dipping!!!!
Oh, and Sparrow [wave], before you ask - raisins, mealworms and suet pellets. And they eat on the bird tables. And Mr Blackcap is already using "Mrs Chaffinch's table" - which is the one only three feet from where I am sitting.
Edit: Hi Sparrow, many thanks for that. You posted while I was composing!!!
Thanks Sparrow. I should have done that !
Sparrow waves back!!!
Ah well Squirrel, I have had a male blackcap It was on 28th November. It mustn't have liked me because it hasn't been back! I live in hope. Raisins, mealworms and suet pellets fully available providing the starlings leave some.
The Birdtrack is quite interesting as you can see what others are seeing in and near your postcode area. I did register for it, but haven't actually submitted anything as I decided to subscribe to the BTO Garden Birdwatch, even though you have to pay £15. I can do my counts from the comfort of my home and feel as though I am helping in some small way.
Squirrel, the most common place they were often seen was by running water because of the flies and grubs they find to eat, but I have just read that there is a medium alert by the BTO, as their numbers by streams/ water is dwindling. They will nest in walls, crevices in rocks and old, large bird's nests, or even open fronted nest boxes. Their nests are built of moss and grasses. Sounds as if you could have ideal surroundings for them.