............a bit of research on the internet tells me that Starlings have a yellow bill during the spring. The one that I saw must have been extremely confused!

One of the Starlings had a distinctive yellow bill, much different to the brown one of a normal Starling - anyone know why?

Quite a lot of birds in my back garden over the festive period. A record number of 7 Woodpigeons, 2 Collared Doves, 3 Blackbirds, 30 Starlings, too many House Sparrows to count - all at one time.

The resident Robin has also been going crazy for crushed fat balls.

Mike, could you confirm (via private message) that you have received my recent private messages to you please. Cheers.

A prolonged period of cold weather, and it is all change in the garden. This weekend there has been a lot of activity in my garden. I have increased the amount of feeding and there has been an increase in the number of species. This weekend there have been, Woodpigeon, House Sparrow, Starling, Collared Dove, Blackbird, Dunnock, Longtailed Tit, and a garden first a long awaited..............Goldfinch

Hi Rob.....I might give Summerseat a dose of looking at at some poit in the not too distant then. Thanks for the info M

Mike..That section of the Irwell opposite the garden centre and upriver to Irwell Vale is in my mind the best section of the Irwell in its entirity..Walked all the Irwell from salford to Deerplay(33 miles...big day out!!} a few years ago but in summer the Summerseat bit is the best for woodland birds in my opinion.. Dont know about the specific foods Mike..Just get a big bag of mixed seed and fat balls from the pet shop..Rob

sounds like you had a great days birding yesterday mate. I loved it earlier this year when the Peregrines were raising chicks at Rochdale Town Hall. Guess how I spent my lunch times from work? haha. I visit Summerseat from time to time to go to the garden centre there, whats the birding like in that area?

I think I might put some mealworms on the table in my garden to try and bring other species in. What do you reckon Rob?

hi Mike.. I do agree with you about bird numbers decreasing.. I was out birdwatching all day yesterday from my house in Ramsbottom from dawn till dusk on the moors woodlands and rivers and noticed a significant decrease, possibly by about 75 percent in some species compared to the same walk I did a few weeks ago prior to the prolonged spell of frosts. Long tailed tits were particularly thin on the ground up here. They were everywhere a few weeks ago in big social groups. I also saw only 2 Dippers yesterday along maybe 5 miles on the Irwell where I would always see plenty more than 2.. Dont know if they are known as a species to suffer in the frosts but they always seem tough little birds to me..Either way, they were few and far between. I used to get up to 9 bullfinches at the same time on my woodland feed station near the quarry.. I saw only 1 female yeaterday. On a brighter note saw a good variety and numbers of raptors including 2 Peregrine 2 Kestrel ! Sparrowhawk and heard 2 Tawny Owls in separate sites ..Rob

Sightings this weekend:

Blackbird
Pair of Collared Doves
Good numbers of House Sparrows
Same for Starlings
Blue Tits

I dont know if anyone else has experienced the same but there seems to be a distinct decrease in the number of coal, great and blue tits visiting the garden this winter. Thoughts/comments would be appreciated

I recently made a bird table out of scraps of wood in the garden. I've just put two apples, a bit of seed and a crushed suet ball on there. Robins, House Sparrows and Blackbirds love their new restaurant!

Yes thanks for that Henry. Maybe something different will come in this winter. I think the rarest species I get in the garden is Long Tailed Tits, Dunnocks and Starlings

It's excellent you still get House Sparrows Mike. They've died out around my area and many other areas too. As a red-listed species your feeding is helping their plight greatly in your local area. Keep up the good work.

Ways to get more birds into the garden in winter include adding bushes and trees if possible, organic gardening practices and having somewhere for the birds to drink/bathe. This cold weather should bring a few more birds in over the next few days.
Thanks. Henry.

Great to hear it Pete. I'm on Elmsfield and all I ever seem to get is House Sparrows, Robins, Blackbirds, various tit flocks but nothing out of the ordinary. I always keep the feeders topped up, theres fat balls, suet blocks and all sorts, even fruit on the bird table. What am I doing wrong?

Hi Mike I get up to 10 Goldfinches on my Niger seed feeder. I live just off Edenfield Rd in Norden. It took quite a long time after I put up the feeder for them to find it but they have been coming ever since. I also get a few lesser redpoll from the golf course later in the year and just into the new year.
Cheers
Pete

I thought I may have had some Goldfinches on the Niger Seed feeder by now. Has anyonbe else in Norden had any luck?

Interesting to see a flock of c.30 Starlings push the Woodpigeon of the seed tray this morning!

A refreshing change yesterday. 2 Long-Tailed Tits on suet balls, and an influx on Dunnocks on the lawn. Not bad!

its all very quiet at the moment - just blue tits and robins to report. Ive no idea why its so quiet?

geese do fly at night as well as day

-- Edited by JOHN TYMON on Monday 27th of September 2010 11:17:07 AM

Quite strange to hear Canada Geese flying over at 11.00pm on Saturday night. They should have been well on the roost by then! Anyone got any ideas apart from them being disturbed on the roost?

A skeine of 25 Canada Geese over this morning, in the direction of Heywood. Probably going to fill up on bread at Queen Park! I'm guessing they are roosting on Greenbooth Resr or Ashworth Moor Resr. All the same, there are lots about at the minute!

Nothing much over the weekend. Juvenile Coal Tits, Dunnock, Magpie, Blue Tits, Robin. Seems to be a lack of House Sparrows at the moment?

Early morning and late evening there are a lot of Canada Geese about at the moment. Last week a skeine of 50 flew over in the direction of Whitworth. On Friday night 20 in the direction of Greenbooth Resr, and then Saturday morning, 10 in the direction of Heywood.

Installed a new bird feeder in my garden last night (£7.99 from instore, its a bargain). Just been to buy some nuts, seed, a suet mealworm cake, and some feeders. Will let my happy readers know what it brings - hopefully more than the local population of extremely hungry Woodpigeons!

Not much to report. Just the usual - Collared Dove, Woodpigeons, Blackbird and Blue Tits

Possible Goldfinch on the seed ha nger this morning but flew off as Iopened the curtains so I couldnt ID it properly!

Mike Bisson wrote:

---

does anyone hate cats as much as me?

---

See this thread:

http://www.activeboard.com/forum.spark?aBID=96752&p=3&topicID=28635426

A classic of its time, and one that could do with resurrecting.....

Good numbers of House Sparrows in the Rowan tree behind my garden, until the cat next door jumped on the shed - does anyone hate cats as much as me?

early thie morning:

Juv Coal Tit
Juv Great Tit
Adult Coal Tit
Adult Great Tit
Robin
Juv Blue Tit
House Sparrow

2 collared doves on the seed tray this morning

nothing to report this weekend other than a jivenile Robin. Nice to see this though!

A lot of passerines are keeping low right now, doing their post-breeding moult. Either that or the anti-cat devices haven't worked?!

Nothing to report today other than the same old woodpigeon. I dont know where all the birdies have gone!

its mpre than likely a Dunnock I think!

Is it possible that there could be a Reed Bunting in my garden in Norden. There aren't exactly many patches of wetland and reeds around!

Dunnock?

A male Reed Bunting in moult?

Sorry to disappoint everyone - not a tree sparrow in the garden all weekend. Obviously it was my poor identification. On a better note (and one which I didnt confuse) yesterday a Great Spotted Woodpecker came toone of my nut feeders for a good 10 minutes and then flew off into the trees at the back of my garden. Other sightings this weekdnd:

Juvenile Coal Tits
Juvenile Blue Tits
Juvenile Great Tits
Collared Dove
Greenfinch
Bullfinch
Goldfinch

One which I hadnt seen before, same size as a sparrow, same colour as a female house sparrow but longer legs and a black speckled head. Any ideas anyone?

Pilsworth!

If I was to put a box up for them next year, where would I be best to put it?

In Rochdale they are, they have not really been in the Norden area for 20 years? My Grandma lives near to Bagslate Quarry and all she gets its lots of House Sparrows. Would be great if you had found some though.

Dave

Steve/Colin,

You've got me thinking now. I will take a proper look over the weekend and make sure they have a brown cap on their head and pale cheeks, and not a grey cap. I will confirm their identity to you early next week. Are they really that rare in this part of the country?

Mike

Yes absolutely. My garden backs onto Bagslate Quarry which is the quarry you can see from Norden Village. It looks like I've unearthed something here. I didnt realise that Tree Sparrows were so scarse. Perhaps you need to have a mooch round in the quarry Colin

Regards

Mike

I was thinking the same thing Colin! Only saw my first Rochdale Tree Sparrow at Bowlee a couple of weeks ago very close to Pilsworth so I too am delighted that there are some in Norden Mike. Do you know if they are breeding around there or perhaps some boxes could be a possibility?
Steve

Mike

To my knowledge nearest tree sparrows are at Pilsworth. Would be delighted if you are right. Where abouts in Norden are you? We are talking Norden, Rochdale are we?

Good numbers of House and Tree Sparrows last night on the seed feeders. Along with a Woodpigeon finishing off what he hadn't eaten earlier. That pigeon eats more than the kids!

Similar this morning, just a Woodpigeon on a tray full of Niger seeds. I think I might just stick to Value brand seed - it might be cheaper!

Nothing to report from the garden this morning. Just a humble tree sparrow on my seed feeders - darn cats!

get a rottweiler

What's the chemical Pete, and where can we get it from ?