To top it all off, the escapee Crimson Rosella I spotted a few weeks ago made an appearance too!
David Morris said
Sat Jan 16 1:32 PM, 2016
Has anyone else had a massive influx of birds today with the cold weather? My garden is like a nature reserve today, both in terms of bird numbers and species. Species seen today:
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Long-tailed Tit
House Sparrow
Goldfinch
Starling
Woodpigeon
Feral Pigeon
Blackbird
Magpie
Robin
Ring-necked parakeet (finally got one!).
David Morris said
Sat Jan 16 10:38 AM, 2016
Saw a Coal Tit and a Goldfinch for the first time in many months in my Chorlton garden this morning. Have also had a massive increase in Blackbirds, sadly one of my cats killed one a few days ago :(
-- Edited by David Morris on Saturday 16th of January 2016 10:39:08 AM
Mike Cooper said
Fri Jan 15 12:06 PM, 2016
Hopwood heywood fri 15/1 working from home
male blackcap on fatballs at 11:00
plus robin, 2 wrens, 2 Dunnocks, MF blackbirds, 2 coal tits, g tit, b tit
colin moran said
Wed Jan 13 5:39 PM, 2016
10 lesser redpolls on the feeders today
Mike Cooper said
Mon Jan 11 11:43 AM, 2016
Hopwood heywood 11/1
male blackcap at first light on fat balls
plus 2great tit, 2 blue tit, 2 coal tit, Goldcrest, robin, 2 Dunnocks, mf blackbird, wood pigeon, 2 magpies
Vaughan Evans said
Mon Jan 11 10:00 AM, 2016
Thanks all for the replies. Interesting stuff
james hall said
Sun Jan 10 5:31 PM, 2016
2x coal tit 1x blue tit 1x great tit in my Leigh garden today
Nev Wright said
Sun Jan 10 5:19 PM, 2016
First time in 20 years, Treecreeper in our Sale garden yesterday
colin moran said
Sun Jan 10 4:09 PM, 2016
today and yesterday I had a common redpoll with 7/8 lesser redpolls on my worsley garden feeders cheers colin
David Morris said
Sat Jan 9 6:32 PM, 2016
A pair of Long-tailed Tits in my Chorlton garden today, don't get them very often!
Mike Cooper said
Fri Jan 8 11:45 AM, 2016
8/1 11:35 Hopwood heywood
welcome visit by a male blackcap this morning fed on the fat/seed balls
and again at 14:30
also MF blackbird, robin, coal tit, 2 blue tit, great tit, F chaffinch and 3! Dunnocks
-- Edited by Mike Cooper on Friday 8th of January 2016 02:55:41 PM
Neil Collier said
Fri Jan 8 9:44 AM, 2016
A Blackcap in the garden this morning along with our usual Blackbirds (sometimes up to 8 at a time), Goldfinches, Jay, who has learned to use our peanut feeder, Magpie, Grey Wagtail, Robin, Goldcrest, Wren, Blue, Coal and Great Tits.
Watched "The One Show" last night and Mike Dilger was talking about the Blackcap, how increasingly they are staying to winter in the UK and the possibility of there being a new UK species with longer finer bills because they are adapting to use the garden feeders.
David Lumb said
Thu Jan 7 5:40 PM, 2016
A pair of Collared Doves spent most of the day sheltering from the strong wind in one of my trees. Fortunately for them a male Sparrowhawk flew through next door's garden not mine.
Bernard McGurrin said
Wed Jan 6 3:30 PM, 2016
Doc Brewster wrote:
Agree with Steve re your birds, Vaughan, they're probably different aged birds from local breeding as the species is sedentary in the UK.
Again as Steve says Northern Bullfinches do turn up in the UK but are much bulkier and have a totally different call, a trumpet like noise rather than the wistful whistle of our birds. I have seen a couple of these chunky beasts in Yorkshire and they are noticeably larger than our Bullfinches. In good years they can turn up anywhere, mainly favouring the east coast. This winter, for example, records have come from Orkney, Durham, Cleveland and Lincolnshire. In addition to these counties in the previous 2 years they have been seen in Norfolk, N.Yorkshire, Fife, Shetland, Highlands, Borders and Cumbria (so even getting to NW England!!). 2013 was a particularly good year with birds showing well and being long stayers at Wells Woods and Holkham (both Norfolk). In years before this they've been found in as far flung counties as Kent, Suffolk, Northants, Worcestershire and probables in Staffs & Warwicks
If we get another good influx year then who knows, we may get a closer NW bird, keep looking for a Bullfinch on steroids making a noise like a toy trumpet & we may be laughing!!
very interesting Doc, i wasn't aware of the trumpet like call, but as you say 2013 was a particularly good year i may well have heard one on Bickershaw rucks, i asked a few fellow birders if they had any idea what i had heard i recall describing it as like a trumpeter warming up, i certainly didn't see anything and later just put it down to my hearing playing tricks on me, it was around may 2012- 2013 but not sure exactly when, obviously with the passage of time i will never know, but youv'e certainly got me thinking.
Doc Brewster said
Wed Jan 6 12:28 PM, 2016
Agree with Steve re your birds, Vaughan, they're probably different aged birds from local breeding as the species is sedentary in the UK.
Again as Steve says Northern Bullfinches do turn up in the UK but are much bulkier and have a totally different call, a trumpet like noise rather than the wistful whistle of our birds. I have seen a couple of these chunky beasts in Yorkshire and they are noticeably larger than our Bullfinches. In good years they can turn up anywhere, mainly favouring the east coast. This winter, for example, records have come from Orkney, Durham, Cleveland and Lincolnshire. In addition to these counties in the previous 2 years they have been seen in Norfolk, N.Yorkshire, Fife, Shetland, Highlands, Borders and Cumbria (so even getting to NW England!!). 2013 was a particularly good year with birds showing well and being long stayers at Wells Woods and Holkham (both Norfolk). In years before this they've been found in as far flung counties as Kent, Suffolk, Northants, Worcestershire and probables in Staffs & Warwicks
If we get another good influx year then who knows, we may get a closer NW bird, keep looking for a Bullfinch on steroids making a noise like a toy trumpet & we may be laughing!!
Vaughan Evans said
Wed Jan 6 12:01 PM, 2016
Thanks Steve - appreciate your comments
Steve Suttill said
Tue Jan 5 4:47 PM, 2016
Whilst I'm no expert Vaughan, Bullfinches tend to be very sedentary and there are few records of ringed birds from the continent being found in this country. The odd Scandinavian birds seem to be found on Fair Isle or on the east coast. If I remember rightly, the northern subspecies is larger than our natives.
Last year's young should now have fully moulted to adult plumage but, as with many species, older birds tend to be brighter in their colouration.
Vaughan Evans said
Tue Jan 5 11:06 AM, 2016
Minimum count of 13 Bullfinches this morning (9m, 4f), displaying a wide variety of shades (colour variations not sunglasses...). There were at least 4 broods over the spring/summer so I suspect most are local, but would anyone have any insight into bullfinch ssp variations??
Also a single female siskin and a male blackcap still from pre-Xmas
Chris Porter said
Tue Jan 5 9:05 AM, 2016
5 fieldfare in the tree overhanging my Hulme garden, sadly now with hardly any berries left (mostly taken by plump yet surprisingly agile wood pigeon). The fieldfare soon flew off to join around 10 others in a similar tree with more berries across the car park (just behind the Z-arts / Zion Centre building).
Richard Thew said
Fri Jan 1 3:26 PM, 2016
My radcliffe garden is of to a good 2016 start with the busiest day of this winter yet. Mixed flock of no less then 40 green and goldfinch, 3 chaffinch, house sparrows, 8 long tailed tits along with my usual other tits, a lesser redpoll heard with the other finches, 4 blackbirds, 1 male great spotted woodpecker (rare in my garden), starlings and a goldcrest was yesterday.
Keith Mills said
Fri Jan 1 11:26 AM, 2016
A Sparrowhawk, just now, across the bottom of my garden. Just clearing the fences, with a magpie on it's tail.
Charles Farrell said
Mon Dec 28 11:44 PM, 2015
A Raven over the garden of my mum's house in Alkrington at lunchtime.
Karen Foulkes said
Mon Dec 28 7:11 PM, 2015
A Jay visited the garden a couple of times today, the first for some time.
S Rothery said
Sun Dec 27 11:11 PM, 2015
North Rise, Greenfield Male Blackcap more showy today - less weather challenges! Also supporting cast of 1pr Bullfinch, 4 each Goldfinch and Chaffinch plus Jay and usual tits.
Karen Foulkes said
Sun Dec 27 9:45 PM, 2015
A female Tawny Owl was heard calling several times from the front garden this evening.
Nigel Troup said
Sun Dec 27 10:49 AM, 2015
After a barren couple of days, it was good to see three Goldcrests and a male Blackcap with the commoner tits in my garden this morning. Woodsmoor, Stockport.
Steve Judge said
Sun Dec 27 9:23 AM, 2015
Eccles garden - Sunday, 27th December 2015 09:15 hrs.
Coal Tit x 2 (feeding on 'Sunflower hearts' feeder). Not seen for a while. Starlings x 10
S Rothery said
Wed Dec 23 10:48 PM, 2015
In my Greenfield (off North Rise) garden - 3m Pheasants - we've had a regular young male visiting for several weeks. He brought 2 older mates today and together they kept the Jackdaws at bay. Other interesting usuals including 1f Bullfinch, 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker but no signs today of the male Blackcap.
Vaughan Evans said
Tue Dec 22 11:39 AM, 2015
Male Blackcap, Male and Female Siskin and a Redpoll this morning, plus the usual Goldfinches and Bullfinches. No Greenfinches though so far this month.
Vaughan Evans said
Mon Dec 21 9:22 AM, 2015
2 Blackcaps this morning - a male and a female, along with a Goldcrest. A male Siskin this afternoon is the first this year.
-- Edited by Vaughan Evans on Monday 21st of December 2015 01:47:49 PM
Steven Nelson said
Sat Dec 19 4:23 PM, 2015
A Robin has been singing at 23.00 from my neighbours Irlam garden for 3 nights this week. Also a Song Thrush in full song this afternoon from my parents Cadishead garden. Both probably fooled by the exceptionally mild temperatures.
David Walsh said
Sat Dec 19 2:32 PM, 2015
Huddersfield Road, Stalybridge
2 Great Tits on the feeders, one infected with Avian Pox, the lesion so large that it covers the entire left side of its head and face, the eye completely obliterated. It looks as if there is half a strawberry stuck to its head. That aside, the bird is behaving perfectly normally, removing and dehusking sunflower seeds.
Healthier specimens include:
12+ House Sparrows 2 Dunnock 1 Blackbird 1 Coal Tit 2 Blue Tits 1 Robin Jackdaws 17 Goldfinch over
Chris Greene said
Sat Dec 19 10:08 AM, 2015
Male and female Bullfinch, have just made a very welcome return to our damp and dreary Stockport garden, after a lengthy absence. However, the other regular visitors are a bit thin on the ground,with only the odd Goldfinch, Chaffinch and Greenfinch around, plus the usual Tit species.
Cheers Chris
Mark Rigby said
Fri Dec 18 9:49 AM, 2015
A Mistle Thrush is in full song in my garden this morning
Also Goldcrest, 5 Greenfinch and 41 Goldfinch
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Saturday 19th of December 2015 03:08:25 AM
Simon Warford said
Sun Dec 13 8:31 PM, 2015
A male Bullfinch in our Bolton garden as well (2nd ever record).
Jon Bowen said
Sun Dec 13 5:19 PM, 2015
First Bullfinch (male) of the year following last nights cold frost along with a female Greenfinch which is more unusual for our garden in Horwich. Goldfinch numbers are increasing with 7 in the garden today, the power of sunflower hearts.
Blue Tit numbers increased up to 11, with 3 Long tailed Tits, 3 Willow Tits, 2 Coal Tits and 6 Great Tits.
Other birds
Blackbirds 3 (1m 2f)
Chaffinch 6
Dunnock 1
Robin 1
Nuthatch 1
David Morris said
Sun Dec 13 3:27 PM, 2015
I posted about the Crimson Rosella on the Chorlton Facebook group to see if anyone had one which had got out, and someone said there's some living wild in Stockport- anyone ever heard about this/seen any round there? Still hope for a tick yet! :P (I'm putting on my garden list at least!).
David Morris said
Sun Dec 13 12:10 PM, 2015
Don't think they're likely to get it back...seemed to want to go on my feeders, but it's not about anymore. Guess I can't count it as a tick either, since it's not a 'wild' bird :(
-- Edited by David Morris on Sunday 13th of December 2015 12:12:22 PM
Mark Rigby said
Sun Dec 13 12:05 PM, 2015
I need some help with this one! Some kind of escapee parrot/parakeet- anyone got any idea what it is? It's been hovering around my garden on the Chorlton/Whalley Range border this morning, and it's not in my Collins! One of my cats scared it away before I could get a photo, luckily it returned.
Crimson Rosella-it's someone pet that has escaped!
I need some help with this one! Some kind of escapee parrot/parakeet- anyone got any idea what it is? It's been hovering around my garden on the Chorlton/Whalley Range border this morning, and it's not in my Collins! One of my cats scared it away before I could get a photo, luckily it returned.
Alan Turner said
Sat Dec 12 12:34 PM, 2015
Ad. male Sparrowhawk again in our Ashton-under-Lyne garden.Alerted by the noise of it crashing into the French Windows where it had left a few feathers and impression.Perched, firstly, on washing-line, then on feeder post.
Alan Turner said
Thu Dec 10 2:21 PM, 2015
Another visit this a.m. in our Ashton-under-Lyne garden of Sparrowhawk (male).Fourth visit since the end of October. Also Lesser Redpoll - first of winter.
Ivan Ellison said
Thu Dec 10 11:46 AM, 2015
Male and female blackcaps showing daily on the feeders in my garden- prestwich .
steven burke said
Thu Dec 10 12:06 AM, 2015
this morning (Wednesday 9th) the bin men were on my old Trafford street & as they went away they left a little rubbish on the road, within 20 mins there was 14 magpies, 1 crow, 9 gulls circling around only 2 gulls actually landed on the road to pick at the rubbish & they were a lesser black backed gull & a herring gull, the other gulls were another lesser black backed gull, 4 black headed gull & 2 common gull.
-- Edited by steven burke on Thursday 10th of December 2015 12:07:13 AM
Vaughan Evans said
Wed Dec 9 8:28 AM, 2015
First redpoll of the winter yesterday. Plenty of redwings in the area too. At least 8 bullfinches daily (5m,3f) too.
Steve Judge said
Tue Dec 8 12:59 PM, 2015
Tuesday, 8th December 2015. Nice selection of birds in my Eccles garden:
Redwing x 3 at least (probably a lot more in centre of holly tree) Mistle Thrush x 1 Dunnock x 1 Blue Tit x 1 Blackbird x 1 Starling x 15 Magpie x 2 Feral Pigeon x 5
Richard Thew said
Tue Dec 8 9:51 AM, 2015
A very tame female chaffinch is visiting my garden in Radcliffe, this I'm noting because in over 17 years of garden feeding, I know this is not a local bird as my regular chaffinch is flying off at the slightest disturbance and never known any local tame ones.
Kristian Wade said
Mon Dec 7 6:29 PM, 2015
Earlier this afternoon a Grey Wagtail (female I think) was flitting about in the horse field behind my house for the first time. Anyone any ideas what it might be feeding on?
Keith Mills said
Mon Dec 7 12:05 PM, 2015
Just now: 5 House Sparrows at a feeder. This is a scarce bird in my garden...none seen previously this year and only in singles in the past.
-- Edited by David Morris on Saturday 16th of January 2016 10:39:08 AM
Hopwood heywood fri 15/1 working from home
male blackcap on fatballs at 11:00
plus robin, 2 wrens, 2 Dunnocks, MF blackbirds, 2 coal tits, g tit, b tit
10 lesser redpolls on the feeders today
Hopwood heywood 11/1
male blackcap at first light on fat balls
plus 2great tit, 2 blue tit, 2 coal tit, Goldcrest, robin, 2 Dunnocks, mf blackbird, wood pigeon, 2 magpies
Thanks all for the replies. Interesting stuff
First time in 20 years, Treecreeper in our Sale garden yesterday
today and yesterday I had a common redpoll with 7/8 lesser redpolls on my worsley garden feeders cheers colin
8/1 11:35 Hopwood heywood
welcome visit by a male blackcap this morning fed on the fat/seed balls
and again at 14:30
also MF blackbird, robin, coal tit, 2 blue tit, great tit, F chaffinch and 3! Dunnocks
-- Edited by Mike Cooper on Friday 8th of January 2016 02:55:41 PM
A Blackcap in the garden this morning along with our usual Blackbirds (sometimes up to 8 at a time), Goldfinches, Jay, who has learned to use our peanut feeder, Magpie, Grey Wagtail, Robin, Goldcrest, Wren, Blue, Coal and Great Tits.
Watched "The One Show" last night and Mike Dilger was talking about the Blackcap, how increasingly they are staying to winter in the UK and the possibility of there being a new UK species with longer finer bills because they are adapting to use the garden feeders.
very interesting Doc, i wasn't aware of the trumpet like call, but as you say 2013 was a particularly good year i may well have heard one on Bickershaw rucks, i asked a few fellow birders if they had any idea what i had heard i recall describing it as like a trumpeter warming up, i certainly didn't see anything and later just put it down to my hearing playing tricks on me, it was around may 2012- 2013 but not sure exactly when, obviously with the passage of time i will never know, but youv'e certainly got me thinking.
Agree with Steve re your birds, Vaughan, they're probably different aged birds from local breeding as the species is sedentary in the UK.
Again as Steve says Northern Bullfinches do turn up in the UK but are much bulkier and have a totally different call, a trumpet like noise rather than the wistful whistle of our birds. I have seen a couple of these chunky beasts in Yorkshire and they are noticeably larger than our Bullfinches. In good years they can turn up anywhere, mainly favouring the east coast. This winter, for example, records have come from Orkney, Durham, Cleveland and Lincolnshire. In addition to these counties in the previous 2 years they have been seen in Norfolk, N.Yorkshire, Fife, Shetland, Highlands, Borders and Cumbria (so even getting to NW England!!). 2013 was a particularly good year with birds showing well and being long stayers at Wells Woods and Holkham (both Norfolk). In years before this they've been found in as far flung counties as Kent, Suffolk, Northants, Worcestershire and probables in Staffs & Warwicks
If we get another good influx year then who knows, we may get a closer NW bird, keep looking for a Bullfinch on steroids making a noise like a toy trumpet & we may be laughing!!
Thanks Steve - appreciate your comments
Last year's young should now have fully moulted to adult plumage but, as with many species, older birds tend to be brighter in their colouration.
Minimum count of 13 Bullfinches this morning (9m, 4f), displaying a wide variety of shades (colour variations not sunglasses...). There were at least 4 broods over the spring/summer so I suspect most are local, but would anyone have any insight into bullfinch ssp variations??
Also a single female siskin and a male blackcap still from pre-Xmas
Male Blackcap more showy today - less weather challenges!
Also supporting cast of 1pr Bullfinch, 4 each Goldfinch and Chaffinch plus Jay and usual tits.
After a barren couple of days, it was good to see three Goldcrests and a male Blackcap with the commoner tits in my garden this morning. Woodsmoor, Stockport.
Coal Tit x 2 (feeding on 'Sunflower hearts' feeder). Not seen for a while.
Starlings x 10
3m Pheasants - we've had a regular young male visiting for several weeks.
He brought 2 older mates today and together they kept the Jackdaws at bay.
Other interesting usuals including 1f Bullfinch, 1m Great Spotted Woodpecker but no signs today of the male Blackcap.
Male Blackcap, Male and Female Siskin and a Redpoll this morning, plus the usual Goldfinches and Bullfinches. No Greenfinches though so far this month.
2 Blackcaps this morning - a male and a female, along with a Goldcrest. A male Siskin this afternoon is the first this year.
-- Edited by Vaughan Evans on Monday 21st of December 2015 01:47:49 PM
Also a Song Thrush in full song this afternoon from my parents Cadishead garden.
Both probably fooled by the exceptionally mild temperatures.
2 Great Tits on the feeders, one infected with Avian Pox, the lesion so large that it covers the entire left side of its head and face, the eye completely obliterated. It looks as if there is half a strawberry stuck to its head. That aside, the bird is behaving perfectly normally, removing and dehusking sunflower seeds.
Healthier specimens include:
12+ House Sparrows
2 Dunnock
1 Blackbird
1 Coal Tit
2 Blue Tits
1 Robin
Jackdaws
17 Goldfinch over
-- Edited by Mark Rigby on Saturday 19th of December 2015 03:08:25 AM
First Bullfinch (male) of the year following last nights cold frost along with a female Greenfinch which is more unusual for our garden in Horwich. Goldfinch numbers are increasing with 7 in the garden today, the power of sunflower hearts.
Blue Tit numbers increased up to 11, with 3 Long tailed Tits, 3 Willow Tits, 2 Coal Tits and 6 Great Tits.
Other birds
Blackbirds 3 (1m 2f)
Chaffinch 6
Dunnock 1
Robin 1
Nuthatch 1
-- Edited by David Morris on Sunday 13th of December 2015 12:12:22 PM
Crimson Rosella-it's someone pet that has escaped!
I need some help with this one! Some kind of escapee parrot/parakeet- anyone got any idea what it is? It's been hovering around my garden on the Chorlton/Whalley Range border this morning, and it's not in my Collins! One of my cats scared it away before I could get a photo, luckily it returned.
Ad. male Sparrowhawk again in our Ashton-under-Lyne garden.Alerted by the noise of it crashing into the French Windows where it had left a few feathers and impression.Perched, firstly, on washing-line, then on feeder post.
Another visit this a.m. in our Ashton-under-Lyne garden of Sparrowhawk (male).Fourth visit since the end of October. Also Lesser Redpoll - first of winter.
Male and female blackcaps showing daily on the feeders in my garden- prestwich .
-- Edited by steven burke on Thursday 10th of December 2015 12:07:13 AM
First redpoll of the winter yesterday. Plenty of redwings in the area too. At least 8 bullfinches daily (5m,3f) too.
Redwing x 3 at least (probably a lot more in centre of holly tree)
Mistle Thrush x 1
Dunnock x 1
Blue Tit x 1
Blackbird x 1
Starling x 15
Magpie x 2
Feral Pigeon x 5
This is a scarce bird in my garden...none seen previously this year and only in singles in the past.