Male Blackcap again today and a Great Spotted Woodpecker
(must remember too look after the baby)
Chris brown said
Thu Feb 2 3:28 AM, 2012
I am getting some rarer daily visits to my garden in Bromley cross bolton, at the moment. A female blackcap, a pair of reed buntings, up to 10 redpoll (has been higher) and several great spotted wood peckers (up to 3 seen at once.) Also 6 redwings visited at the weekend which was great to see. These together with all the other usuals is brilliant!!
Joe Wynn said
Wed Feb 1 2:52 AM, 2012
At the weekend found a log at the back of the garden, drilled holes in the back, filled these with lard and seeds before leaving it with my feeders, surrounded by moss and next to a new water bath. Got my first customers today, judging by the little indentations in the fat!
Vaughan Evans said
Tue Jan 31 8:53 PM, 2012
Goldfinch, Siskin and Redpoll all in double figures plus a pair of Bullfinch and a female Blackcap. No Greenfinch ....
Neil Ferguson said
Mon Jan 30 12:17 AM, 2012
I hope everyone has taken part in the Great Garden Birdwatch this weekend ??
Highlights 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Nuthatch!!
Davidcaron62 said
Sun Jan 29 10:21 PM, 2012
5 Redwings in my Boarshaw garden today. Been some in the area for a while but first time I've seen them in the garden. A nice turn up for the big garden bird watch.
Regards
Dave
Dave Colton said
Sun Jan 29 10:17 PM, 2012
Just done my hour for the big birdwatch:
2 Woodpigeon 2 Long Tailed Tit (quite pleased these turned up very in frequent visitor) 1 Great Tit 1 Blue Tit 2 Dunnock 1 Starling 2 Blackbird
Charles Farrell said
Sun Jan 29 7:26 PM, 2012
Male blackcap on the fatball feeder in my mum's garden in Alkrington, during the garden birdwatch.
Joe Wynn said
Sat Jan 28 6:18 PM, 2012
Female Blackcap in the garden! Hanging round at the back currently, just needs some enticing to get it into my feeding area...
Chris Greene said
Sat Jan 28 4:36 PM, 2012
Late post for yesterday , Friday 27th. @ 2pm . Large influx of finches onto the feeders in my Stockport garden yesterday afternoon, immediately following one of the heaviest downpours... I managed to count 43 goldfinch and 12 greenfinch ,plus 2male ,and 1 female bullfinch , all competing for 12 available ports of sunflower kernel !!! Several birds were even feeding on the soggy ground beneath the feeders. However , no sign of the siskins , which visited for the last two cold winters!
Cheers Chris.
Stuart Smith said
Wed Jan 25 7:37 PM, 2012
Had a flock of about 75 Redwing settle in the tree at the bottom of my garden this morning.
Melanie Beckford said
Wed Jan 25 4:22 AM, 2012
Finally managed to entice 'nextdoors' Blackcap into my works garden in Heaton Moor today
Neil Ferguson said
Mon Jan 23 4:06 PM, 2012
I've had a pair of goldfinches on the feeders for the last 3 days.Took them less than a week to discover I'd finally refilled the niger feeder.
steven burke said
Mon Jan 23 5:19 AM, 2012
Joe Wynn wrote:
Another half hour with the goldfinch, have got them sitting on a red deer antler! Bit bleak weather-wise, but its interesting seeing their reaction to the new perch!
just seen the pics off the goldies on the antler,cool
Joe Wynn said
Mon Jan 23 5:08 AM, 2012
Another half hour with the goldfinch, have got them sitting on a red deer antler! Bit bleak weather-wise, but its interesting seeing their reaction to the new perch!
Joe Wynn said
Sun Jan 22 5:04 PM, 2012
steven burke wrote:
nice one joe,now you need about another 43 to beat my 47 great pics also,keep them coming.
47? I'll get to work then, my 5 don't even visit all day!
Phil Owen said
Sun Jan 22 7:14 AM, 2012
Great photos Joe!! Well done!!
steven burke said
Sun Jan 22 6:42 AM, 2012
Joe Wynn wrote:
Finally got 'my' 5 Goldfinch used to my presence, willing to sit no more than 5ft away, very special to watch, photos on my flickr.
nice one joe,now you need about another 43 to beat my 47 great pics also,keep them coming.
Dave Thacker said
Sun Jan 22 4:53 AM, 2012
Collared dove collecting small twigs from my garden this afternoon then flying to a large Conifer in a nearby garden. I also had 7 Blackbirds visiting at the same time eating old scones and apples from underneath my feeders
Joe Wynn said
Sun Jan 22 3:10 AM, 2012
Finally got 'my' 5 Goldfinch used to my presence, willing to sit no more than 5ft away, very special to watch, photos on my flickr.
Vaughan Evans said
Mon Jan 16 10:40 AM, 2012
11 Redpolls and a Siskin over the weekend. Redwings were rather conspicuous by their absence
Keith Mills said
Sun Jan 15 11:58 AM, 2012
First for My Garden: A female Blackcap ......excellent view near the feeders at 11.50am.
Followed at 1.06 pm by a prime JAY
-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 15th of January 2012 12:00:58 PM
-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 15th of January 2012 01:07:46 PM
Marvin Lewis said
Mon Jan 9 12:16 PM, 2012
Getting a regular group of Redwings,[up to 20],visiting my Prestwich garden.They spend most of the time in one of the mature Lime Trees.In previous years I have had occasional Redwings,but not on such a regular basis.
Andy Bissitt said
Sat Jan 7 8:52 PM, 2012
If anyone has the time or inclination, there's a bit of birding behaviour that might be worth investigating. Siskins and redpolls always put in an appearance in my garden during the winter, but it is unusual to have numbers of both in the same winter. Last winter was very much a 'siskin winter', this year it's turning into a 'redpoll winter'. My garden is pretty small, but I had 11 today (ten feeding on the ground under the feeders, and one on them!). My tentative theory is that redpolls indicate a mild, wet winter with their presence, with siskins appearing in cold winters (I've had no more than a single this winter, last year I had 19 on one day, but only a single redpoll once). Maybe there's a chance to sell any evidence that their appearance is weather based to the Met Office to help aid their forecasting!!!
steven burke said
Fri Jan 6 6:14 PM, 2012
between 2-4pm watching the birds in my old trafford garden (not really seen them this year yet,due to going to work and coming home from work in the dark ) i had the usual... 50+ house sparrows max off only 7 goldfinches 1 collared dove 1 wood pigeon 1 wren 1 robin 2 blue tits 2 coal tits 2 magpies 3 starlings 1 blackbird 14 feral pigeons 4 redwings (over) also had 1 female goldcrest (first for the year) feeding in the small pine tree next to my feeders,at one point it actually had a feed off the fat balls that are hanging in the tree, watched it feeding for around 20 mins before flying off into next door but ones large connifer also had some distant pink footed geese over at 2.42pm.
Vaughan Evans said
Fri Jan 6 5:33 PM, 2012
4 or so Redpolls since last weekend plus a single male brambling on 1st Jan
Dave Thacker said
Mon Jan 2 8:24 PM, 2012
Both male and female Sparrowhawks within an hour this afternoon trying to catch the birds around the feeders in my Swinton garden. Both missed their intended targets and as the male flew away over 20 Starlings chased after it giving out an alarm call.
Keith Mills said
Thu Dec 29 11:55 AM, 2011
A Sparrowhawk sat on the fence behind my feeders today at 11.40.
....and I had wondered why my Garden Bird survey was going a little quiet.
Jon Bowen said
Tue Dec 27 3:09 PM, 2011
Lots more activity around the feeders the last few days. Today has seen 4 bullfinch (3m 1F) 12 chaffinch 2 Willow Tit Great, Blue, Long Tail (11) & Coal Tit flock 2 Jays 2 Moorhen 4 House Sparrows ( 1st in the garden for a couple of months) 2 Magpies Great Spotted Woodpecker Blackbird 5 squirrels
-- Edited by Jon Bowen on Tuesday 27th of December 2011 03:11:42 PM
Charles Farrell said
Sun Dec 25 11:49 AM, 2011
Sparrowhawk putting up a group of Feral Pigeons and Black-headed Gulls - viewed from the Lounge of my mum's house in Alkrington, causing a temporary suspension of present-unwrapping activity. :)
Stephen Fuentes said
Sat Dec 24 3:09 PM, 2011
A flock of 25+ Goldfinches have been visiting my feeders regularly the last couple of days. With those and the regular 25+ House Sparrows I get, It's going to cost me a fortune in seed this Xmas.
Merry Christmas to all the GM birders !!
Cheers,
Steve.
sid ashton said
Thu Dec 22 5:00 PM, 2011
Had 26 Redwings in one of the Lime trees in our Hale garden this afternoon. We usually get a few of these winter visitors so it was nice to see such a biggish flock perched in the sunshine
Dave Thacker said
Sun Dec 18 4:00 PM, 2011
A Heron sat on my shed for about 40 minutes this afternoon trying to figure out how to get through my defences protecting my fish in my pond. I also had 2 Grey wagtails and a GS Woodpecker in my Swinton garden.
sid ashton said
Tue Dec 13 9:38 AM, 2011
Had the pleasure of Mr Tawny Owl's company in our Hale garden at 02.30 this morning. Hootin'and tootin' for ages before a neighbour's dog joined in and the bird flew off
Phil and Tammy Holgate said
Sat Dec 10 5:44 PM, 2011
Had a new one for the garden today Reed Bunting, off Slag Lane Lowton
Phil Owen said
Fri Dec 9 10:30 PM, 2011
A nice flock of Goldfinches building up steadily day by day on the niger seed feeders in my Wythenshawe garden, but the absence of House Sparrows is concerning.
Only had one day in the last week when 3 appeared for a short time. Used to have 20+ daily in the past.
John Rayner said
Tue Dec 6 9:38 AM, 2011
Yesterday - 5th December
2 Redhead Goosanders flew south over my garden. New garden tick
Cheers, John
Adrian Drummond-Hill said
Mon Dec 5 10:57 AM, 2011
At 04:20 this morning I was woken by a scratching noise originally I thought it was coming from the loft area. After having a look around and being a bit more awake I decided it was probably coming from the roof. It was still quite dark outside and the noise stopped as soon as I opened the bedroom window, so I thought owl with prey. Unfortunately I never saw it or heard any call so I can't be positive. We have occasionally seen a barn owl flying passed our lounge window so whoooo knows? I just hope it doesn't get me up quite so early next time.
Chris brown said
Mon Dec 5 9:31 AM, 2011
At least there is one good thing about the cold weather coming- the garden feeders are now being used loads again!!!
This weekend I had the redpolls back for the first time since June/July, totaling 12. Also I had a garden first for me a female blackcap visited the fat balls. Seems a funny time of year to get a blackcap but some obviously must overwinter here.
Numbers in all the other regular visitors also increased including 5 blackbirds. This surprised me as normally they just chase each other off but were quite happily feeding side by side.
Finally, a young sparrowhawk was sat perched on my bird table for about 5 minutes. Not sure If this was a good or bad thing as every thing else obviously disappeared!!
Chris brown
steven burke said
Sun Dec 4 10:50 PM, 2011
the bird in question is certainly a greenfinch with what henry explains about the xanthochromism, & also explained to me by ian mckerchar who also identified a picture off one i took (not last june,my appologies ian) but actually taken on the 29th june 2010. todays bird (almost 18 months later) is almost iddentical,but certainly a greenfinch. it is an unusual bird, but does like my sunflower hearts
Henry Cook said
Sun Dec 4 6:53 PM, 2011
Joe Wynn wrote:
Can you get sort of jaundiced greenfinches, like there are leucitics and melanistics? Also, steve if its not a canary, it isn't a Serin, or is it literally a yellow greenfinch? Sounds an absolute cracker!
47 Goldfinch!?!?!
There is a condition called xanthochromism, Joe, which is a pigmentation aberration (either high amounts of yellow or low amounts of darker pigments) and affects bare parts or less often feathers. It's quite unusual in the wild though.
Rob Smallwood said
Sun Dec 4 6:51 PM, 2011
steven burke wrote:
in my old trafford garden this morning at 9.45am i had,what looks like a YELLOW greenfinch. i did have a similar bird last june & managed to get a photo off that one,same shape/size off greenfinch obvious yellow streak on the wing,black patches mostly on the wings & on the head but still traces off green on its head plus some white on the wings & back. i did think canary at first,but i just know its not, plus the one last june was with other greenfinches,but this one today was on its own.
also present was 14 goldfinches, 2 blue tits, 1 robin, 2 blackbirds, 40+plus house sparrows and lots off feral pigeons. did have 2 coal tits on friday afternoon.
Have you shared the photo? It might enable someone to ID it for you..
Joe Wynn said
Sun Dec 4 6:00 PM, 2011
Can you get sort of jaundiced greenfinches, like there are leucitics and melanistics? Also, steve if its not a canary, it isn't a Serin, or is it literally a yellow greenfinch? Sounds an absolute cracker!
47 Goldfinch!?!?!
steven burke said
Sun Dec 4 5:33 PM, 2011
steven burke wrote:
in my old trafford garden this morning at 9.45am i had,what looks like a YELLOW greenfinch. i did have a similar bird last june & managed to get a photo off that one,same shape/size off greenfinch obvious yellow streak on the wing,black patches mostly on the wings & on the head but still traces off green on its head plus some white on the wings & back. i did think canary at first,but i just know its not, plus the one last june was with other greenfinches,but this one today was on its own.
also present was 14 goldfinches, 2 blue tits, 1 robin, 2 blackbirds, 40+plus house sparrows and lots off feral pigeons. did have 2 coal tits on friday afternoon.
YELLOW greenfinch returned to my garden at 12pm along with 3 greenfinches & the goldfinches had increased to 47
steven burke said
Sun Dec 4 11:36 AM, 2011
in my old trafford garden this morning at 9.45am i had,what looks like a YELLOW greenfinch. i did have a similar bird last june & managed to get a photo off that one,same shape/size off greenfinch obvious yellow streak on the wing,black patches mostly on the wings & on the head but still traces off green on its head plus some white on the wings & back. i did think canary at first,but i just know its not, plus the one last june was with other greenfinches,but this one today was on its own.
also present was 14 goldfinches, 2 blue tits, 1 robin, 2 blackbirds, 40+plus house sparrows and lots off feral pigeons. did have 2 coal tits on friday afternoon.
Stephen Fuentes said
Sat Dec 3 2:22 PM, 2011
I counted 13 Goldfinches on my feeders this morning, plus a few more were waiting their turn in next door's apple tree. Also around 20+ House Sparrows including the 'light-brown' one. Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Robin and Dunnock are regulars now, and I saw the first Chaffinches of the winter, again in next door's apple tree. Maybe I should hang the feeders up there.
Cheers,
Steve.
Dave Thacker said
Fri Dec 2 10:37 AM, 2011
A good flock of 23 Goldfinch, 4 Greenfinch and 6 Chaffinch in my Swinton garden this morning
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Friday 2nd of December 2011 10:37:37 AM
Keith Mills said
Fri Dec 2 9:19 AM, 2011
The first JAY of the Winter on our Larch with 2 Collared Doves and a Grey Squirrel. At Ladybrige, Bolton.
Danny Spencer said
Wed Nov 30 8:36 PM, 2011
On Thornam Old Road, Royton. Watched male sparrowhawk pluck and eat prey, awsome.
Paul Heaton said
Tue Nov 29 9:54 AM, 2011
2 Goldcrest and Blackcap (m) in garden this morning.
(must remember too look after the baby)
Highlights 2 Great Spotted Woodpeckers and a Nuthatch!!
Regards
Dave
2 Woodpigeon
2 Long Tailed Tit (quite pleased these turned up very in frequent visitor)
1 Great Tit
1 Blue Tit
2 Dunnock
1 Starling
2 Blackbird
Large influx of finches onto the feeders in my Stockport garden yesterday afternoon, immediately following one of the heaviest downpours...
I managed to count 43 goldfinch and 12 greenfinch ,plus 2male ,and 1 female bullfinch , all competing for 12 available ports of sunflower kernel !!!
Several birds were even feeding on the soggy ground beneath the feeders.
However , no sign of the siskins , which visited for the last two cold winters!
Cheers Chris.
just seen the pics off the goldies on the antler,cool
47?
nice one joe,now you need about another 43 to beat my 47
great pics also,keep them coming.
A female Blackcap ......excellent view near the feeders
at 11.50am.
Followed at 1.06 pm by a prime JAY
-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 15th of January 2012 12:00:58 PM
-- Edited by keith mills on Sunday 15th of January 2012 01:07:46 PM
50+ house sparrows
max off only 7 goldfinches
1 collared dove
1 wood pigeon
1 wren
1 robin
2 blue tits
2 coal tits
2 magpies
3 starlings
1 blackbird
14 feral pigeons
4 redwings (over)
also had 1 female goldcrest (first for the year) feeding in the small pine tree next to my feeders,at one point it actually had a feed off the fat balls that are hanging in the tree, watched it feeding for around 20 mins before flying off into next door but ones large connifer
also had some distant pink footed geese over at 2.42pm.
....and I had wondered why my Garden Bird survey was going a little quiet.
4 bullfinch (3m 1F)
12 chaffinch
2 Willow Tit
Great, Blue, Long Tail (11) & Coal Tit flock
2 Jays
2 Moorhen
4 House Sparrows ( 1st in the garden for a couple of months)
2 Magpies
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Blackbird
5 squirrels
-- Edited by Jon Bowen on Tuesday 27th of December 2011 03:11:42 PM
Merry Christmas to all the GM birders !!
Cheers,
Steve.
Only had one day in the last week when 3 appeared for a short time. Used to have 20+ daily in the past.
Yesterday - 5th December
2 Redhead Goosanders flew south over my garden. New garden tick
Cheers, John
At 04:20 this morning I was woken by a scratching noise
originally I thought it was coming from the loft area. After having a look around and being a bit more awake I decided it was probably coming from the roof. It was still quite dark outside and the noise stopped as soon as I opened the bedroom window, so I thought owl with prey. Unfortunately I never saw it or heard any call so I can't be positive. We have occasionally seen a barn owl flying passed our lounge window so whoooo knows? I just hope it doesn't get me up quite so early next time.
the bird in question is certainly a greenfinch with what henry explains about the xanthochromism, & also explained to me by ian mckerchar who also identified a picture off one i took (not last june,my appologies ian) but actually taken on the 29th june 2010. todays bird (almost 18 months later) is almost iddentical,but certainly a greenfinch. it is an unusual bird, but does like my sunflower hearts
There is a condition called xanthochromism, Joe, which is a pigmentation aberration (either high amounts of yellow or low amounts of darker pigments) and affects bare parts or less often feathers. It's quite unusual in the wild though.
Have you shared the photo? It might enable someone to ID it for you..
Can you get sort of jaundiced greenfinches, like there are leucitics and melanistics? Also, steve if its not a canary, it isn't a Serin, or is it literally a yellow greenfinch? Sounds an absolute cracker!
47 Goldfinch!?!?!
YELLOW greenfinch returned to my garden at 12pm along with 3 greenfinches & the goldfinches had increased to 47
in my old trafford garden this morning at 9.45am i had,what looks like a YELLOW greenfinch. i did have a similar bird last june & managed to get a photo off that one,same shape/size off greenfinch obvious yellow streak on the wing,black patches mostly on the wings & on the head but still traces off green on its head plus some white on the wings & back. i did think canary at first,but i just know its not, plus the one last june was with other greenfinches,but this one today was on its own.
also present was 14 goldfinches, 2 blue tits, 1 robin, 2 blackbirds, 40+plus house sparrows and lots off feral pigeons. did have 2 coal tits on friday afternoon.
Cheers,
Steve.
-- Edited by Dave Thacker on Friday 2nd of December 2011 10:37:37 AM
At Ladybrige, Bolton.
Watched male sparrowhawk pluck and eat prey, awsome.