3 more new birds to add to my flixton garden list. Ring-necked parakeets over at the weekend. Oystercatcher over on Sunday. 3 swallows over this evening.
1. It had two distinct wing bars not the T-shape we usually see 2. Very rusty brown - significantly more so than any I've ever seen before 3. Merlin mistook its call for Tree Sparrow!!
I'm assuming it might be a subspecies but the call freaked me out...
Any ideas?
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Garden Life List: 57 My UK only life list: 257 My Global Life List: 521 Global 2024 year list: 133 My UK 2024 year list: 121 My 2024 Garden List: 26
This afternoon in my Astley Garden, a Raven over east, both Willow Warbler and Blackcap singing from trees at the back of the garden and Blackbirds still feeding young.
Bury . Two magpies have , systematically , pulled up approximately three square yards of grass and moss from the lawn . They were really heaving on it . A first , here . Were they after something specific , if so , what ? Any ideas , please !
Small numbers of Siskin and Linnet over my Tyldesley garden today but best of all were 2 Greylag Geese heading east just before 9am, my first garden record!
2 Swallows briefly feeding over trees at bottom of garden this afternoon. Also a male and female Sparrowhawk thermalling above garden, 2 Buzzards over and a Kestrel hunting over the rough field at back of house. Chiffchaff still singing a couple of gardens away,and Nuthatch singing also.
Singing Chiffchaff in my urban Old Trafford garden just now. There has been a singing bird at nearby Firswood tram stop in previous years, wonder if this one will hold a territory
A singing Blackcap in the apple tree in next doors garden this afternoon, also a male Reed Bunting in full sum plum in the garden feeding on the lawn. 4 Mallards over the garden and a few Black Headed and Lesser Black Backed gulls as well.
Buzzard seen distantly from my urban Old Trafford garden just now, seemingly heading south along the metrolink line past firswood. Also singing blackcap in recent days
First Willow Warbler heard in the trees behind Kennedy Road, Astley, while on my driveway. Also Chiffchaff calling and Great Spotted Woodpecker at same time.
Both blackcap (a fem today, the male last seen yesterday), and siskins (min 4 today) make it into another month. Looks like they will only leave when my sunflower hearts run out, which will be in 4-5 days time. I don't feed birds during Summer. A nuthatch was a surprise today, being the first for c3 weeks.
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A Siskin on the bird feeders this afternoon first one I've seen in garden this winter. A Greater Spotted Woodpecker on the bird fat,several Goldfinch,Greenfinch also on the seed feeders And over the garden a Sparrowhawk,Buzzard and Kestrel
Chiffchaff singing in trees at bottom of garden today,a large Sparrowhawk(presumably female) thermalling over the garden in the sunshine,a few Lesser Black Backed and Black Headed Gulls over as well.
First Brambling seen on the feeders in nearly 5 years this lunch time. Female. Siskins being seen every day, recent maximum of 9 also in the last week 2 Bullfinch 1 Great Spotted Woodpecker 2 Nuthatch 3 Chaffinch Greenfinch and Goldfinch in single figures 1 Goldcrest 2 Long-tailed Tit Coal Tit 2 Collared Dove Up to 5 Ring-necked Parakeet. Birds seen every day multiple times. Plus the more regular garden birds, Robin, Sparrow, Blackbird, Starling, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Blue and Great Tit.
Siskins remain in the garden. 4 this morning giving a 7 day streak. Yesterday 12 Redwing and 2 Fieldfare were in the trees early on. Near Gorse Hall, Dukinfield.
A large movement of calling Redwings currently taking place over my Irlam garden. I was outside for 10 mins and the constant contact calls every few seconds were heard throughout. Sounds like theyre heading east so no doubt on their way back towards Scandinavia.
8 Buzzards thermalling and calling over the back garden this afternoon when sun put in an appearance. On the feeders Nuthatch,Bullfinch,Chaffinch plus all the usuals,and a very tame Pheasant picking about in the back garden.
Late post for Saturday 09.04.24 . I was alerted by nextdoor neighbour Sue about a bird circling over our (urban) Gorse Hill terrace at 16:32. I went to the front door and saw a Buzzard circling in the distance probably over Chorlton - cum- Hardy. Joined by Sue she said there were 3 of them. Ten minutes later a Raven drifted close by travelling North along Chester road.
Male Pheasant on the neighbours wavy lap fence this morning for c5 mins, looking very lost and calling. Then the neighbours dog scared it on to a garage roof. Not sure what its doing in a residential area of Astley at least a quarter of a mile form the nearest fields near the Applewood.
3 new birds to my flixton garden over the last week..
A pair of greenfinch on a couple of occasions. Flyover cormorants, 16 yesterday. And a sparrowhawk flying through. Meadow pipit & pied wagtails have been heard but not seen.
Female Blackcap visiting fatballs in the garden this morning. A few Siskin visited during the week. Jackdaws visiting frequently, every few days, is new behaviour for my postcode.
I've also been getting up to 6 Siskin and a single male Blackcap on feeders in my Cheadle Hulme garden along with the regular garden birds. Then last Thursday a new garden bird here arrived when a Brambling appeared under the feeders, eventually trying out the feeders. It has appeared most days since then when I have had a chance to look and still here today at 3 pm.
Half a dozen siskins and the blackcap pair still visiting daily. Makes me think that winter might not yet be over. Also today- 2 jays visiting neighbouring garden, and a sparrowhawk on patrol.
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Ever wondered what the Earth was like before life evolved? Stick around.
Still seeing the siskins daily (6 today), and the blackcaps (m & f). Today's less frequently seen birds were a single redpoll, and a collared dove. Feeders probably at their busiest of the Winter just now.
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Ever wondered what the Earth was like before life evolved? Stick around.