Now up to 7 Brambling in the garden feeding on the spilt seed from the feeders,also a Reed Bunting in today.

First time for 6 years in my Norden (Rochdale) garden. Great Spotted Woodpecker

-- Edited by Ian McKerchar on Sunday 8th of April 2018 10:39:02 AM

Yellowhammer in my garden again when I got home from work

3 Brambling in the garden this afternoon inc 2 stonking almost full sum plum males,also a couple of Siskin on feeders.

A first for my Irlam garden this morning. 2 female Siskin on my feeders.

Also a pair of Blue Tits have been occupying the nest box again this week for the 4th year running. Lots of displaying from the male and chases all other birds away.

2 ravens over my old trafford garden at 4.05pm they actually circled & lingered for almost 5 minutes cronking all the time before heading off in a westerly direction. Phil Kelly mentions one in his post over his Stretford house & is most likely to be one of the 2 I had, the time of his fits nicely.
Common buzzard also over at 4.48pm being mobbed by a lesser black backed gull.
3 long tailed tits on the fatballs

Just now: The male Lesser Redpoll back on my hearts feeder, this time along with it's  mate.

Just now : A male Lesser Redpoll on our hearts feeder, and thats a first..... It munched away for several minutes.

Not my garden but a Blackcap was in song in gardens around Sale FC Rugby Club’s ground at Heywood Road in Sale early afternoon today.

Early signs indicate that the wren (same one that loves our mealworm feeder) is likely to be nesting in my Radcliffe garden, 1st time after 10 years in 2007. I will certainly be keeping a watch on this!!! Also the same female lesser redpoll is still coming and I'm certain almost I heard a male also in a tree with possibly another. Also a male bullfinch was seen yesterday evening again (3rd day on trot) but didn't come for the feeders- but for the buds on the tree!

After too much walking around for nothing this week, decided to do a garden migration watch for about 30 minutes p.m. Only bird to fit that description was redwing, with 9 over low (came down in fields to the north of house). Even so, about 20 species was better than many places I've been this week, and included Mandarin duck (first positive i.d. from garden I think), grey heron, lesser black-backed and black-headed gull, 4 jays and so on. Redpoll and siskin stopped coming to the garden almost as soon as sunflower hearts ran out. Fussy sorts!

Just had a nice male Siskin feeding on Niger in my Radcliffe garden.
Cheers Ian

Before 8am this morning: 4 Greenfinch on my garden feeders.

Ashton on Mersey Garden, this morning

Goldcrest x 2

Wren

Dunnock 

Goldfinch, Chaffinch Bullfinch

Redwing x 5 ( very chuffed )

Blackbird Songthrush

Ring Necked Parakeet 

Keep Birding 

First ever Reed Bunting in my Aspull garden this morning.

Just noticed a Blackbird has begun building a nest in the pyracantha growing next to my front door, Spring is springing.
Cheers Ian

Hazel Grove:

Greenfinch singing in the garden is the first for many years.

(Also first frog spawn today)

Cheers John

Expected a drop in numbers/species today with the milder conditions, but in fact the opposite happened.

Male bullfinch and nuthatch were both the first since January, whilst two coal tits have also returned in the last 2-3 days.

Others increased e.g. chaffinch (9), siskin (4), and redpoll (3). Two long-tailed tits as well, so it was all fairly entertaining. Also saw a female blackbird apparently carrying nesting material.

In my Hopwood Heywood garden today

3 goldfinches on sunflower hearts

Goldcrest singing
Dunnock singing
Chaffinch singing

Wren returning
Long tailed tit 2
Blackbird 2
Magpie 2

Radcliffe garden update;

Everything has dramatically calmed down since the cold snap, in fact it looks like I'm at the end of a historically productive winter garden activity and the current pattern seems to indicate that the birds are now getting ready for the spring. Below is a list of birds that have made this winter extra special and those that are still visiting is a note saying 'still' Any other birds not listed are my usual regulars but are likewise not is numerous (goldfinch for instance had peaked at about 20+, now it's currently half a dozen)

Cormorant (was new as it flew super low over garden)
13 blackbirds (max of 3 still)
Blackcap (male was new- had female in past)
2 mistle thrushes (almost 10 years since last seen)
Mealy redpoll (was new and rarest ever)
8 Lesser redpolls (max 5 still)
3 bullfinch
Siskin
Grey wagtail (was new)
Pied wagtail (last visit was in 2005, one landed on house roof this morning)
Long tailed tits (eating mealworms in feeder which I've never seen before)
Goldcrest (eating mealworms - still)
Wren (eating mealworms - still)
Reed bunting

Ta!

Bizarre sight of a male Pheasant in my Sale garden this afternoon

15 Fieldfare around the Astley garden early afternoon today.

Male Bullfinch in the garden this morning, along with four Woodpigeon. Three Blackbirds seemed more intent on chasing each other around the garden, rather than eating the food I had put out

3 goldfinch on niger feeder, 2 Great tit, 3 blue tit, 2 coal tit. Around 25 house sparrows, 30+ Starling coming in a big flock, demolishing the feeders and taking off again. 1 Wood Pigeon, 5 Collared Doves, 3 Robin, 1 Dunnock. All that is normal but the thrushes are taking over the garden at the moment. Around 7-8 Blackbirds at any one time (both sexes, often chasing each other away) A Song Thrush. Also had a small flock (10 or so) of mixed gulls (black-headed, herring and not sure about the rest since I am not great with gulls but probably second winter/third summer or whatever of the types mentioned!!) eating someone's chips off the road nearby.