Friday 10 April 2009

Nesting Fever

There has obviously been a rapid increase in the number of birds constructing their nests. Several times a day I see female blackbirds with beaks full of nesting material. This morning I watched a House Sparrow pull off a piece of half dead grass. It then ran it through its beak as though testing it. Obviously it failed the test as the bird put it down again. The Collared Doves are taking material into my specimen Leylandii (It is about 70ft tall even after having about 30ft cut off the top a couple of years ago) I am tempted to have it felled completely but so many birds use it for nesting and shelter it will probably stay as long as it remains safe.

I am coming to the conclusion that the Blue Tits have abandoned the idea of taking up residence in the tit box. The contents have remained undisturbed for four or five days now. This following one day where there was a lot of activity and everything looked just fine.

Nestbox

Yesterday a Great Tit again visited the Robin box and spent a short while investigating it.

This morning for only the second time ever I had a Goldfinch visit. It was sat on the clothes line and may have been looking for the niger seed feeder which had been close to that position. I had moved it a couple of days ago to a more secluded spot further down the garden so I shall have to wait to see whether it finds the new position.

Goldfinch

Goldfinch

Otherwise it has been lots of the usual visitors. There has been an increase in the numbers of House Sparrows visiting the feeders. Rooks now seem to be amongst the regular visitors to the lawn.

Rook

I am beginning to see differences in the Rooks. Individuals are often easily spotted by looking at the shape of the beak. Most have various lumps and bumps and each beak is different. I will have to go through my collection of photographs and see haw many different individuals I can pick out.

Lastly a picture of a Starling in flight. Not a brilliant photo as it was a distance away. I like it as the bird was caught at the moment when the wings were closest to the body. It looks to me as though it is jet propelled!

Starling

Happy Easter to all. Have fun birding or just relaxing. John

9 comments:

  1. I have never seen a more aerodynamic starling!

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  2. Really lovely photos of the Goldfinch John and I absolutely agree the Starling does look jet propelled!
    I hope you and Bobby have a Very Happy Easter.

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  3. RR: Yes. Looks just like it's been fired from a circus cannon.

    SS: Thank you. So far we are enjoying a very peaceful sunny day in the garden. I like Bank Holidays at home as most people around clear off for the day. Apart from bird song it's lovely and quiet!

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  4. Great shots of the Goldfinch John. Started off bright here but it's been raining all afternoon.

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  5. Beautiful shot of the Goldfinch John. I'm sure he'll find the niger seed soon. Took my pair 2 weeks to come to mine when I first put it up, but now they come everyday, through the day, along with a couple of others sometimes. Always a welcome addition; like flying jewels.

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  6. LBJ: Thanks. Temperature reached about 17C but it started raining about 3pm. Still it was beautiful while it lasted.

    HM: Thanks. So far I've only seen one though a group often visit the feeders a few doors away. They really are beautiful birds.

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  7. Easter greetings! Leylandii are much-maligned but they do provide good nest sites and winter shelter for a lot of birds. My leylandii hedge has hosted one blackbird nest (and sometimes two) every year for the last thirty years, serves as a winter hibernation site fo ladybirds and also seems to be a popular place for goldcrests and wrens to shelter in winter. I have one 40 foot cypress that always has a wood pigeon nest. Mature conifers and conifer hedges in a garden can be a real wildlife asset.

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  8. Great pictures John - especially the Goldfinch. The starling looks like the "bolt from the blue" against the back drop of that very blue sky!

    I would agree about the nest box; think it may have been abandoned if no recent activity.

    Glad to hear you're enjoying a quiet day! Have a good easter.

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  9. Greenfingers: I agree. Also my thorn front hedge is well used by the sparrows,

    Tricia: Thank you. Thoroughly enjoyed a day pottering round the garden.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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