RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2022

 

Long-tailed tits with Blue tit in the wings, 29 January 2022

 

The results of our 2022 Big Garden Birdwatch are in, and sadly we are a little disappointed at this year's numbers. We are not particularly surprised as (a) we have had a couple of very recent visits from a female Sparrowhawk and (b) conditions were far from ideal with Storm Malik blowing the bushes about. Incidentally, all my photos in this post were taken during the hour of the survey (through double-glazing).

 

Blue tits and Great tit

 

We put out four coconut fatballs, one container of peanuts and a small canister of Niger/Nyjer seeds. The Goldfinches (when they visit) are never interested in our Niger seeds, which is a shame. 

We had a total of 10 species:

1. Blackbird (three at once)
2. Blue tit (six at once)
3. Great tit (two at once)
4. House Sparrow (one)
5. Long-tailed tit (two at once)
6. Magpie (one)
7. Starling (two at once)
8. Carrion Crow (one)
9. Feral Pigeon (two)
10. Blackcap (presumably are 'regular' female) 

 

Female Blackcap

 

The 'regulars' who were noticeable by their absence on this occasion were the Robin, the Dunnocks, the Goldfinches, the Woodpigeons, the Great spotted Woodpecker and the Wren. We occasionally spot a Coal tit and rarely see Chaffinches, and Collared Doves. Very occasionally we notice a Song Thrush. There are often various gull species about, but few come in to land.  

I wonder what you have been seeing. Here are some of the visiting Blue tits ...

 

And finally, here are the RSPB charts pertaining to the data we submitted. It will be interesting to see the nationwide results in due course. 

There is always the Climate Crisis to consider, but I wonder how much the pandemic will be responsible for variations from normal trends. We have a hunch that the many Woodpigeons in our neck of the woods moved to other areas when a local entertainment venue was forced to limit its hours of operation, and there were consequently less pickings to be had.

 

 

 

My First Snowdrop of the Year and Other Garden Observations

 

We had beautiful blue skies here in our part of Suffolk this morning, and it was a joy to watch the Long-tailed tits feeding from the fatballs. I love the way the top one clings on, projecting its bill forward. These birds are so acrobatic!

A number of folk have been posting about Snowdrops. I looked in the garden a few days ago and failed to see any signs, but today I came across two Snowdrops in flower, virtually hidden in a tangle of undergrowth. They brought a smile to my face!

David and I were out looking for the over-wintering Wasp-spider egg-sacs. We only managed to see one of the four that were in our mini-meadow (aka unmown lawn) last autumn. I hope the others have survived the frost. I wonder if you saw the Wasp-spider photograph on BBC Springwatch yesterday? 

We nearly missed this patch of Cyclamen in a shady corner... I wonder what we will find next.

And meanwhile, here is the Wasp-spider eggsac...

And just in case you have yet to see this striped spider, here is a link to one I saw last year...

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2019

 

I did my RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch survey today. The weather was cold and clear, with a fair bit of sunshine. The gusting wind had died down, but it was still breezy.

I decided to take a slightly different approach this year, and I hope it didn't mean that I missed too many birds in the process. Inspired by sculptor and fellow blogger, Jennifer Tetlow's bird-watch, which resulted in her clay 'Wren', I decided to add a creative element (not to the counting, of course!) by writing a draft Haiku/俳句 for each species seen. I am leaving these Haiku in their 'raw' organic state for now, but may polish them up in due course. I thought you might be interested to see how I got on...

small, bright and hungry,
hanging on the silver birch –
blue as this cold day

Blue tit (right) and Great tit (left), 28 Jan. 2019

here for a moment,
the Great tit departs at speed,
its bill full of fat

Goldfinch (record shot), 28 Jan. 2019

the clock ticked slowly:
suddenly a single finch
sprinkled red and gold

Long-tailed tit, 28 Jan. 2019

so slight and graceful,
Long-tailed tits slip through the leaves –
white clouds, pink feathers

Blackbird (old photo)

she touched down at last,
squeezing her umber feathers
between two branches

Robin, 28 Jan. 2019 (though by this time it had left the nest)

not an early bird,
but its fire-cracker waistcoat
gleamed from an old nest

Wood pigeon (old photo)

last bird on the list 
how strange it was on its own:
where were the pigeons?


Sadly, a number of our 'usual garden suspects' (Dunnock, Wren, Chaffinch, Coal tit...) failed to show up. This may be because of the weather or on account of a recent Sparrowhawk visit. Others were 'there', but could not be counted because they did not land. The rest of the Goldfinch flock fell into this category along with two Collared doves (I hope one was the dove I hadn't seen since the Sparrowhawk paid us a visit) and a Carrion Crow. A Magpie and a Starling showed up almost immediately after my time was up so could not be included. I took photos of them. 

The numbers on the chart below indicate the birds I counted in my garden from 12.30 to 13.30 today...

The animals I have seen in our garden during the last year (just Grey Squirrel and Hedgehog)...  It's quite possible we saw a Stag beetle in among the Cockchafers, but I can't be sure: we definitely had a dead one on the grass a couple of years ago.

And, sadly, I didn't have a single House Sparrow. We rarely see House Sparrows in the garden. 

These are the birds who came just after the count...

(Ringed) Starling, 28 Jan. 2019

Magpie, 28 Jan. 2019

Pecking Order

Some of you will know that we have had builders and decorators in to put right the damage caused by a flood. There has been a fair amount of hanging around which has meant that I have snatched spare in-between moments to keep an eye on the bird feeders. We even a had a brief visit from a Sparrowhawk the other day: these are not my favourite birds to have at close quarters when there are small birds trying to feed in these cold temperatures. Today it has been largely the turn of the Starlings and Long-tailed Tits. 

I might like it to be a case of 'share and share alike', but I can see wisdom (or instinct) in the tiny Long-tailed tit's patient reticence!

Meahwhile on the other coconut, a second Long-tailed tit had the food all to itself. 

We have had a few sleety snow flurries but no lying snow to date. There have been intermittent visits from Blue tits, Great tits and a Robin, too. And no sign today of the Sparrowhawk so far...

Don't forget: this weekend is the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. It lasts from 26th to 28th January, and the link explains how you can take part.

Yesterday's Visitors ... Woodpecker and Long-tailed tit

I rather like this photo, showing that the Long-tailed tit's body

 is not much larger than the Great Spotted Woodpecker's head!

I don't think the Long-tailed tit would have continued to feed

if the male Woodpecker had arrived,

but these two seemed compatible eating companions.

This photo (above) shows the lack of red on the nape of the neck, 

indicating that this is a female. 

Look at the size of the claw on the Silver Birch trunk!

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus!

Tree Following - January and early February 2016

 Welcome to my Tree Following post for January and early February 2016. 

These tree posts form part of a wider project initiated by Lucy Corrander from the Loose and Leafy blog and continued by Pat at The Squirrelbasket. May I express my thanks to you both.

I am based in Suffolk, UK, where I have been keeping an eye on an Acer negundo (aka a Box-leaf Maple). I am also continuing to watch my Silver birch, B. pendula. Those of you who have read my previous posts will know that I love following the Silver Birch; but, for some slightly indefinable reason, I have not found the Acer negundo a very rewarding tree to follow. I may exchange it for a small flowering cherry sapling that we were given four years ago. I will let you know my thoughts on the matter in a month's time! 

You will find the other Tree Follower links by clicking the Mr Linky link here ... so do take the chance to have a look at these new posts!

Once again, the main activity this last month concerns the birds who live around my home patch. Many of them showed up on cue - in, on, around or under the Silver Birch - during the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch. You will find my report here.

Since my last TF post, I have noted the following ...

• The feisty Robin (and another Robin)
• Blue tits, a large cluster
• Great tits, again a good number of these
• Long-tailed tits, always in a small group
• Starlings, every so often
• Blackbird, around the tree, rather than on it
• Magpies
• Wood pigeons, the usual suspects 
• Carrion Crows, three noisy ones!
• Greater Spotted Woodpecker - a male and a female
• Bullfinch, male - seen once during its brief spell in our patch
• Grey Heron, seen overhead twice, going in opposite directions
• Sparrowhawk, which flew past the Silver Birch and on over the fence
• Goldfinches, a large charm
• Collared Doves, a pair 
• Jay, a few days before the Birdwatch.

There has also been a Grey Squirrel, who is perching precariously at the top of the Silver Birch as I type. A large black and white cat has visited the base of the Silver Birch on occasions, leaping up at a Magpie who was hovering by the coconut feeders.

On the insect front, I have one early moth to report, but it flew off before I was able to identify it or take its photograph. I also watched a queen Buff-tailed Bumblebee fly past the Silver Birch, and I gather from friends on Facebook that there have been other sightings of these bees during the past month.

And now for a few photos for this month ...

Silver Birch - this morning

Slow signs of spring (Silver Birch)

Acer negundo, looking pretty wintry still

Great spotted Woodpecker, male

You can see his back-of-the-nape red band very clearly

The Grey Squirrel managed to knock the lump of fat (with berries) to the ground ...

... ate as much as it could, and managed with some difficulty to carry the remains over the fence.

One of the Dunnocks at the foot of the Silver Birch

Blue tits feeding in peace

One of the Starlings

Above and below: Magpie (before the cat leaped up)

 

I mentioned in January that I would post my full TF species list once again this month. I shall probably continue to do this every other month or at intervals as it is becoming rather long! Here it is:

(Largely) Silver Birch Sighting Update
The few Acer negundo entries have been marked as such.    

Avian sightings (on, in and around the Silver Birch, seen at any time since I began the Tree Following project over a year ago) are shown in pink.

I have marked the 'wild things' seen during this last month in yellow.

To date, the only birds seen on the Acer negundo are TFb13 Goldfinch and  TFb19  Chaffinch. 

• TFb1   Great Spotted Woodpecker (a male and female)
• TFb2   Great tit (several, often on feeder) 
• TFb3   Long-tailed Tit (large family, including juveniles)
• TFb4   Blackbird
• TFb5   Song Thrush   
• TFb6   Blue tit (several frequently on feeder)
• TFb7   Robin (the feisty Robin has put in frequent appearances)
• TFb8   Magpie
• TFb9   Wood Pigeon (up to ten perching around the feeder area)
• TFb10 Dunnock (two occasionally below the feeder)  
• TFb11 Starling (one or two)
• TFb12 Carrion Crow 
• TFb13 Goldfinch 
• TFb14 Jay
• TFb15  Green Woodpecker
• TFb16  Wren 
• TFb17  Bullfinch (a single visit from a male)
• TFb18  Sparrowhawk
• TFb19  Mallard
• TFb20  House Sparrow
• TFb21  Chaffinch

New bird species this month ...

• TFb22 Grey Heron (I have seen these in our home patch before, but apparently not since the start of my Tree Following observations. There is a stream in the local nature reserve at the back of our garden, so we see these birds occasionally). 
• TFb23 Collared Dove (a pair)

Mammal sightings include ...

• TFm1 (?Wood) Mouse
• TFm2 Bat ... first 2015 garden sighting 7 May 2015 [Apr/May 2015]
• TFm3 Shrew
• TFm4 Grey Squirrel (high up on the Silver Birch) [Jan/Feb 2016]
• TFm5 Stoat
• TFm6 Hedgehog, a single sighting 

 No new mammals this month.


Insect sightings include ...

• TFi1 Small Tortoiseshell Butterfly [March 2014]
• TFi2 Buff-tailed Bumblebee [March 2014] [Jan/Feb 2016]
• TFi3 Brimstone Butterfly [April 2014]
• TFi4 7-spot Ladybird [April 2014] [October 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015]
• TFi5 Skipper Butterfly [July 2014]
• TFi6 Meadow Brown Butterfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015]
• TFi7 Large White Butterfly [July 2014]
• TFi8 14-spot Yellow Ladybirds [July 2014]
• TFi9 Small White Butterfly [May 2014] [Apr/May 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 - caterpillars]
• TFi10 Orange tip Butterfly [May 2014]
• TFi11 Harlequin ladybird  [May 2014] [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015 - on three on Acer negundo!]
• TFi12 Garden Chafer (Phyllopertha horticola) [June 2014] 
• TFi13 Ruby-tail Wasp [June 2014] [May/June 2015]
• TFi14 Blackfly [June 2014] 
• TFi15 Marmalade Hoverfly [July 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015]
• TFi16 Shield bug [July 2014] [Apr/May 2015]
• TFi17 Migrant Hawker dragonflies [July 2014]
• TFi18 Unidentified Damselfly [August 2014]
• TFi19 Comma butterfly [August 2014]
• TFi20 Red Admiral butterfly [August 2014] [October 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015]
• TFi21 Peacock butterfly [August 2014] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Nov/Dec 2015] - flew past window
• TFi22 Green bottle flies [August 2014] [May/June 2015]
• TFi23 Ants [August 2014] [Apr/May 2015]  [May/June 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015 Acer negundo]
• TFi24 Squashbug aka Dock Bug, Coreus marginatus [August 2014]
• TFi25 Birch Shieldbug (late instar?) [September 2014]
• TFi26 Lacewing [October 2014] [Sept/Oct 2015]
• TFi27 Cereal Leaf Beetle [Apr/May 2015]
• TFi28 Unidentified Moth [Nov/Dec 2014] [Feb/Mar 2015] [Jul/Aug 2015] [Sept/Oct 2015]
  [Jan/Feb 2016]
• TFi29 Rosemary Beetle [[Sept/Oct 2015]
• TFi30 Hawthorn Shieldbug [May/June 2015] 
• TFi31 Forest Shieldbug (Pentatoma rufipes) [Sept/Oct 2015] 

 No new insects this month.  


Arachnids

• TFa1 Zebra Spider (about ten) [Apr/May 2015] [May/June 2015]
• TFa2 Garden Spider (Araneus diadematus) [May/June 2015]
• TFa3 Unidentified spider  

 No new insects this month. 


And finally ...

MY PREVIOUS TREE FOLLOWING POSTS

• December 2015 to January 2016
• November to December 2015
• October to November 2015
• September to October 2015
• August to September 2015
• July to August 2015
• June to July 2015
• May to June 2015
• April to May 2015
• March to April 2015
• February to March 2015
• January to February 2015
• November to December 2014
• October to November 2014
• September to October 2014
• August to September 2014
• July to August 2014 
• June to July 2014
• May to June 2014 
• April to May 2014
• March to April 2014
• February to March 2014