RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, 2021

 

A bird watch has to begin somewhere, and mine began with the small but distinctive features of this beautiful Blue tit, almost hidden in a woody patch beneath one of our coconut feeders. The three images below show that other sightings were to follow.

As you can see, I finally succeeded in uploading my Big Garden Birdwatch Results for 2021 on to the RSPB site. There are not really any surprises on my list, although, typically, Long-tailed tits and Wood Pigeons have been around in much greater numbers since my counting hour. 

Ours is a medium-sized suburban garden. It is in close proximity to a Local Nature Reserve. We have a mix of trees, shrubs and the somewhat battered stalks of last year's long grass. Our sandy soil contains a fair amount of old builders' rubble. 

We usually put out fatballs with seeds or mealworms. We replenished our supply of these, adding a new canister of sunflower seeds, which attracted the Goldfinches. 

I wonder what birds you were able to count. Results can be uploaded, I believe, for the next few days (possibly until 19 February, but do check). Here are a few photos of our avian visitors, taken from behind double-glazing ...

 

female Blackbird

Long-tailed tit

Starling

Blue tit

Robin

Dunnock

We very rarely have Sparrows in our garden, but we often see Dunnocks, well, usually two Dunnocks to be precise. I feel they are rather unsung heroes as they keep themselves pretty much to themselves and, like the Wren, are often hidden away in the undergrowth. But they are lovely birds, and it was good to see this one braving the coconut feeder with its fat and sunflower kernels. Perhaps it was the seeds that attracted it.

The last couple of days have seen me log one Small White and one Holly Blue to my Butterfly Conservation Garden Butterfly Survey list. I keep hoping the sunny weather will attract more soon...

Feed the Birds

Robin in our home patch, with currant blossom and forythia

In these days of fewer social gatherings, watching the birds and trying to keep abreast of the regulars becomes an increasingly important activity. And with birds pairing and beginning to build nests, there is plenty of action in the avian world. Our coconut feeders, with added sunflower seeds, particularly attract Blue tits, Robins, Great tits, Long-tailed tits and Starlings. Blackbirds have been known to head for them, too, but they prefer food sources like earth worms that can be pulled from the ground. 

Blue tit, one of many in the garden