Whos keeping an eye on me....

Saturday 18 February 2012

Male Sparrowhawk

Male Sparrowhwk from this morning. He usualy pops in most weeks but has a poor success rate in my garden due to the fact that the position of my feeders give the small birds plenty of cover to retreat to. The images dont show the squirrel that was a few yards away in the same tree that had frozen with fear, its a good job the larger female wasnt sat in wait.

 All the images are poor as they were taken from inside the house and this mornings weather was particularly murky and wet





Wednesday 8 February 2012

RSPB Garden birdwatch

For over 30 years, the RSPB have been asking supporters to count the birds in their garden for one hour over a specific weekend during late winter. During this time, more than 3 million hours have been clocked up watching and enjoying the birds that visit our gardens (that's more than 380 years worth of info!), and every year, over 6 million birds are spotted and recorded. These figures go along way to understanding the trend of species that are indecline and those that are prospering more.

Of course the hrs watch is only a snapshot of whats going on, its great to get the kids seeing whats under their noses too but also its a quick indicator of how some species have fared after the winter cold.

I did my hrs RSPB Big Garden birdwatch on Saturday 08.45-09.45:
A Hard frost overnight
In order of appearance for 2012:
08.45-09.45

Blackbird 5
Housesparrow 5
Greenfinch 16
Dunnock 1
Goldfinch 4
Woodpigeon 2
Starling 3
Jackdaw 1
Chaffinch 5
Blue tit 3
Collared Dove 2
Lesser Redpoll 11
Coal Tit 1
Magpie 2
Great tit 2
Long Tailed Tit 2

This is how it compares with last year
In order of appearance for 2011:
08.45-09.45- same time of the day

Greenfinch 6
Blackbird 2
Carrion Crow 2
Robin 1
Starling 15
Lesser Redpoll 21
Blue Tit 2
Chaffinch 3
Woodpigeon 4
Siskin 3
Goldfinch 2
Mealy Redpoll 1
Magpie 1
Housesparrow 4
Dunnock 1
Fiedfare 1
Wren 1
Feral Pigeon 6
Collared Dove 1

2012 Vs 2011
16 Species this year Vs 19 Species last year
65 individual birds this year Vs 77 individual birds last year

What does it tell me? probably nothing that I didnt know before ..... Geenfinch numbers are up this year and have been over the whole winter just as the Lesser Redpoll numbers have halved just as they have over the whole winter, and most of the Starlings this year were busy pestering somebody else, But put together with the other million or two results it will paint a better overall picture.

Glad to have to my bit

Monday 6 February 2012

UK First this morning - Lesser Spotted Woodpecker

Very pleased with todays visit to my local patch in my village as I have at last seen my first UK Lesser Spotted Woodpecker -a female. Although poor images it has only taken 5 years to get this! I will try for a better photo over the next few days if the fog decides to recede




Update: Returned this morning and was fortunate to see the female again and shortly after she disappeared I was given some stunning views of a male.




Happy Days.