Lockdown2 – the first week’s bird list

Mark 6 Comments

My Lockdown2 garden bird list is a fairly servicable 27 species, so far. Nothing unusual but the occasional flocks of Redwing, Fieldfare and Skylark make me attentive to what is up in the sky. Here’s my list so far:

Woodpigeon

Collared Dove

Black-headed Gull

Common Gull

Lesser Black-backed Gull

Sparrowhawk

Red Kite

Buzzard

Green Woodpecker

Magpie

Jackdaw

Carrion Crow

Blue Tit

Skylark

Long-tailed Tit

Wren

Starling

Blackbird

Fieldfare

Redwing

Robin

House Sparrow

Dunnock

Pied Wagtail

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Goldfinch

The next week might bring Great Tit (although the feeders are empty at this time of year) and if I look carefully perhaps a Rook. Either a Peregrine or a Kestrel might add to the raptors and some species of heron, duck, goose or a Cormorant are distinctly possible.

It’s not quite the fun of spring though…

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6 Replies to “Lockdown2 – the first week’s bird list”

  1. My feeders ( sunflower hearts and niger) are very busy at the moment with Siskins, Goldfinches, Chaffinches, the odd Greenfinch, plus one Brambling, Nuthatch, 4 species of Tit, Dunnock, Robin and Blackbird, so perhaps you should fill yours up Mark.
    We are of course not in lockdown here in Wales but I’ve not been far for what seems like eons, although I must go Salmon watching again in the very near future. Even so there are some species on your list that I’ll be very lucky to get on my local patch :- Collared Dove, Common Gull, Green Woodpecker and Skylark would be very good birds here.

    1. Paul – Nuthatch would be a very unexpected garden lifer for me, and Siskins don’t stop often (nor do Brambling).

      1. Bramblings are pretty scarce here in the garden and the female that was here the other day in with Chaffinches has not been seen again. Siskins are a constant here and overall probably the commonest finch in the garden, but then the small holding and river bank has lots of Alders, I’m surprised we haven’t had Lesser Redpolls recently as we had them all through the summer. Nuthatch are again a constant here with birds nesting in at least one box every year, real bully boys but beautiful and very welcome. We also have Great Spotted Woodpeckers coming but they have been absent this week perhaps because I have caught and ringed the male recently. I’m surprised the hordes have not yet attracted the local Sparrowhawks, the last two winters a beautiful male came most days. It’s one of the few times either of us see them as I suspect the local Goshawks predate them ( and any Kestrels) but they rarely come within 100m of the house.

      2. Over the years I’ve had the enjoyment of watching nuthatches, adults and their offspring.

        The general theme of nuthatch parents and their fledglings and post-fledge support is “Follow me to the nearest food. That’s the nearest food supply, don’t bother coming back”. Post-fledging interaction between parent and brood appears to be a few days at most. GSW are much the same. Are there any studies on this?

  2. Interestingly I’m on 27 as well. You have – Collared Dove, Black-headed Gull, Common Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Red Kite, Starling, House Sparrow, Dunnock, Greenfinch and Goldfinch which I haven’t. So only 17 in common. I’m 1000 feet up in Herefordshire and have seen Collared Dove once, House Sparrow once and Starling 3 times in 20+ years here. Mine that you haven’t had are – Blackcap, Coal Tit, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Great Tit, Jay, Marsh Tit, Nuthatch, Raven, Stock Dove and Tawny Owl. We’ve neither of us seen Pheasant, nor for that matter Hen Harrier.

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