A fairly average BGBW with 29 individual birds of 13 species; Starling (6), House Sparrow (7), Chaffinch (2), Dunnock (1), Goldfinch (3), Collared Dove (1), Robin (1), Blackbird (2), Blue Tit (2), Coal; Tit (1), Woodpigeon (1), Reed Bunting (1) and Jackdaw (1).
Our regular Blackcap(s) wasn’t seen yesterday and didn’t turn up today despite being seen on 17 of the last 27 days. Hmmm.
But there have been two Reed Buntings in the garden today – the first of winter 2020/21. The first, before BGBW was a smart male but a female was under the feeders for a while during BGBW. That’s unimportant but satisfying. Consulting the excellent Birdtrack I see that almost all of my garden Reed Bunting records are for February and March but this is the third year in which I’ve picked them up in very late January on BGBW.
No Greenfinch, but then I have hardly seen one in the garden all month. They were very noticeable last March and April – I wonder whether they will be again this year?
A Red Kite flew over, low and looking intently into my garden, just after I stoped counting. Would I have counted it? I’d have been tempted…
I’ve submitted my records to the RSPB – sometimes I forget!
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I thought you could only include birds that land, not those that fly over?
Twelve different species for us Mark, very similar list to yours. . We did have one greenfinch but no reed bunting (too far from a wet land area). No coal tit or house sparrow but one Jay.
Lots of red kites flying over (4), but not sure they count.
A very enjoyable hour as usual.
Our Blackcap made it ! + bonus bird of a solitary Redwing.
So good to pause and watch – our garden’s breeding plumage Magpie are magnificent !
Now its snowing.
We did an hour yesterday (16spp, 55 individuals), an hour today (16spp, 53 individuals). Yesterday’s Goldfinch and Jackdaw replaced by Greenfinch and Long-tailed tit today. Total of 18spp over two days but which 16 to report?
A total wipe. One robin, but then the neighbour’s cat showed up and that was it for the afternoon. Bloody cats.
Not even worth trying to access the RSPB’s website for that. Their IT guy needs fired, given how buggy the website is.
Yesterday was a snowing/sleeting/raining, sometimes all at once, day and our various feeders were alive with birds so I did it yesterday total 110 birds of 18 species including real bonus of 2 male Brambling with the chaffinches on one of the feeders. Most numerous Siskin an amazing 42, although I have now ringed 152 in the garden this winter. Missing Coal Tit, seen today along with a Dipper on the stream in the garden,( a once or twice a year event) and a Teal on the pond. One of the Bramblings is still here too.
I just get “The service is unavailable” when I try to upload my results. Hopefully a sign of popularity. Will try yet again later.
13 Goldfinches and 7 long tailed tits were my highlights. 42 individuals of 13 spp, nothing unexpected but all good to see. Apart from the wood pigeon. Gardeners will understand…
Our woodies when we get them are always in trees eating Ivy berries. The garden problem here is bloody Pheasants but it is solvable with patience and accuracy, we occasionally have Rabbits too but not often.
Tried to do an hour on Friday, but it was ruined by next door’s cat wandering through the garden half way through (which resulted in a very quiet second half hour…) so did another on Saturday. Was very excited to see a long tailed tit on the feeder right at the start, only an occasional visitor to our garden (in fact I think I startled it away when I approached the window) and lucky to get a little flock of 7 goldfinch right at the end. Our usual house sparrow group (20 in the hour), plus a lovely bonus of a coal tit added to the total of 38 birds of 10 species. Much better than last year! And today (when not counting, of course) saw a group of 5 long tailed tits on the feeder…
Probably the worst ever here…….
the local House Sparrows absent – we have had up to 20 in all of the last 20 years all winter, and we only managed 8 species, only 2 got as high a number as 2 individuals. The highlights were kestrel and sparrowhawk. Kestrel has been a frequent sight over the last 2 months, directly hunting the gardens, but never that frequent before that. No finches, only one dunnock (where are the other 3 or 4?) Only 2 Blackbirds – usually 3 or 4 around. Nice things extra butnot countable- Golden Plover 10 over, a Great Black-backed Gull and a Buzzard on the prowl for stuff. The local carrion crows and rooks didnt venture into the garden – plenty to do in the fields.
I wonder how much data the RSPB lose because the of the website crashes due to high demand over the BGBW weekend. I was very persistent and got there in the end but how many folk just give up and never enter their counts?
Thirteen species for us. Gazillions of Chaffinches (well I estimated 50+ but impossible to count so many accurately). Highlight was a Treecreeper
1 Blackbird, 1 Starling and 2 House Sparrows… and sleet… must do better next time!!