Re: Birds seen in my garden

Blackbirds can be quite friendly in my experience; we have a pair that are quite tame and will feed very close to us too.
These two like a raised saucer (think of a saucer perched on a three-foot pole) that was intended for the robins and will happily tilt their heads, appearing to listen to us as we talk to them while they eat mealworms or raisins.

The pigeons & doves here don't seem to bother our blackbirds but ours are wood pigeons.
Nor do the pheasants who - despite their appearance - are the most ungainly birds, which makes them very entertaining to watch.

At this time of year we're getting through more than 25kg of wild bird food per month, plus suet pellets, meal worms and assorted nuts plus suet & fat things. Oh and raisins of course, both for the blackbirds and the pheasants.

And now we've started on squirrels too ........... none of which seams to bother the other except for squirrels and pheasants who can get quite protective of each others' nosh apparently, which means a squirrel feeder for the tree next!


Ours is only quite a small garden at that.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

I'm having to eke out (or beak out) the bird food at the moment. I've run a bit short but hope to get some more when the next online shopping delivery arrives on the 4th. I think I have enough for the blackbird but have to make sure it gets its share.

It is a shame about the Parakeets. Who would have thought they'd flourish so well here? It was a big event for me when I first saw them in the trees. The people we were with had a boat on the Thames and were quite used to seeing them.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

I've never seen parakeets here although I had to smile when I saw that they were common as far north as Glasgow.
The buzzards here would probably find them an easy target; we have at least two pairs of those locally.
It's common to see one perched atop a fence post.

We have herons too, and as I was going shopping just a few days ago a large stork was watching me drive past on the other side of the drainage dyke.
Such things provoke a double-take and can be quite unnerving when you're driving.
Those things are blinkin' big - and when a buzzard flew accross the road immediately in front of me I reflexively ducked, it was so close!

Re: Birds seen in my garden

I get more wild animals in my garden than birds.

I get mostly robins, fat ones, thin ones and tiny ones all year round.
Lots of Woodpeckers as my lawn which is of sandy soil, is full of ant nests.
Lots of Magpies and fat, waddling pigeons.
Blackbirds
Huge crows
Thrushes
Wrens
Buzzards
Occasionally, owls, blue tits and pheasants.
I saw a beautiful Jay but only once.

I would love to live in an area to see Red Kites.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

We get those all the time here, Art. Hardly a day goes by without seeing a couple. They come right over my garden sometimes.
The smaller birds often start squawking and flying in a frenzy when a Kite's nearby.

There is a big commercial tip a couple of miles away and once when driving past there, I saw a big group of 11 all circling round.
Quite a spectacle that was.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

I would occasionally see one when I lived in Dumfriesshire.
The first time I saw one I thought that it was an eagle.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

Mart, That’s the first place l saw parakeets, on a boat on the River Thames. We were moored up outside the magnificent, ornate gates of Hampton Court.
I was admiring the gates when Concorde flew overhead and a flock of beautifully coloured parakeets flew out of a tree, in fright l suppose?
For me, it was one the most magical moments of my life.

Re: Birds seen in my garden

Zaphod and Mups, You are both so lucky to have seen them.
The only times l have seen Red Kites, is travelling to London on the train, probably near ? High Wycombe.

Am l right in thinking Red Kites were re-introduced to somewhere in the south of England to encourage them to breed again?

Re: Birds seen in my garden

Here you go Art.
They were re-introduced here in 1989.


https://www.rspb.org.uk/our-work/con...dies/red-kite/

Re: Birds seen in my garden

They have done so well Mups since then there are loads around us as well as buzzards .
Zaphod the first time I saw one close up i was suprised at its size and it does look like a small eagle .