Garden Birdwatch

Completed the RSPB birdwatch this morning.  The usual suspects duly turned up but only one sparrow when I've had five recently, two greenfinch when I've had three, 2 longtails instead of 5 and 2 goldies instead of 4.  The siskins did really well with a max count of 14.  I was hoping a redpoll or two would make an appearance but no joy.

Waxwings and Redpolls

Sara and I went for walk on Monday morning and half way round I noticed a large group of perching birds in the tops of two small ash trees. Out came the bins and sure enough this was a large flock of waxwings. I counted 40 before they flew off northwards in groups of four and five or so making that unmistakable trilling sound.  I've heard waxwings fly over a couple of times but this was the first time I'd actually managed to get a good close look through binoculars - absolutely fantastic!

Today has been very busy on the feeders with the siskins coming regularly now - whilst watching through the binoculars I noticed something that looked like a siskin but wasn't.  It had a faintly pink cap which identified it as a redpoll.  Shortly afterwards it was joined by 5 other individuals two of which were flushed with bright pinky-red chests.  These guys are obviously hanging around with the locals siskins so I hope to see them again before the winter is out.

Compared to last winter I've yet to see bullfinches, wagtails, blackcaps or nuthatches in the garden.  Plenty of time yet though.

Harrington Bramblings

After a constant flow of reports of Bramblings feeding off scattered seed at the entrance to Harrington airfield I decided to drive up there and have a look.  Sure enough, along with chaffinches, blue and great tits, large numbers of bramblings, yellowhammers and reed buntings were happily feeding on the concrete track.  Occasional dogwalkers scattered this little group but they soon returned. Marvellous.

Goldcrests and Siskins

I know I've got goldcrests in the garden, I've heard them and seen them occasionally but never on the feeders.  This week a male and female have separately had a nibble at the suet blocks.  They're very tame and when I topped the feeders up on Friday last week they didn't move until the last second .

And I'm pleased to say the Siskins are back on a regular basis - I counted eight on Sunday on the nyjer seeds and sunflower hearts. Triffic.

Siskins

Took a stroll through the snowy quarry yesterday. Saw a small group of bullfinches and, for a couple of minutes before they flew off in twos and threes, a tree full of fieldfares. There was also a small group of siskins and sure enough three visited my feeders today. They are obviously novices at the feeder lark because one male took a good few fluttering attempts at landing before giving up and giving himself a good embarrassed grooming.

Snow

Well, we'd managed to avaid the worst of it in Northampton until last night that is. About 3 inches fell overnight which meant a bit of sweeping was necessary to clear some ground for birdseed.  The wood pigeons really enjoyed it. Visitors to the feeders are still at relatively low numbers which suggests that birds are still finding plenty of wild food. That said we had the local sparrow gang around yesterday - about 15 individuals. 

Tuesday 30 November

The first snow of the winter means a bit of garden sweeping to enable the birds to find the scattered food.  Mind you its the squirrels, of which we have four domiciled in our ash tree, who seem to be doing most of the feeding.


A marauding squad of long-tailed tits came through this morning for their characteristic 'flying' visit.  Not much else to report except that one of our dunnocks has managed find a way to get to a feeder by stretching across from a nearby branch.