RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2009

[Tig]

Just a reminder as there are lots of us on here who enjoy the birds in our gardens, this years event is coming up on 24 - 25 January. You can printout your recording sheet from the website - and don't forget to input your results

www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp

x Tig

[Barbara]

Thanks tig, I have copied one for my grandaughter Emily as well,
she has just been chosen at school to be an eco. councillor, this should make her look like she's on the ball.

[snowowl]

Thanks for the reminder Tig i didnt know about it but will print one of now.

[Chuckles]

Thanks Tig

[Ruthie]

Thanks Tig. I hope it's a bit warmer that W/E!

[Missredhead]

Thanks from me too Tig........ ;D

[Barbara]

we have had so many birds in the garden today it was hard to keep track, but you watch, on census day they'll be in hiding ;D

[purplejulia]

Thanks for the reminder Tig.

The birds usually disappear on RSPB Birdwatch day as I sit by the window in the kitchen.

PJ

[Amo]

I think we will try and do ours on the Sunday this year to give them a chance to come back after the builders during the week

[carolann]

Thanks Tig just printed mine off and will keep it safe near the window so I wont forget.

[Ladygardener]

I don't suppose pigeons count do they Tig?

[Ruthie]

I don't see why not LNG. They're birds afterall and we get plenty in our garden (Wood Pigeons that is).
Barbara, you echo my sentiments! Where DO those birds go on census day?

[Tig]

Feral pigeon is on the printout lng ;D and starlings!!

If I put bread out on the day I doubt I will have space to put the flock which will descend!

It is odd how the pretty ones seem to go all shy at the time of the count - I might bring the nuts in the day before to tease them!!

x Tig

[Chuckles]

Jan 8, 2009 15:49:01 GMT Tig said:

Just a reminder as there are lots of us on here who enjoy the birds in our gardens, this years event is coming up on 24 - 25 January. You can printout your recording sheet from the website - and don't forget to input your results

www.rspb.org.uk/birdwatch/index.asp

x Tig

Just seen this slipping down the page and paniced, thought I'd missed it

[Tig]

Nah - we have got another day yet ;D

Get your forms out ready, remember you are supposed to only record what you see in a one hour time frame this Saturday or Sunday, and then log-on to the website and input your results.

At the moment I have about fifteen blackbirds visiting every day - no sign of long tailed tits - coal tits have disappeared, and redwings have scoffed all the berries off next doors holly and moved on

x Tig

[andy]

So what would i class this as

[snowowl]

It looks like a blackbird/ pigeon cross ;D but i would say its a very strange blackbird.
I have seen some with white patches on them in my garden.
But none that mixed.
The RSPB have e-mailed me about the survey i think its because i took part last year.

[Tig]

Could be a white blackbird - lots of variations

www.uksafari.com/blackbirds2.htm

Hard to judge the size of it from the photo - lots of juvenile birds have different colourings from the adult form. (you could get home to find the garden swarming with twitchers ;D)

x Tig

[andy]

Yeah...it's a male blackbird. He's been around for a few years now. Ive seen a couple of similar ones in the past so they are about.

Lovely to see though.

[oldmoleskins]

Just completed mine... took me a while to find the link through to the online results thingy - though huge and at the top of the page. Must have been another senior moment. I got a "suspiciously high" warning note against woodpigeon count of 50. It was only a guess, but sometimes I can see hundreds out there in the bare trees!

I'm pleased to say I had the usual woodland suspects turn up this year within the hour I chose to be recorded - last year they were frustratingly absent. We had a thread here somewhere with a poll so we could report our own results of what we expect to see in our gardens... maybe RF can start a 2009 one...

OM.

[Tig]

I've done mine, sat watching this morning as it was frosty. Threw some bread out onto the top lawn so that I could see what landed, and Mr Blackbird kept chasing them all away! Had a resonable result, but no greenfinches or goldfinches were about today, or redwings!

x Tig

[Amo]

Had a nice peaceful time doing ours this morning. My highlight was a Goldfinch preening and OH's was finding a Bramling in with the Chaffinches!!

[Ruthie]

I didn't have time to do mine yesterday so had to do it this morning (from the kitchen window) in the pi**ing rain. Very poor result I'm afraid. Didn't see any Wood Pigeons, Great Tits or Long Tailed Tits but I did see a wren, well 4 times actually. It goes backwards and forwards across one of the steps from Ivy cover to Ivy cover! Also had a Coal Tit come on the feeder so was pleased about that.

[Ruthie]

At 12 noon today there were 10 Long Tailed Tits on my feeder. 2 Hours later there were 10 Sparrows

[maggy]

I didnt see a Dicky Bird I didnt have one in my garden and I was going out to lunch I sat for a whole hour they were teasing me in the garden behind!! I had even made a fat ball to go with the seed feeders come to think of it Ive sat at my sewing machine beside the window all afternoon and havent seen any to-day either.

[Tig]

At least you tried Maggy - hope your neighbour in the garden behind was doing it too

[Barbara]

You know that coughing noise you heard,? Thats the birds laughing at us all
This morning a ring necked dove was trying it on with the female of the species, a little early in the year isnt it.

[Ruthie]

I guess he thought it was worth a try Barbara

[maggy]

Ive noticed the blackbirds getting twitchy as well dont they know its not Valentines day for another four weeks yet! ;D

[Amo]

I think they are all almost there. The greenfinches aren't so drab, they're lime green, the chaffinches are almost Barbara Cartland pink and the tits are all looking fab with hair and makeup in perfect place!

And that's not counting the blackbirds and robins telling everything off and the cock pheasant doing his funny sideways strut to the girlies.