Big Garden Birdwatch 2013

I wasn't prepared for the Big Garden Birdwatch at all this morning. I hadn't filled the feeders, I hadn't cleaned the window panes to see clearly, I hadn't locked the cat in, I hadn't even decided I was going to do it. Yes, the hanging feeder happened to be quite full as our regular flock of sparrows appears to have deserted us, but the roof of the feeder on the bird table had collapsed in the night under the weight of the snow, and it was blocking access to the seeds, and the windows, lit by the low winter sun, looked filthy. At least the cat was dozing by the radiator. I had just finished my morning coffee and distractedly glanced at the garden. There was an odd bird on the bird table... a female blackcap! could that be? I hadn't seen a blackcap in the garden for years. I dashed for the camera. When I returned the bird was gone. Was I hallucinating? No, the Blackcap was sitting on the apple tree (above) and promptly moved back to the bird table. I was able to take a few shots, when a robin dashed in, both birds had a quick squabble and the Blackcap flew away. Well, this was the start of my hour bird watching. I stood there by the conservatory window and watched our average assortment of garden birds come and go for an hour. Fun!

The star of the show, female Blackcap

Robin

Blackbird

Dunnock hiding under the garden table

and the appearance of a cat put an end to the Big Garden Birdwatch 2013

Big Garden Birdwatch

I have done the Big Garden Birdwatch a few times in my garden. I don't do as much birdwatching as I would like lately and it is a bit sad to spend a whole hour just to see a blackbird and a couple of blue tits (I don't have a very popular garden with birds). So, last year I decided to do the BGB in my local wildlife patch, the Pearson Park Wildlife Garden. The results were encouraging, I even had a magic moment with a very tame robin, who let me take some macro photos of him while singing. Today then,  I wrapped up warm and I headed for the wildlife garden. I took the camera as well, but I wasn't as lucky as last year. It was cold and cloudy, so I had to keep walking around. The pond was frozen solid. My observation time was from 11 to 12 am. It's still so early in the year but many birds were pairing and singing. The great tits were teachering away and a stock dove was booming and a greenfinch singing from the trees. The dunnocks seemed to be courting and chasing each other. I was very surprised to see a warbler, I think probably a chiff-chaff active in the bushes. There was a couple of robins together, the male singing and third one replying from the other side of the garden. It was altogether busy and only a 5 min lull when nothing really happened.

These are my results:

Great tits (2) male and female. Male singing.

Song thrush (1). I've already heard it singing this year, but not today.

Blackbirds (2) Male and female.

Robin (3). Couple and a third male. Two singing.

Blue tit (2) Singing.

Stock dove, booming from high in the trees.

Dunnock (3) Together, 2 chasing each other.

Greenfinch (1) Singing from the poplar.

Chaffinch (1). Male.

Chiff-chaff (1). Most likely, as it's the only occasionally hibernating warbler.

Woodpigeon (5) On a tree.

Magpie (3). As the hour finished.

Total of 12 sp. Not too bad!

Last year's results for East Yorkshire were:

House sparrow 2.64

Starling 2.19

Blackbird 1.48

Goldfinch 1.25

Collared dove 0.93

Blue tit 0.87

Tree sparrow 0.83

Chaffinch 0.69

Woodpigeon 0.67

Long tailed tit 0.65

(source RSPB )