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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Friday, 29 January 2021

Scores on the doors

 I did my one hour (09.15 - 10.15 hrs) stint recording the garden birds and have to admit that I rather enjoyed myself, however predictable the visitors were. The weather was kind and I was able to stand on the patio, outside my study door, to conduct my observations. This is what I recorded:-

Herring Gull - 14 to bread on the lawn, many more attracted but unwilling to join the battle.

House Sparrow - maximum count of 43 was a little disappointing, but there were other flocks visiting gardens a few doors to the north.

Goldfinch - maximum count 19

Greenfinch - adult male (the female was recorded later in the day, after my hour was up!)

Great Tit - 2

Blue Tit - 5

Blackbird - 1 adult male

Robin - 1

Dunnock - 2

Collared Dove - 5

Wood Pigeon - 1 (very unexpected - landed in the boundary Elder)

Magpie - 3 - as above

Jackdaw - 2 coming to the mealworms

Sparrowhawk - adult male twice creating havoc amongst the feeding throng

Rose-ringed Parakeet - just a single, right at last knockings

All in all, not a bad return for an hour stood watching the feeding station. Nothing new for the BWKm0 list today, although I did see Raven, Common Gull and Cormorant whilst I was outdoors. The most obvious absentee from this garden list is that of Starling! At this time of year they are very sporadic visitors, using both fat balls and mealworms when they do turn up, but sadly not today. With the weekend forecast being fairly dire, I might give it another bash just to see how it compares. Nothing better to occupy my time - so why not?

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4 comments:

  1. Derek Faulkner30 January 2021 at 08:31

    Several birds there that I would love in my garden. Rest assured I did report my meager count, for the reasons that you gave. After this 8 hours of heavy rain today you might get a few Coots and Moorhens swim into your garden. The marsh across the road from me is already looking pretty dire at 8.30.

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    Replies
    1. Dylan Wrathall30 January 2021 at 10:18

      Being perched atop a chalk outcrop, some 220 ft above sea level, the fields of Newlands Farm rarely have any free standing water. Out on the surrounding marshes it is a completely different scene with vast tracts of surface water causing havoc for the farming community and us anglers alike! The birds that visit our garden are an absolute joy, even more so during this bloody lockdown, and the cost of providing the sunflower hearts and fat-balls is money well spent. I got involved with the RSPB garden watch to try and encourage my grand-children to look at birds. Obviously, they couldn't be with me this year but I was contacted, via some automated email, and happily provide my sightings to assist in understanding the bigger picture. Hoping all is well at your end? Stay safe - Dylan

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  2. David Bryant1 February 2021 at 15:05

    Hi Dylan!
    Since we're both blues / rock fans, pikers and birders, do you fancy a reciprocal link?
    Cheers!

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    Replies
    1. Dylan Wrathall4 February 2021 at 14:55

      Hi David,
      So very sorry for the tardiness of this reply, there's much going on in my little world at present. If I wasn't such a technological moron your blog would already be on my "worthy blog" links. However, as you might have noticed, I have no such facility on the blog because I simply have no idea how to make such a thing happen. So until someone is able to show me how to perform such cyber trickery, I'm afraid that your kind offer will go no further than a nice idea. Take care, stay safe & keep blogging - Dylan

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