Had a lovely 30 minutes watching the birds in the front garden

[SheWhoDaresGins]

Firstly Mr Pheasant came calling quite literally, so I threw some feed out on the grass for him then in the 30 minutes I was standing at the kitchen window watching him hoover it up I saw...

1 daddy black bird feeding his chick in our conifer trees. The mammy hasn't been seen for nearly a week now so has probably been nabbed by a cat or a sparrow hawk.

Chaffinches having a nosey, having a bit to eat then buggering off.

Every now and then a lesser redpoll turns up then disappears.

A black cap.

Sparrows that have taken up nesting in the swift box we have in the eves.

Several blue tits coming and going.

2 coal tits pulling the fibres off the underlay on top of the guinea pigs hutch. There are little bald patches emerging and now know the culprits.

There have been 6 or so Goldfinches on the sun flower hearts.

There are great tits fighting over the sunflower seeds.

The resident Robin is perched on the edge of the bucket waiting.

Nut hatches swooping in between the great tits and nabbing the seed of its choice and dropping the ones it doesn't want. I think there was a fledgeling on at one point because it didn't seem to know what to do at first but then awkwardly got the gist of it and left happy.

There's a pair of wood pigeons on the ground getting what ever is dropped.

Then there is a pair of Dunnocks scratting around in the grass and a little Wren shows it's face every now and then.

Then the Jack Daws casing the joint to figure out how to get at the seeds but they are too big to fit between the bars on the feeders.

Then to top it off and I love these a pair of long tail tits. Little fluff balls with tails.

I could stand here all day just watching them. Shame I have house work to do really.

Feeders ideally need to be near some thick bushes or similar so the birds know they have somewhere to dive into if a sparrowhawk shows up. And high enough to be out of cats' leap range.

Yup all done for that....still nothing.

I guess my birds don't care. They prefer bin bag leavings than seed.

Maybe your neighbours already have the market cornered? I'd maybe leave it for now, as there's going to be more and more natural food around through spring and summer, but try again in the autumn (with feeders in a different place just in case they do have some random issue about the location).

Thank you. Yes maybe the neighbours do. Next door but one has a free range rabbit so I'm sure the birds are helping themselves there.

I think it's probably best they don't want to come here tbh. We are getting a cat hopefully this weekend and I don't want to encourage dinner

shewhodares the little chicks are white. Earlier you could see the empty shell but I think she may of covered it. She has been making a lot of noise, I wonder if she is calling her mate. You will see them but you have to waste a lot of time watching. And as they get bigger. We will probably be able to see them right up until they fledge. I think there are still two eggs to hatch. But I may of missed one and maybe three have hatched. This is holding up my housework !

I'm on rat watch rather than bird watch at the mo'. Really don't want to have to stop feeding the birds but this little bugger won't go away!

shewhodares put it on quickly she is feeding the two chicks !!

Just looked at the Bournmouth peregrine cam - saw the adult arrive and settle on the chicks/eggs - lovely :)

I have just taken some screen shots, before the adult went off she was feeding the two chicks. So there are still two eggs to hatch.

Ohhhh Mummylin thanks for the screen shots. Will go and have a look now see if I can see anything.

My window bird feeder is completely ignored Also birds seem to prefer my front garden to the rear so I cant sit and watch them.

I love robins. DD (21mo) has a toy robin that plays the bird sound when you squeeze it. I often hear it at night which is a tad confusing!

Well I keep checking in on mammy peregrine and she ends up sitting with her back to me after 5 mins. She knows I am watching her. Reminds me of the time at Edinburgh Zoo years ago, tried desperately to get a picture of the Rhino, didn't matter what side of its paddock I stood at all I had to show was a picture of its arse. Of course it was back in the day before digital cameras were around so didn't find out till the film was developed. 6 pictures of Rhino bum.

The Rooks have completely ruined my birdfeeders. I get one on either side, to control the swinging, and then they peck furiously at the plastic opening to make it bigger.

If we are lucky another one may hatch today. Yes I think she knows we are watching her

Exit get THESE we had the same trouble with Jack Daws.

Ooh ta. Will purchase those.

Noticed tonight Ive had a feeder full of Niger seeds for eons with not a hint of interest.

There is a topic for such stuff which was petitioned for a few years ago. Maybe we should move to The Great Outdoors?

There's a webcam here of the famous Loch Garten osprey nest. They are incubating three eggs, not due to hatch for a little while yet though. The poor female is covered with snow right now!

We had a sparrow hawk in our garden the other day, killing and eating a collared dove. nature red in tooth and claw ..

We had a sparrow hawk in our garden the other day, killing and eating a collared dove. nature red in tooth and claw ..

Thanks Gerund now there is something else to stop me doing any housework

My Tawny Owl was back again last night, right outside my window. He was terwhitting his heart out, with an endearing twitch of his head. There is a magpie's nest in the same tree and his presence causes them great agitation.

I had the bedroom window open last night and could bear 2 possibly 3 tawny owls communicating in the woods. I had to shut the bloody window in the end

Humph - I haven't had tawny owl yet this year. I'd seen barn, short-eared, long-eared and little owls before the end of January, but the one that should be easiest keeps eluding me!

I am presuming he was a Tawny. Not seen a barn owl round here, and he was too big for the others. I to had to shut my window as the noise was keeping me awake. What with them and the jeffing bluetit who starts at the first sign of a crack of light over the hill!