Getting ready for the Great British birdwatch of 2016 started on Saturday 30th January, when I made them a bird cake. On Sunday 31st January we filled up all the feeders to make sure that there was plenty of food available.
Birdcake.
Feeders all ready.
This huge feeder only comes out for Birdwatch Weedend and when we go away on holiday.
We were primed and ready to go, all we needed now were the birds!
No, I didn’t make it for the Wood Pigeons, they ate most of it though!
They came in ones and twos, this is a bluetit.
Another bluetit, but in the background on the peanuts, is a Great Spotted Woodpecker.
We had all our usual varieties except the Long Tailed Tits, they decided to stay away today. We didn’t have the numbers of each variety that we normally have, I think with our mild weather, there is plenty of food on the fields next to us, so no need to come searching in gardens. We had to record the number of each variety we saw at any one time, not the overall total otherwise we would be counting the same birds over and over. Our list is as follows-
Bluetits – 5, Great tits – 4, Goldfinch – 2, Blackbird – 2 , Dunnock – 1, Coal tit – 1, Great Spotted Woodpecker – 1, Greenfinch – 1, Wood Pigeon -3, Nuthatch -1, Chaffinch -1, Robin-1.
I must now send in my results, to be added to the national figures, did you take part this weekend if you live in the UK?
Similar results here Pauline. No blackbirds turned up but we saw a pair of siskins, which are new to the list this year. Interesting you saw no sparrows. I haven’t seen one since we moved here.
No sparrows and no starlings either, we don’t ever get many but occasionally one or two, not today though. I took loads of photos, but even though I put the camera on its “sport” setting, I was nearly always too late, just a tail disappearing!
That birdcake looks like something my hubby would eat for breakfast! It is always a joy for me to see and hear birds in the garden; I think they appreciate my gardening efforts as much as we humans, or perhaps even more.
Peanuts, sunflower hearts and bread soaked in fat, maybe not for your hubby Deb! I love all the birds we have in the garden, the more trees, shrubs and perennials that we have planted, the wildlife has more habitats to move into, they all seem very happy to be living here.
What fun to see the variety of birds you’ve attracted. The North American bird count is coming up soon–maybe I’ll try to join in.
Susie, you will have lots of different birds from us, it is fun taking part and seeing how many different varieties you can spot in your garden, it also gives the scientists an idea of how different species are doing and if there is cause for concern about any of them.
When we first moved to this house there seemed to be very few birds, as more shrubs and trees have been added and their is more cover for them we’ve been rewarded with many more birds visiting and feeding in the gardening, it is, as you say, a great pleasure.
We were the same Christina, but over the years the numbers of birds, mammals and insects have increased from just a few to so many we lose count sometimes! They all add an extra dimension to the garden.
Hello again, Pauline. That’s a great species count you got there. Seriously jealous of your nuthatch – they are moving northwards up the UK so perhaps we will see them one day (not likely during a bird count though). I was happy birds turned up at all for my count (although they never stayed long) as we have at least two Sparrowhawk males regularly passing through the garden. I agree, the bigger the variety of garden plants, the bigger variety of birds will visit 🙂
Our numbers were down though Shirley, although the species numbers was about the same. The weather is so mild down here, I think lots of the birds are still on the fields around us, they don’t have to come searching for food.
We too have a sparrowhawk who seems to think we get all the birds together for his benefit, thank goodness he didn’t come yesterday!
We have an equivalent event here in the USA, we call it the Great Backyard Birdwatch. It’s not all on one day, though, you can do it on any day or days you choose over about two months.
It’s a good way to keep a check on how all our birds are doing Jason, which numbers are up and, more worrying, which numbers have gone down and what we can all do about it.
We too had a sparrow hawk around for part of our hour but after a very quiet start it picked up and was fairly typical in the end. Contrary to some of you we had our usual community of sparrows (10 this time) – they tend to only use the feeders at the side of the house near the hedge, not the more open ones at the back
I should have done my hour this morning Cathy, while making some biscuits I looked up and saw 10 blue tits, male and female bull finches, 2 nuthatches and 1 sparrow!
That still seems like a pretty good total Pauline, though I agree, far fewer birds around than normal, plenty of food elsewhere. I didn’t participate this year, but I really should. Though we don’t have any bird feeders. I nearly got bankrupted when I used to fill the ones in our old garden!
There have been so many more birds coming to the feeders today Janet, I should have delayed my count!
I bought the huge feeder thinking it would save me having to fill the feeders up so often, but the word went out that a party was going on at our house, we were inundated with birds and the feeder emptied in no time at all. It is now just kept for when we go on holiday and the birdwatch weekend!
We have the same event in Estonia – The Great Winter Garden Birdwatch over the very same weekend too, now for the sixth time in row. I quess it is held all over the Europe now? I only saw some Great Tits and Nuthatches. We also had a very mild weather with no snow and birds spending their time more on fields and forests than on feeders.
It’s good that we all do the birdwatch the same weekend Tistou, then the scientists can get an accurate picture over all of Europe. Yes, it’s also good that the birds are still finding plenty of food to eat, without coming to the gardens.the mild weather makes such a difference.
Hello Pauline. I was very interested to see the results of your bird count. I envy you that nuthatch! I had no sparrows to count either – I’ve never seen one here. I think, like you, many of the birds were out in the fields around us. I could hear the starlings but not see any. It has to be a good sign that they can find so much food naturally.
We have since seen a couple of sparrows Wendy, but no where near the number we used to have in the past. The mild weather means that is still plenty of food for the birds, I hope that is the reason we didn’t see so many this year.
I love those little bluetits, we don’t have anything like them here. I had a terrific time feeding the birds in our recent snow. Bad weather always brings extra to the feeders.
You have lots of different beautiful birds Marian, I think they bring a whole different dimension to the garden. We have had such a long run of mild weather, I think that is why there weren’t as many birds as usual, they are hopefully still finding plenty to eat in the fields next door.
How lovely to see a Nuthatch in your garden, I’ve never seen one in my garden, think its too open for them, they are lovely birds. Yes I think quite a lot of people have seen smaller numbers, probably is due to the milder weather. Though was freezing with hail and snow showers when I was watching!
I think we have the nuthatches and woodpeckers in the garden Annie because of our little strip of ancient woodland. They both like to find natural food under the bark of the huge trees, but this didn’t stop them coming to the garden for an easy meal!