Monday 26 June 2017

#30DaysWild day 26 - Watching the back garden birds

We moved house earlier this year and we were all a little worried that our new back garden wouldn't have the amazing variety of birds that we had in our old house. By putting out lots of different types of feeder, it didn't take very long at all to realise that this garden was just as good. All sorts of little characters visit us on a daily basis and now we're seeing all their babies around the garden as well.

The blue tits and great tits have each been bringing their two fledglings to the feeders. To start with they would sit in the apple tree, making an awful racket, demanding to be fed by the adults. Now they seem to be getting the hang of feeding themselves though and join the parents on the feeders.

Great tit family

Blue tit family

Blue tit family
By comparison, the goldfinches are quiet and subtle, flying onto the nyger seed feeder and showing their baby how to pick the seeds out of the little holes in the side. Such dainty little birds.

Goldfinch adult and baby

Goldfinch baby
We've had a few unusual visitors today as well First a greenfinch, which we hardly ever seem to see, spent some time eating sunflower hearts. Then a great spotted woodpecker flew into the apple tree and stayed for a couple of minutes. It's always a thrill to see a woodpecker in the garden.

Greenfinch

Greenfinch

Terrible photo, but there is a great spotted woodpecker in there!

Again, not a great photo, but it's definitely in there!
We don't seem to have many sparrows around the garden, which is a real shame as we used to love seeing our funny sparrow family. I occasionally see one for a few minutes, but they're not regular visitors at the moment. Maybe they'll move in though when they realise the feeders are always full.

Finally, the woodpigeons have a nest in a neighbours tree, which is just next to our patio. I watched today as two crows were eyeing up the nest, probably after an easy lunch. I thought the nest would be doomed as there were two big crows against one pigeon, but the plucky parent took them on and defended her nest.

Two crows plotting!
 
Oh no you don't! Woodpigeon chases off one of the crows

Back for another go. The crow was trying to play it cool, but the
woodpigeon knew what it was up to.

Get lost crow! Chases the crow off again
For now at least she has seen them off! What a great parent!

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