Friday, January 7, 2011

Birds Galore 7 January 2011


Bird Watching

We seem to have more birds feeding in the garden than we have for ages. Both Jim and I love watching them. We can open our bedroom curtains in the morning and enjoy their little squabbles and fights to get the best place on the feeders. Recently we have had a pair of redpolls. We did have one last year but this is the first time it's reappeared - and with a mate. I did take some photos but mostly through the window, so they're not wonderful.


This is the best shot of the redpoll - you can see his red cap and red chin and chest. In shape he's like a siskin but not the same colour.


Now this one made me laugh. The redpoll is in the middle of these 2 wonderful goldfinch! How cute their red faces look. They are probably our most plentiful bird at the moment.


Here you can see 3 goldfinch, the redpoll and a great tit. He's the one on the right hand side of the left hand feeder! I like the goldfinch holding onto the top of the feeder. Maybe he's on watch duty.


Although very blurred, I love this photo of the redpoll chasing off the poor little blue tit below!


Here we have 4 goldfinch and 2 siskin. The siskin are the one on the top of the right hand feeder and the one below. As you can see, they are bright green and yellow, although the female is less colourful. They often feed upside down then lift their heads up either to swallow or check for trouble.


Finally, on the right hand feeder we have 2 Greenfinch. The one on the right is the male and on the left is the female, much more dull of course. 3 Goldfinch are there too. I'll list the birds that we have visiting most often:

Goldfinch
Chaffinch
Greenfinch
Blue tit
Great tit
Coal tit
We have long tailed tits fly about but they don't come to the feeding table.
Siskin
Redpoll
Pied wagtail
Hooded crow
Robin
Magpie
House Sparrows (not often)
Hedge sparrow (dunnock)
Blackbird
Thrush of various descriptions. Of course other birds fly around but don't come near the house and then we have the summer visitors such as the swallows and house martins.

I must set my Canon rebel camera up on a tripod and try and get some better shots when it's warmer.

A River of Stones

I have joined this group and each day of January you are invited to write a 'stone'.

About a river of stones

A river of stones is an international project started by Fiona & Kaspa to encourage people to engage with the world through writing a short observational piece every day during January.

Join us!

So I did! I'm not sure whether the links in the above paragraph will work. Please click on the 'badge' on the right entitled 'A River of Stones' and you will learn a lot more detail about the project.


Day one, Jan 2nd 2011 My first 'Stone'

A great tit rides the merry go round half coconut to get the fatty seeds.


Day two, Jan 3rd 2011


The sun hides his face behind a cloud - but lights up the hillside with its glorious beams.


Day Three, Jan 4th 2011


A photo smiles at me - my heart leaps with joy - for Jack - a special boy.


Day Four, Jan 5th 2011


Melted cellophane, vegetable nets, scraps of cotton and paper - reborn as a usable postcard. Recycling rocks.


Day Five, Jan 6th 2011


Golden Christmas coins spill onto my desk - would that they were real - in either guise they make my mouth water.


It's an interesting little discipline to do each day. I have a 'notes' section of Facebook and am posting my stones on a note each day. If you'd like to follow them, this is the link:


I will post the next few I have written on each of my blog posts too.


Jim and I went to Limerick today to do a little shopping. Oh the excitement of it! Apart from that, life goes on. All the Christmas decorations are down and packed away. I am making cushions for our bedroom out of the useless bit of 'throw' that went across the end of the bed. It just used to fall off each night so cushions will be much more useful. I will take a photo when all 3 are done. The first one is already on the bed.

Have a super Friday and good weekend everyone.

18 comments:

marianne said...

Wonderful colorful birds!
So many what a treat!

Heather said...

Super bird pics Gina - we've never had a redpoll but get plenty of others. They've needed us more than usual this winter. Love your 'stones' - a great idea. It's a grey wet day here today but good to see green instead of white! Snow is beautiful when fresh but soon gets tatty looking.

Lisa at Greenbow said...

I love seeing the birds and wildlife in your part of the world. This daily posting will be fun to watch.

Rachel Green said...

What a splendid selection of birds. We just get tits and sparrows.

Yvonne said...

Lovely bird photos! We have lots of species here too and right now there are lots of Mexican Green Jays feeding. Enjoyed your small stones. Come visit me as I am participating in the River of Stones too.

BT said...

Thank you Marianne. Glad you enjoyed them.

Hi Heather. I never cease to enjoy watching the birds. They have needed us this year, haven't they? It's a grey day here too. Last night the sky was as clear as a bell though.

Hi Lisa, glad you enjoyed the bird photos too.

Hi Rachel, you do get loads of tits and sparrows - I saw them! We hardly get any sparrows.

Hello Yvonne, good to meet you. I will pop over to your blog in a minute. I love the sounds of Mixican Green Jays. How exotic. Glad you're doing 'stones' too. It'll be interesting to read those of others as I'm not a writer at all.

Jo said...

What lovely birds, we've never had a redpoll in the garden, though this year we had redwings and more goldfinches than ever before. Lovely happy bird feeder pictures, so hard to do well, I think yours are great!

BT said...

Thank you Jo, I haven't seen any redwings here but used to get them in Derbyshire when I lived there. Thanks for the compliment.

The Weaver of Grass said...

Lucky you to have redpolls - we have a great variety of birds - more each day as the weather stays bad. But no redpolls. A redwing today and like you, by the looks of things, plenty of goldfinches. Long tailed tits call on their way through the hedge too.

DK said...

we get robins too now, a couple of them keep coming back! The blue, coal and great tits are regular, but I sit and watch and hope for finches and such!

Love the pictures xxx

Pam's English Garden said...

Dear Gina, Love your bird pics. They are so different from the ones here in USA. Wishing you a happy and healthy 2011. P x
PS Your header photo is amazing!

BT said...

I've emailed Weaver.

Hi K, I love robins, they are so pretty. Goldfinch are supposed to be much more widespread now - they've learnt to use the feeders too. Maybe you'll get some soon. They love seed heads.

Hello Pam, I'm so glad you like the bird photos. I love to see birds from the USA and Australia on blogs. They are usually much more colourful than ours. xxx

Anonymous said...

Hi Gina, I am late visiting your blog this week. My beloved Kaboodle kitty had surgery for a tumor and I have been taking special care of her.
I am amazed at all the birds in your beautiful gardens. How lovely to have your new bedroom to watch the birds through the window. Wont' spring time be glorious? Sending much love to you and yours.

Unknown said...

what beautiful birds. your yard must be like bird disneyland! thanks for sharing.

Loren said...

What lovely birds you have! Came over from Mildreds to say hello! Loved the gift you sent her....just darling :)

Happy Weekend!

Rosie Nixon Fluerty said...

I've never seen or heard of a redpoll before - how fascinating to see your photos - I never even saw them when I was growing up in your part of the world.

I'm over from Mildred's blog as she's a regular at mine gardening blog too.

BT said...

Mildred, I'm so sorry to hear about Kaboodle, I do hope she's recovering well. No wonder you've been busy. I'm glad you enjoyed the birds. I just love the.

Thanks for visiting Life is Good. xx

Hi Loren, any friend of Mildreds is a friend of mine! Thanks so much for visiting, I hope you'll call again.

Hi leavesnbloom, I must pop over and see your blog too. Thanks for popping in from Mildreds. I bet you have some wonderful birds too.

Stampmaiden said...

I love birds and these pics are absolutely gorgeous! Great shots, Gina!