Wildlife -Winter 2008

[David Shaw]

Has anyone else noted how the birds have come back into the garden today? This past weekend has been the RSPB annual garden bird count and others have also commented on how the birds just seemed to disappear. The count has now finished and the birds have all come back! I am also very happy to report a small flock of long tailed tits amongst them. Since the big Christmas time freeze all I have seen is a solitary blue tit

[Jo]

I've just been watching a great spotted woodpecker sharing the nuts with a blue tit. First I've seen this year in the garden.

Nice to sit at the pc and watch the birds.

[Lvandelft]

Has anyone else noted how the birds have come back into the garden today? This past weekend has been the RSPB annual garden bird count and others have also commented on how the birds just seemed to disappear. The count has now finished and the birds have all come back! I am also very happy to report a small flock of long tailed tits amongst them. Since the big Christmas time freeze all I have seen is a solitary blue tit

The birds were in the gardens of the bird counters, they feed them extra, so can count more.
Now they are coming back to their territory 

[mark smyth]

Birds are getting in the mood for making babies this spring. Last week I saw the progress of a magpie nest from a few sticks to half a nest. Today the dome is on. In my garden a pair of blue tits and great tits fighting over the same nest box. There are two to choose from.

[mark smyth]

Today some referred to a bird by a name I havent heard in years. He said "I had felts in the orchard for the first time this winter". He was talking about fieldfares. Do you have local names for birds?

In Northern Ireland there are
throstle - song thrush
gold spring - goldfinch
green linnet - greenfinch
whin grey - linnet

[johnw]

Birds are getting in the mood for making babies this spring. Last week I saw the progress of a magpie nest from a few sticks to half a nest. Today the dome is on. In my garden a pair of blue tits and great tits fighting over the same nest box. There are two to choose from.

No baby-making here, they are all sitting on chimney pots.

johnw

[Michael J Campbell]

The Robin in my garden brought a companion with Him/her today.I have been feeding it meal worms during the cold weather. so I think it was try to impress a mate.

[mark smyth]

Michael, your robins could breed as early as March so they are pairing up now but have to get used to each other first without getting in to a fight. I was at Bob's on Saturday and he has a pair also.

[Gunilla]

The little robin in my garden is still alone. He comes for food every day.
Lots of other birds in the garden today and by the noise they make you can tell spring is approaching  .   Tree sparrows and house sparrows have been fighting i my hedges all afternoon.  Reminds me that it’s time to hang up the nesting-boxes again. 
We usualy have starlings nesting and I love their sweet song and all the other funny noises they make. To early for starlings yet, the photo is an old one.

This thread about birds is very educational for me. I have to look up every single name in my dictionary as I have absolutely no knowledge of  birds name in English.  Must have missed that English lesson  .

[Maggi Young]

Today some referred to a bird by a name I havent heard in years. He said "I had felts in the orchard for the first time this winter". He was talking about fieldfares. Do you have local names for birds?

In Northern Ireland there are
throstle - song thrush
gold spring - goldfinch
green linnet - greenfinch
whin grey - linnet

 I recognise two of those, Mark.... throstle and green linnet .
Here linnets are - linties ..........it's every bit as confusing as the common names for plants, isn't it!

[mark smyth]

Gunilla why dont you tell us some of your birds? I know that yours are more descriptive than our names. I think your sparrows might be courting female/s. Is the noise loud and frantic? Many males perform for one female.

[Anthony Darby]

How about spurdies Maggi?

[Maggi Young]

Too few spurdies about here lately, Anthony.... don't know what has happened to our House Sparrows... we had dozens but they've disappeared this year.... only the odd one about. Plenty Dunnock/ hedge sparrows..... but Tree Sparrows are few and far between.

[Gunilla]

I think your sparrows might be courting female/s. Is the noise loud and frantic?

Very loud and frantic indeed. They tumbled around in the hedge and paid no attention to me standing very close.

House sparrow is Gråsparv in Swedish ( Grey Sparrow). 
Waxwing is called Sidensvans (Silk tail).
Willow tit is called Talltita (Pine tit).
Brambling -  Bergfink (Mountain finch)
Goldfinch - Steglits (from their sound maybe?)

[Maggi Young]

I really like the idea of the Waxwings or Sidensvans being  "Silk Tails" ...sounds lovely.... next time I see them I'll have to take particular note of their tails to see how silken they are!