What's flying near you?

Went for a walk today and saw a buzzard just dropping over a hedge, then further along a kestrel.
Passing a heap of manure in a field, there was what at first I thought were a pair of pied wagtails running over it but one was much bigger than the other. I can only presume it was an oddly marked blackbird. There was plenty of white on its back and sides. Must be something to do with the water as we have had a white crow flying round here for a few years.

Today I managed to persuade the boldest robin (I really ought to give it a name!) to take a mealworm from my hand again - just as the postie rounded the corner, so I didn't get a chance to see if he would go for a second

I should probably also mention the other birds in our neighbourhood that don't come into the garden: kestrels and herons. I tend to forget about them in winter as I don't see them around much.

Chaffinches aren't frequent visitors either, though I've seen them in the area. They often separate into single-sex flocks in the winter, though that's less noticeable when there are only a few of them flitting in and out of the shrubbery.

We had a new visitor to the bird bath today: our neighbourhood jay! Unfortunately Mr E ignored my exhortations to stay back from the window, so I was unable to get a photo before it flew off, but I'm hoping for more opportunities in future.

Our regulars seen in the garden are sparrows which nest in our house and garage. A pair of gold finches (put up Niger feeder a couple of years ago specifically to attract them, it took about 10-12 weeks before a sighting but they're regular now when the seed is about). A pair of Robins at the moment although when it's not breeding/nesting time we only see one. A pair of blue tits, and numerous great tits. We have plenty of dunnocks, some black birds, a few fat wood pigeons, a wren and a thrush are the most commonly seen and very occasionally a spotted woodpecker comes for some peanuts. There is also a sparrow hawk who we occasionally see having a spy at what's on the feeders. There was also likely something bigger around this weekend as I found a pile of wood pigeon feathers in a quiet corner of the garden.

^^^^^ Jimny do you fi d the sparrows take the Niger seed? Our sparrows are so numerous and thuggish they eat anything specially for other birds before we can attract them.

^^^^^  Jimny do you fi d the sparrows take the Niger seed?  Our sparrows are so numerous and thuggish they eat anything specially for other birds before we can attract them.

We dont seem to have a problem. Sparrows tend to take their turns like everyone else. The sparrows dont take the Niger as far as I've seen. This morning I saw a blue tit tell a sparrow to mind its own.

A pair of gold finches (put up Niger feeder a couple of years ago specifically to attract them, it took about 10-12 weeks before a sighting but they're regular now when the seed is about).

That's good to know. I haven't seen any goldfinches on my niger feeder yet, but there are plenty in the neighbourhood so I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

There was also likely something bigger around this weekend as I found a pile of wood pigeon feathers in a quiet corner of the garden.

Were the feather shafts intact or broken? I've seen piles of wood pigeon feathers that were clearly the work of a stealthy fox, since they bite the feathers off. Birds of prey pluck them out, and they can take on birds nearly as big as themselves. I was once walking home from Tesco and surprised a kestrel on the ground - it had pinned down a blackbird but seemed a little unsure what to do next!

There were a few bumble bees out today don't know if they were the culprits that got last year's broadbeans. A male great spotted woodpecker was on the peanuts. A raven flew over sounding a bit like a pig and I think a buzzard was circling but it was too high to be sure.

A pair of buzzards in the oak tree in the middle of the garden, a noisy woodpecker though I didn't see him and a dopey blue tit in the greenhouse.

Out for a walk in the afternoon sun I heard 2 thrushes singing. and arrived home to 3 goldfinches looking over a lilac bush. Still not seen any wrens hopping about since Christmas. I think they must have succumbed to the very cold spell we have had. At least it is not an endangered species.