Birds in your garden/nearby
Discussion
TheBALDpuma said:
DannyScene said:
Which app? I had one previously but it was crap and seemed to think everything was a black bird
Merlin is the one I useWhenever I've seen it, I've always thought it was a bullfinch but the youtube clips of the calls were never the same. Finally this morning I discovered it's a Redstart. At least now I can put a name to my stalker.
Merlin is brilliant.
I have been having regular conversations with a bird in my garden. It's call is like a "beep beep" sound and if I reply it replies back but I could never see it. Merlin helped to identify that it was a Greenfinch.
It also identified a Cetti Warbler when I was on holiday in Devon
I have been having regular conversations with a bird in my garden. It's call is like a "beep beep" sound and if I reply it replies back but I could never see it. Merlin helped to identify that it was a Greenfinch.
It also identified a Cetti Warbler when I was on holiday in Devon
Birds in the garden, blue, great, and long tailed tits, blackcaps,dunnocks, blackbirds, song Thrushes, herring and great black backed gulls carrion crows, overhead, well we have perigringe falcons kestrels sparrow hawks buzzards jackdaws herons egrets oystercatchers curlews and quite a few barn owls at dusk
Slow.Patrol said:
We also have a group of starlings who visit our bird bath most afternoons for a pool party.
I've been feeding a flock of starlings for a couple of years. They've decided the bird feeder is only for them and their offspring. They do like to squabble with each other.A few finches and sparrows manage to squeeze during the chaos.
Just downloaded the Merlin app. It's great.
SpudLink said:
I've been feeding a flock of starlings for a couple of years. They've decided the bird feeder is only for them and their offspring. They do like to squabble with each other.
Same here - about a dozen of them who live in the eaves and a hedge opposite.I often think the Pixar animation about the squabbling birds was incredibly accurate! I watch them from my kitchen window and there are frequent fights.
NDA said:
SpudLink said:
I've been feeding a flock of starlings for a couple of years. They've decided the bird feeder is only for them and their offspring. They do like to squabble with each other.
Same here - about a dozen of them who live in the eaves and a hedge opposite.I often think the Pixar animation about the squabbling birds was incredibly accurate! I watch them from my kitchen window and there are frequent fights.
Last year was the first time I got to watch fledglings being taught how to feed themselves.
Actually, not fledglings because they had just learned to fly.
I lived in a house in Epping for 31 years and brought my kids up there. It was right on the edge of town and all the back gardens on my side of the road looked out over the countryside. There were fields full of cows or horses and a small wood about 80 to 100 yards away.
As well as the usual garden birds, we had birds from the fields and the wood. I had a bird feeder arranged on my balcony close to my desk. I decided to count the species I spotted in, from or above my garden, and learn a little about them all on line. I got up to 42 species, which I thought was quite a lot. All the usual suspects, plus a few oddities like the yellow wagtail.
I subsequently moved to Chelmsford, and I see as many as 5 species in the garden I would be surprised.
As well as the usual garden birds, we had birds from the fields and the wood. I had a bird feeder arranged on my balcony close to my desk. I decided to count the species I spotted in, from or above my garden, and learn a little about them all on line. I got up to 42 species, which I thought was quite a lot. All the usual suspects, plus a few oddities like the yellow wagtail.
I subsequently moved to Chelmsford, and I see as many as 5 species in the garden I would be surprised.
RustyMX5 said:
In the garden I see:
Daily or almost daily visitors
Fred & Ginger (Pigeons who seem to always be together)
Laughed at this. We’ve had a pair for years as well, though I suspect a triggers broom situation. They all look the same, so impossible to tell if they’re still the originals.Daily or almost daily visitors
Fred & Ginger (Pigeons who seem to always be together)
Edited by RustyMX5 on Friday 10th May 11:41
A friend recently put me on to the Merlin app, it's great isn't it.
I mainly see jackdaws, blackbirds and herring gulls around my house, but in the general are we have a lot of Canada and Egyptian geese (currently with very cute fluffy chicks), grey heron, coots, green parakeets, greeb and the occasional stork. I've also seen what I think is a Marsh Harrier a couple of times on my cycle to work.
I also see a lot of smaller birds but was never good at identifying them before Merlin. Apparently we have a lot of robins, switfts, chiffchaff, redstart, starlings and quite a few others. I'm starting to get better and spotting them and identifying them thanks to Merlin, I love that once you've identified something you can play various recording to learn what to listen out for.
I mainly see jackdaws, blackbirds and herring gulls around my house, but in the general are we have a lot of Canada and Egyptian geese (currently with very cute fluffy chicks), grey heron, coots, green parakeets, greeb and the occasional stork. I've also seen what I think is a Marsh Harrier a couple of times on my cycle to work.
I also see a lot of smaller birds but was never good at identifying them before Merlin. Apparently we have a lot of robins, switfts, chiffchaff, redstart, starlings and quite a few others. I'm starting to get better and spotting them and identifying them thanks to Merlin, I love that once you've identified something you can play various recording to learn what to listen out for.
C4ME said:
Being costal it is very much a different set of birds. Cutest are oystercatchers, favourite birds to watch are the gannets diving into the sea at high speed.
A pair of oyster catchers have taken to nesting on our flat roof at work over the last few years, they've got 3 chicks about 2" tall at the moment. Edited by RizzoTheRat on Thursday 23 May 12:34
RizzoTheRat said:
A friend recently put me on to the Merlin app, it's great isn't it.
I mainly see jackdaws, blackbirds and herring gulls around my house, but in the general are we have a lot of Canada and Egyptian geese (currently with very cute fluffy chicks), grey heron, coots, green parakeets, greeb and the occasional stork. I've also seen what I think is a Marsh Harrier a couple of times on my cycle to work.
I also see a lot of smaller birds but was never good at identifying them Merlin. Apparently we have a lot of robins, switfts, chiffchaff, redstart, starlings and quite a few others. I'm starting to get better and spotting them and identifying them thanks to Merlin, I love that once you've identified something you can play various recording to learn what to listen out for.
a lot of redstarts?! damn that's pretty awesome..... I mainly see jackdaws, blackbirds and herring gulls around my house, but in the general are we have a lot of Canada and Egyptian geese (currently with very cute fluffy chicks), grey heron, coots, green parakeets, greeb and the occasional stork. I've also seen what I think is a Marsh Harrier a couple of times on my cycle to work.
I also see a lot of smaller birds but was never good at identifying them Merlin. Apparently we have a lot of robins, switfts, chiffchaff, redstart, starlings and quite a few others. I'm starting to get better and spotting them and identifying them thanks to Merlin, I love that once you've identified something you can play various recording to learn what to listen out for.
P.S and yes the merlin app is really quite neat..
The_Doc said:
And this afternoon just before I fire up the lawnmower,
a cuckoo in the woods, just cuckoo-ing away.
I've been in Milan for the week, and the busy city was exciting and dynamic and the food was awesome. But home is where the birds are.
It should be said that I live about 500m from RSB Geltsdale, so these spots are unfair and skewed.
But hooray for birdsong.
Do they still have hen harriers at Geltsdale? a cuckoo in the woods, just cuckoo-ing away.
I've been in Milan for the week, and the busy city was exciting and dynamic and the food was awesome. But home is where the birds are.
It should be said that I live about 500m from RSB Geltsdale, so these spots are unfair and skewed.
But hooray for birdsong.
Always wanted to see one.
clarkmagpie said:
The_Doc said:
And this afternoon just before I fire up the lawnmower,
a cuckoo in the woods, just cuckoo-ing away.
I've been in Milan for the week, and the busy city was exciting and dynamic and the food was awesome. But home is where the birds are.
It should be said that I live about 500m from RSB Geltsdale, so these spots are unfair and skewed.
But hooray for birdsong.
Do they still have hen harriers at Geltsdale? a cuckoo in the woods, just cuckoo-ing away.
I've been in Milan for the week, and the busy city was exciting and dynamic and the food was awesome. But home is where the birds are.
It should be said that I live about 500m from RSB Geltsdale, so these spots are unfair and skewed.
But hooray for birdsong.
Always wanted to see one.
Numbers are going up, but the grouse moor nearby doesn't like them. There's a breeding program,, but the buggers also eat the chick's of other protected birds.
Predators going to predate.
I haven't seen one this year yet, but usually see one or two at least per year out the window.
There are Lapwings and Curlews out there this spring which is great.
Went out to a dawn chorus at Muir of Dinnet last week. Great morning out just listening. Actually using your ears!
I’m a complete beginner at identification so thankfully the brilliant ranger was guiding us through bird sounds.
We heard, and then saw a redstart! Along with 2 nesting pairs of lapwing. The Goldeneye’s on the Loch had a line of 6 or 7 chicks (days old) following them around, and their population is on the rise again.
If you can find a local dawn chorus event, it’s a lovely way to start the day.
Back home, we have the usual array of finches, tits, siskins, willow warblers, wrens etc. As well as a family of spotted woodys and Missle & song thrushes. The buzzards above are always on the lookout. And we’ve had a Merlin (90% sure) fly in a few times and scare the living daylights out of the regulars!
Really enjoying learning more about birds!
I’m a complete beginner at identification so thankfully the brilliant ranger was guiding us through bird sounds.
We heard, and then saw a redstart! Along with 2 nesting pairs of lapwing. The Goldeneye’s on the Loch had a line of 6 or 7 chicks (days old) following them around, and their population is on the rise again.
If you can find a local dawn chorus event, it’s a lovely way to start the day.
Back home, we have the usual array of finches, tits, siskins, willow warblers, wrens etc. As well as a family of spotted woodys and Missle & song thrushes. The buzzards above are always on the lookout. And we’ve had a Merlin (90% sure) fly in a few times and scare the living daylights out of the regulars!
Really enjoying learning more about birds!
Gassing Station | All Creatures Great & Small | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff