My Garden 2023

Pete,

had forgotten about the pie rhyme , you made me laugh again. 
Oddly there was only one female. Today (21st) until 2pm ish there were no Blackbirds then a female arrived and later three males, but they hardly ate owt, must have got their fill elsewhere.

My take on the influx of Blackbirds yesterday was that the flock of 27 were coming over my garden and they saw it full of trees and decided to send a scout down for a gander in case any food here, when they saw the hawthorns and cherry trees full of berries they signalled to their mates to come down and get stuck in alongside the pair of Wood Pigeons. As I was looking out the back lounge window all the Blackbirds came over the roof on the left as if they had been to see the Osprey at YFP. OR some of the birds had visited last year and knew there is always plenty of berries, apples and pears to be had so decided to surprise me knowing full well I always go to bed at 4am and don't get up till gone midday BUT what they didn't know is that in the last week I now go to bed before midnight and get up about six-ish lol not sure how long it will last. Whatever the reason I really enjoyed their brief visit!

Cheers

John   

We've had a big influx of blackbirds in Cleethorpes over the past couple of days. 

Yesterday, a flock of 22 came in over the Humber, briefly settled in sea buckthorn, then flew further inland to tall trees where they perched, surveyed the scene, then flew south.

In my experience, they tend not to arrive in the company of redwings of fieldfares which seem to have different migration time slots and possibly different flight routes.

Incidentally, I I understand that the blackbird is the national bird of Sweden. Perhaps surprisingly, it is Turkey which has opted for the redwing while, as far as I am aware, the fieldfare is still up for grabs.  

That is a remarkable number, we are hardly getting anny in ours

27 Blackbirds is a huge number, I think 19 is our record which I thought was high.You've got more than enough for a pie!

Regards Pete

At 8am this morning counted 27 Blackbirds in the cherry and hawthorn trees, think this may be most have ever had. Thank goodness am in process of changing my upside down sleeping pattern or would have missed them. The Wood Pigeon are alongside the birds getting the berries. Hoping a Redwing & Fieldfare pop in like last year, and maybe just maybe a Waxwing!

 

Aug 31st: Goldfinch 2 adult + 2 juvs.
Sept 8th: watched adult Wood Pigeon feeding both juvs on nest in cherry tree.
Sept 13th: above nest empty.
Sept 14th:  Goldfinch - 22.
Oct 4th: Squirrel on feeder.
Nov 9th: local Jackdaws - 25 having fun.
Nov 10th: Coal Tit - 2 not seen any in months, Blue Tit - 3 & Great Tit - 1 taking turns at SFH feeder.

It must be five months since the three dozen Feral Pigeons departed ( good riddance) when I stopped filling all feeders, thankfully I have only had one or two return now and then, but the feeders (14) are all out.  The Spuggies are still hammering away at the peanuts etc but only in their stronghold of front garden, only rarely do they go in back garden, not sure why as there are loads of trees and shrubs for cover. Also the fat ball feeders in front garden are emptied quick sharp but the ones in back garden are the opposite, am having to throw the fat balls away as they have gone rancid, and they are out same box. Only the Jackdaws and Magpies use the. The tits and finches prefer the SFH and Niger.

The two young Wood Pigeons plus two more and the two adults have for the past month or so been taking the hawthorn and cherry fruit, until a few days hadn't had any Blackbirds for three months but  had three this week, but not eating fruit off trees, preferring apples/pears I'd put out.

One day may get a Waxwing pop in for a new garden tick! Been hoping for years.

Max