"Big Garden Birdwatch"

Thought I would give the "Big Garden Birdwatch" ago this weekend, I made myself comfortable in the conservatory with a good view down the garden, coffee was made, feeders had been topped up the day before, I had high hopes for a good species list. My chosen time period was 09:30 hrs to 10:30 hours.

Unbelievably I stared at an empty garden completely devoid of birds for a good ten minutes or so, a few flyover Starlings a couple of gulls gliding over the garden.

15 mins and a single Starling approached one of the feeders closely followed by a further five giving a total of 6 Starlings, this was the most seen at any one time during the hour.

House Sparrows began to appear, a few singles, difficult to count as they made a snatch and grab raid on the feeders, the most I counted at any one time was eleven.

Another quiet period with not very much being seen, thirty minutes had passed with only two species in the garden.

A male Blackbird skulking under a tree at the bottom of the garden brought the list to three. A few more minutes passed and a group of Goldfinches landed on the pear tree with one moving down to the feeders.

A couple of Great Tit sightings but never more than one at any one time. just one Blue Tit.

 A Magpie landed briefly in the pear tree before it moved on, a single Woodpigeon flopped down on the Ivy and started to eat the ripened Ivy berries, Eight species and 15 mins to go.

 Two female Chaffinch approached the sunflower seed feeder, Three Collared Dove chased each other around the garden, difficult to work out who the unwelcome guest was.

A Robin was seen skulking around the back of the pond closely followed by a brief view of a Dunnock, a couple of minutes to go and three Ring Necked Parakeets landed on the pear tree.

The hour complete, thirteen species seen, a few absentees, the Greenfinch, Wren, Long Tailed Tit
 and Carrion Crow which has been using the Pear Tree as a lookout post recently.

Collared Dove 3

Goldfinch 4

Great Tit 1

House sparrow 11

Starling 6

Woodpigeon 1

Robin1

Chafffinch 2

Blue Tit 1

Blackbird 1

Magpie 1

Ring necked Parakeet 3

Dunnock1

A short while after completing the garden birdwatch this lovely male Great Spotted Woodpecker was seen on the Pear tree feeder. Where was he when I needed him.

male Great Spotted Woodpecker

I always assumed the same Woodpecker was visiting the feeders but Interestingly the Great Spotted Woodpecker seen a few weeks ago was a female, shown below without the red neck patch of the male.

female Great Spotted Woodpecker