Birds

[Thos]

I know I am asking for trouble off you lot but I am asking quite seriously.

Don't you think there are a lot of blue tits around especially at this time of the year? Many of you, I know, are nature lovers and comment on the proliferation of magpies and so on, but I have been struck with the numbers of blue tits in the hedges and lower branches of trees. They are lovely, little birds and are very welcome. I put up nest boxes for them but they won't use them. However, they fight to nest in my neighbour's boxes! I don't mind, I can always watch them around.

Thos. :)

[artist]

None here - they're in some place warm....... :rolleyes:

[-pops-]

I get lots of blue tits, coal tits and great tits as well as sparrows, a robin, tree creepers, nuthatches, chaffinches, greenfinches, an occasional goldfinch and bullfinch (I grow teazels specifically to attract them), blackbirds (very aggressive at the moment) an occasional thrush, a pair of wood pigeons, four collared doves - - - - and a partridge in a pear tree. No, the last bit is wrong but I do get all the others plus numerous passing jackdaws and sometimes jays.

Magpies are rare here as there are regular culls to keep them down.

There is a regular squirrel that feed on the bits that the birds drop from the feeders and the garden is in the territory of a family of foxes plus there are the deer.

But then I do live at the edge of thousands of acres of National Trust forest.

[AlanHo]

Here in Solihull we have always had lots of blue tits, great tits, long tailed tits, coal tits, green finches, gold finches etc - plus over the last 3 years an increase in the number of nuthatches in the gardens despite the regular "attention" of our local sparrow hawks and neighbours cats.

I cannot say I have seen an increase in the number of tits - but like yours - ours have ignored the nesting boxes I have installed in our bigger trees.

[catgate]

We seem to have the usual number of tits various this year, but they always do seem to come near the house much more in cold weather. I suppoe we feed them more in cold weather if truth be known.

On the subject of nest boxes...try positioning them with the hole (no bigger than one inch diameter) facing North ish. They apparently do not like sun and/or shadows in the box. They also like a little perch just below the hole.

[D4\/!d]

I put up nest boxes for them

Yeah, I too get all the song birds and bully birds. I hope you put out nut feeders and seed feeders as well as boxes..!! :P

[andsome]

We get a mixed bag of birds, but there are a lot less sparrows than usual. We see a very occasional Jay, they are truly gorgeous, and far more colourful than the American Blue Jay. Compared with the British Jay, we were quite disappointed in them in California.

[r4may]

We get quite a mix of Tits and finches as well as the resident Robin, Wrens, Blackbirds, Thrushes and a couple of Spotted Woodpeckers (These love the fat ball we made), with the occasional Jay. The pigeons are a bit of a nuisance and the Doves get quite noisy.

[andsome]

We get quite a mix of Tits and finches as well as the resident Robin, Wrens, Blackbirds, Thrushes and a couple of Spotted Woodpeckers (These love the fat ball we made), with the occasional Jay. The pigeons are a bit of a nuisance and the Doves get quite noisy.

I hate the repetitive noise that collared doves make, it just goes on and on, Have you noticed that when they fly, just as they come in to land, they let out the most awful screech?

[Gandalph]

I hate the repetitive noise that collared doves make, it just goes on and on, Have you noticed that when they fly, just as they come in to land, they let out the most awful screech?

They probably need their brake pads replacing andsome. :lol:

[andsome]

I hate the repetitive noise that collared doves make, it just goes on and on, Have you noticed that when they fly, just as they come in to land, they let out the most awful screech?

They probably need their brake pads replacing andsome. :lol:

Like it. :D :D

[Thos]

The trouble with putting nuts out for the birds is that they attract the squirrels. Even so-called squirrel-proof feeders attract them trying their luck, I like them but when we used to feed them they became a tame nuisance, coming in the house when the doors were open in warm weather.

I don't think we get the variety of birds some of you get, but we do see some finches, the odd yellowhammer and pied wagtail. We, too, like the jays and particularly the green woodpeckers taking ants from the lawn with their long curly tongues.

We are pestered with wood pigeons and collared doves also and their noise is a nuisance. I haven't heard their landing screech, andsome, but I will listen out now you've mentioned it.

As for foxes, we get periods when we see loads. They bring their cubs around during the night and play on the lawn, squeaking and squealing. At the moment it is a quiet time and there is only the occasional one. They don't seem to be solely nocturnal any more, often coming up the close at the same time as the workers coming home from their London toils. Our foxes do not frighten cats. In fact, I have watched many times a fox crossing to the other side of the road to avoid a cat sitting on the pavement.

Thos. :)

[andsome]

I avoid cats too.

[deuces wild]

None here - they're in some place warm....... :rolleyes:

:lol: :P

[rong]

This was taken through the window, it's not very busy this morning. Are the great tits bullies, as when they turn up the others get out of the way.

[andsome]

Pretty

[D4\/!d]

that's a bloomin' good picture rong :D

[dadyassa]

Nice piccy mate :)

[Thos]

You must keep your windows clean!

Nice picture though.

Thos. :)

[rong]

You must keep your windows clean!

Nice picture though.

Thos. :)

That's the wife's Job. It's a reflection of the curtains.

[Thos]

That's the wife's Job. It's a reflection of the curtains.

Crikey. It's my job in our house and you couldn't take a photo through them.

Thos. :)