# New guys on the patch...



## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

We have seen Goldfinches in the local area, but have never had them on the garden.

So a bit of investigating as to why..wrong food  

So a Finch feeder and some Nyger seed and hey presto, 2 days later we got visitors


----------



## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Beautiful birds, and there seems to be a fair few about this year so hopefully they are doing well. Nice pics by the way.

steve


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

We also have some new feathered arrivals on our patch - 6 Muscovy ducklings


----------



## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

wish we had room for some ducks...  

the second of the 2 photos of the goldfinches is not to clear but they turned up with 3 youngsters..


----------



## yozz (Jan 18, 2009)

Nice photos StAubyns. Cheers for that


----------



## duxdeluxe (Sep 2, 2007)

Thanks - nice photos. We just get thuggish bluetits..... and the magpies had the blackbird chicks out of the nest by the wall.


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I have just got to try and get a herd of gold finches. A while ago I posted a pic of what I thought was an exotic rare bird only to be told it is a bull finch.  How was I to know. It didn't look very much like a cow although its feathers were the right colour for one.

I don't thing I have even see one flying past so either way I am going to stick it up and see what happens.

At the moment I seem to be inundated with ring necked doves, starlings and blackbirds, robins and my highlights are - two types of wood pecker. One turns up weekly the other turns up once a year. And my newest and favourite is the squirrel bird. He sits under the bird thing and eats that which is dropped by the starlings who always are untidy diners.

Just go to find some Nyger seeds. Brill pics. 

New subject. Did the ducks just simply arrive or did you put them there. :?


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

Pusser the ducks are ours. We had 4 Muscovy ducks and 2 geese, now 12 with the ducklings. Just before they hatched the magpies stole two of the eggs so now we are keeping them in a covered pen until they are a bit bigger. Two weeks ago a wild Mallard hatched 8 ducklings and within 24 hours all had disappeared, probably due to Moorhens who are known to drag ducklings under the water and drown them. It's a territorial thing, aint nature cruel at times? Last month our goose lost all 9 eggs to the magpies!!!!!


----------



## Hampshireman (Apr 18, 2007)

It is a good year for Gold Finches and we have droves. They just perch quietly and go at the Niger seed while mayhem is all around them.


----------



## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

just one more..

and they really are beautiful birds 

apart from these its ring doves, massive pigeons, blackbirds who get cheekier every day. On Sunday the male bought a chick into the conservatory whilst I was in there 8O a pair of wrens, sparrows, starlings and dunnocks. 

But no blue tits


----------



## SpeedyDux (Jul 13, 2007)

Lovely pics, St Aubyns.

This years' visitors are mainly Starlings and Magpies. There's a few Blue Tits, Great Tits, and the odd Robin and Dunnock. I saw one lonely Goldfinch.

The unexpected new regular visitors on the feeder are a pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers. I even saw the female chase away a Magpie who must have been four times her size. Feisty little bird!

SD

[PS hope the pic uploads - haven't tried this before.]


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

I have tits but they can only be seen peering through a tiny hole in next doors fence.  I think I have blue tits but although they definately are tits I am not a 100% sure which tit is what.

I do have a small book of birds all paintings rather than pictures and I have yet to see on bird that resembles anything like I have in my book. 

That is why I am bereft of knowlege and can only really positively identify a ****ehawk having seen enough of them. 8)


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

This is spooky. I just stuck out a load of fresh nuts and seeds and immediately a plague of starlings straffed the my garden but then I saw a pair of gold finchers. At least I think they are as through binos they had the red marking but where I expected to see gold there was white.

Rushed off to get my camera and they had buggered off by the time I got my act together.

Left the camera ready for hopefully their return.


----------



## StAubyns (Jun 4, 2006)

it is spooky 

are you set up for them?

http://shopping.rspb.org.uk/p/BirdFeeders/M-NYJERFEEDER.htm

speedydux

can you tell me how to get woodpeckers? love to be able to photograph them as you can

I have heard but never seen one


----------



## bonnieboo (Apr 27, 2009)

My Jackhuahua kept bringing out baby pheasants from the hedge one at a time and by the time she had finished we ended up with 20, we put them under the chickens and they are doing well. what a clever dog she is, the mum must have been eaten by a fox or just left the chicks.
We also put some of the ducks eggs under a chicken and now the chicken is walking around with ducks and pheasants following her and thinking its there mum.

At the week end we had 2 swans walking down the lane with about 7 babies, it was a lovely sight.
Jakki


----------



## Pusser (May 9, 2005)

StAubyns said:


> it is spooky
> 
> are you set up for them?
> 
> ...


Thank you for the useful link for bird seed. My woodpeckers just come for no reason. They never eat the bird food only get daddy long leg things out the lawn - I think.

Only one type I believe makes the traditional woodpecker sound and it is not sending morse or skyping to other members of the family but digging out grubs from tree bark. (Or it was the other way round.  )

I am just muting getting a pukka camera with a decent lens so I can start getting proper pix of these magnificiant creatures and it may be also useful for the beaches of St. Tropez too just in case I wish to take a picture of a seagull. :roll:


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

There are lots of 'seagulls' on Pampelonne beach


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

As you all seem to be doing bird watch, what is the difference between the male and female Blackbird.
Not feeling on top form, I have been sitting in the garden and a Blackbird has been going in and out of the hedge, with bits in its beak, working away and then as if it had done all its housework came and sat by my pond then flew up onto a TV ariel and sang, waited, as if for an answer and then carried on.
Nature is so great when you have time to sit and stare.
So was it a female or a male??


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

The male blackbird has truly black plumage and a bright yellow beak. The female has brown feathers and brown beak, is roughly the same size as the male.

The one you saw was most probably the male.


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

So its Male and so busy??
Does he build the nest then call for a mate.
If so she is a lucky bird its already and waiting for her. :lol:


----------



## suffolkian (Jul 25, 2007)

Only the female builds the nest- true housework!!!
She sits on the eggs till hatched then the male will assist in feeding the youngsters.


----------



## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Hampshireman thats what we love about goldfinches they way they sit there so peacefully munching away at the ******. We find siskins also love the ****** and there gorgeous too


----------



## locovan (Oct 17, 2007)

suffolkian said:


> Only the female builds the nest- true housework!!!
> She sits on the eggs till hatched then the male will assist in feeding the youngsters.


So there are babies in a nest I will have to see if I can see them.


----------

