Re: BGBW What was you Star Species?

Just finished my hours watch, disappointed not to see our usual 2 Jays, however did see 2 x Nuthatches. Didn't see them but will probably hear our 2 resident owls, no idea what type as can never see them! Several naughty squirrels raiding the squirrel proof feeders!

Female Redd Bunting for me.

Agree with you there Graham...we were desperate to see our regular longtailed tits but stuck to the hour for accuracy but our numbers of the other birds were great :)

You should be able to identify your owls by the sound :) RSPB identifer for birds has sounds too :) I guess you live near woodland as you have recorded nuthatches..one of our favourites but we're not near enough to our woods for them :(

Interesting responses so far, (expecially yours, Andrew!).  Love the Sparrow being the star species, they were conspicuous by their absence in my garden.  The Blackcaps seem to be everywhere - except where I am - I've yet to see one anywhere.

I understand what you're saying Graham.  This is a scientific survey, and I had already planned my hour and stuck to it.  That's what I find exciting.  I don't know what the result will be until the hour's over.  I got nothing special but it's great to hear who got what.

I haven't decided if today's poor showing will be my count or if to have another go tomorrow, My star has to be a female ring necked parakeet if only because she made me laugh with her careful approach to getting from the top of the pole onto the port of the seed feeder. I had changed the mesh feeders as with less goldfinches around the seed was getting too wet in the them. Forgot to mention it to the parakeets though and it was comical to watch her.

Sarah

Lesser Redpolls (7)

There was another one with a ring but he didn't show today or yesterday.

Hope the Sparrowhawk didn't get him. Couldn't get a good shot of the ring number when he was here. Anyway, so enjoying the Redpolls.

My star was the Goldfinches, they only started showing up a few days ago.

For a change I had a great BGBW this year, normally birds I see every day vanish for my chosen hour, but today most turned up (and brought their friends along) perhaps additional suet and dried meal wrorms had the desired effect! My Star species was 3 redpoll and unbelievable 2 tree sparrows - I have seen Red Polls  in my garden before but only on very rare occasions,   but tree sparrows is a first !  I have absolutely no idea what they were doing in my garden I have never seen them here before .

I normally see up to 7 Goldfinches every day  but during the BGBW saw 9 and shortly afterwards a total of 11. Two each of  Carrion Crow and Magpies  were a suprise - they hoovered up suet pieces and scared away 2 dunnocks !

Only disppointment was a no show from 2 wrens who are around pretty much every day and  no starlings - usually between 6 and 11 are seen at a time?

"Kingfisher"

To me it has to be a Wren it was 2nd on my list and only saw it because she was sat on a branch with the grey sky behind anywhere else and I would not of seen her.

But according to the RSPB my Blackcap male was the star just glad he turned round as he was sat on my hanging bird table or he would of been classed as a House Sparrow :-)

Ups and downs, goldfinches all gone but long tailed tits were wonderful.  Nice sunny dawn as well.

My star must be the Blackcap ~ he's only been around for the last 4/5 days.  But the funniest were the gaggle of Goldfinches who squabbled over who 'owned' the Nyger seed!  This is my second year of doing the BGBW and am so addicted!  Being on the edge of a wooded common helps, as we get such a good selection of birds; and until I'd moved here I'd never seen a long tailed tit.

wunnus

  Nice sunny dawn as well.

Oh yes a beautiful sun rise this morning then here it went quite grey :-(

TinaBean

  Being on the edge of a wooded common helps, as we get such a good selection of birds; and until I'd moved here I'd never seen a long tailed tit.

We used to be right next to farmland and fallow fields but these are gone now to be replaced by new builds :-(

My star species were the 2 Tree Sparrows that have become regular visitors to my feeders :) Shame the GS Woodpecker didn't come back, he appeared for about 5 minutes the other day, good record for a Holy Island garden!