Tdgraves big year 2016

[Tdgraves]

Now for some more from the garden. Although these are all daily visitors, since getting my camera out, I have been struggling to capture them, hence the delay!

 

Firstly, these guys come to the feeders all the time, but recently only when it's been getting dark

 

My garden, 29/7/16

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2000, f5.6, 1/8000 (was set for the feeders, which are in shade....)

 

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/250-320

 

 

 

176) European goldfinch

[Tdgraves]

These ground feeding birds are naturally cautious, so it is more difficult to catch them

 

My garden, 30/7/16

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 640, f7.1, 1/200

 

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f5.6, 1/640

 

 

9/7/16

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 2000, f7.1, 1/160

 

5/8/16

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/400

 

177) Dunnock (hedge sparrow)

Edited July 30, 2016 by Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

These are seen every night, but when it is quite dark and any attempt to approach makes them leave

 

My garden, 9/5/16

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1250, f6.3, 1/200

 

 

178) Song thrush

[Tdgraves]

My garden, 21/7/16, male

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1000, f7.1, 1/100

 

 

selfie!

 

 

Female, 21/7/16

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/400

 

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/400

 

 

Canon 7D mark II, 100-400 mark II, ISO 1600, f5.6, 1/800

 

 

What am I looking at?

 

 

Ways to get up here......

 

 

 

to feed these guys

 

 

 

 

 

179) Common blackbird

Edited July 30, 2016 by Tdgraves

[Tdgraves]

And a few duplicates from the garden over the last couple of days, now that the sun is out

 

 

 

long-tailed tit - you can see their eyelids

 

 

 

Singing greenfinch

 

 

 

Chaffinch

 

 

 

 

 

Coal tit

 

 

 

Juvenile robin

 

 

 

 

That's all for now...

[TonyQ]

@@Tdgraves

That is fascinating seeing the blackbird getting food fromthe suet feeder (I don't think ours have learned that yet!)

It is great to see the youngster being fed by the adult.

[Tdgraves]

@@Tdgraves

That is fascinating seeing the blackbird getting food fromthe suet feeder (I don't think ours have learned that yet!)

It is great to see the youngster being fed by the adult.

 

@@TonyQ not so fascinating on the Amazon bill...

 

The reason it is hanging vertically is when it was angled, the blackbird seemed able to balance, so it was a poor attempt at stopping her. However, with her eating the suet and the squirrels eating the sunflower seeds, it is costing me a fortune

[JohnR]

@@Tdgraves I have resorted to bulk buying suet blocks and sunflower seeds from RSPB shop. With flocks of starlings and upwards of 10 jackdaws coming regularly the blocks go in no time, but they are such fun to watch.

[Geoff]

@@Tdgraves That's a very productive garden by the looks of things.

Edited July 30, 2016 by Geoff

[Tdgraves]

@@Tdgraves I have resorted to bulk buying suet blocks and sunflower seeds from RSPB shop. With flocks of starlings and upwards of 10 jackdaws coming regularly the blocks go in no time, but they are such fun to watch.

@@JohnR I buy them in boxes of 10 also, but they lasted a lot longer before she learnt this trick.....

[JohnR]

I buy them in boxes of 10 also, but they lasted a lot longer before she learnt this trick.....

10? They have boxes of 40 which really brings the cost down.

[Tdgraves]

 

I buy them in boxes of 10 also, but they lasted a lot longer before she learnt this trick.....

10? They have boxes of 40 which really brings the cost down.

Cheaper on Amazon....

[michael-ibk]

The juvenile Robin is very cute!

[Tdgraves]

@@Tdgraves That's a very productive garden by the looks of things.

 

@@Geoff evidence of a sparrowhawk on Sunday - lots of plucked feathers, a small puddle of blood, but no meat/bones. No sign of the perpetrator though

[Geoff]

Awesome @@Tdgraves. I get them in my back garden too. This individual ambushes sparrows at one of the bird baths.

 

How many species are you up to for the year so far?

[Galana]

Nice picture. That's the kind of garden visitor I would love to have if I had a garden. (and a Goshawk for the cats!)

[Tdgraves]

Cool photo @@Geoff

 

I have only spotted one in the garden once, but often see them flying over.

 

Am up to 179 now. Will need to wait for my forthcoming Kgalagadi trip for any more I suspect....

[Geoff]

@@Tdgraves Well I expect you to top 200 species too.

[Tdgraves]

@@Tdgraves Well I expect you to top 200 species too.

Fingers crossed - it is a different ecosystem, so hopefully, otherwise I may have to explore more here, but the weather is not making me want to go outside at the moment.....

[Tdgraves]

We usually see a bullfinch in the garden about once a year and I have never been able to photograph one. Our first sighting was a few weeks ago. On Tuesday I was outside when three birds flew over and the male landed on a plant support and started singing - a bullfinch. Of course, by the time i had gone to get my camera, they were gone. However, I now know what they sound like! This morning I heard them again and managed to locate them in the undergrowth, but obviously they were gone before I could get the camera (even though I was much nearer the house this time). So they are clearly around most of the time (and a lot more than twice a year) but are just shy, so I am hopeful to catch one on camera before the end of the year....

[Tdgraves]

Just saw a kingfisher on the way home from work! Flew straight in front of the car. I have never seen one in th U.K. before. They were burning the fields, so I assume it was on the look out for easy insect prey

[michael-ibk]

Very nice! I also saw one - just for a moment - a few weeks ago, but have yet to "catch" one.

[Tdgraves]

Just seen a pair of Egyptian geese on the way to the tip! Thought I was hallucinating, but the book lists a quite large spread of "feral" Eygyptian geese in the east of England.

[Towlersonsafari]

Hello @@Tdgraves the Ospreys that nest on one of the Rutland artificial nest platforms usually have to evict a pair of Egyptian geese as a first task when the return in spring!

Edited October 8, 2016 by Towlersonsafari

[michael-ibk]

Once in a while Egyptian Geese are seen in Austria, and I have seen them in Germany myself once. I think I´ve read somewhere that they have successfully established breeding populations in Europe.