TonyQ: Big (??) Year 2021

[TonyQ]

22.UK.22. Moorhen  Gallinula chloropus      

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

A common local resident

[TonyQ]

23.UK.23. Coot  Fulica atra

 

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

Also very common. You have heard the expression "smooth as a MIll pond" - well this pool used to be a Mill Pond!

[TonyQ]

24.UK.24. Mute Swan  Cygnus olor  

Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

Very easy to take for granted, but it is a stunning bird.

[TonyQ]

25.UK.25. Black-headed Gull  Chroicocephalus ridibundus 

Typical Winter Plumage, Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

Probably First Winter Plumage, Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

The only individual startingto show breeding plumage, Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021

This is the most common of the Gulls that we see around Birmingham. Very common, especially in winter.

[Kitsafari]

Lovely additions.

[TonyQ]

Thank you @KitsafariI think you may like some of the next batch from the garden

 

but first

 

26.UK.26. Mallard  Anas platyrhynchos        

(F) Trittiford Pool, Birmingham     16.01.2021    

 

(M) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham           22.01.2021

Our most common duck, but still a beautiful bird

[TonyQ]

27.UK.27. Bullfinch  Pyrrhula pyrrhula          

(M) Our Garden, Birmingham       21.01.2021

(F) Our Garden, Birmingham       23.01.2021

A small amount of snow visible in the second photo!. Bullfinches are regular visitors to the garden, especially in winter. On one occasion we even had 3 males at once, but they usually arrive as a pair.

Edited January 30, 2021 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

28.UK.28. Blue Tit  Cyanistes caeruleus       

Our Garden, Birmingham       23.01.2021

Probably the most common Tit that visits our garden. Very pretty and appear full of character. On the few very cold days, our routine was going out to melt water in the bird bath so they could still drink, and to make sure food was accessible.

[TonyQ]

29.UK.29. Long-tailed Tit  Aegithalos caudatus        

Our Garden, Birmingham       21.01.2021

Our Garden, Birmingham       21.01.2021

Pretty little birds, often arrive in groups of 5 or 6, chattering away to each other.

Edited January 30, 2021 by TonyQ

[TonyQ]

30.UK.30. Coal Tit  Periparus ater    

Our Garden, Birmingham       24.01.2021

Our Garden, Birmingham       24.01.2021

 

A pretty, delicate looking bird. A regular visitor to the garden, but more shy than the Blue Tit and Great Tit. They tend to land on the bushes, fly quickly to the feeders and fly off quickly with a seed. This makes them harder to photograph. This one sat on the branch for a little longer.

[Soukous]

It looks as though it's a bit colder where you are Tony. The snow adds something to the photos.

We are Coal Tits in our area, I even hear them in the garden, but I've never actually seen one in our garden. Great Tits & Blue Tits seem to keep them away.

[Tdgraves]

Unlike your garden @TonyQ in ours, bullfinches are extremely rare, perhaps once or twice per year. Coal tits are around at present, but as @Soukous says, very timid and we can go many months with none.

[TonyQ]

Thank you @Soukous- it is snowing again today!

@Tdgraves one of the things I really enjoy about the Big Year is seeing what birds are common or rare in different parts of the UK

[PeterHG]

Lovely photos from your garden @TonyQand the snow certainly adds to the shots ! Coal Tits and Bullfinch are quite rare over here; it must be nice to have them as regular visitors.

[xelas]

Really nice photos, and it looks like the weather is supporting you and the birds!

[michael-ibk]

Very nice Bullfinches! Love the snow pictures, very atmospheric!

[Kitsafari]

all the tits are really cute, but the more i see the long-tailed tits (here and other UK BY lists), the more I think they are the cutest of them all.

 

Snow! i remember the first time i experienced it in West Berlin and in my PJs, i ran out and threw myself on the snow on the ground. it's a thing for us equatorial people. 

[shazdwn]

Beautiful shots, especially the ones in the snow.  I love snow, hate the cold but love snow.  

[Zim Girl]

I have never seen a Bullfinch in my garden so quite jealous @TonyQ.  It is a bird we are always looking for and hardly ever see.

[Soukous]

On 1/31/2021 at 1:28 AM, Kitsafari said:

all the tits are really cute, but the more i see the long-tailed tits (here and other UK BY lists), the more I think they are the cutest of them all.

 

Absolutely

[elefromoz]

@TonyQwhat gorgeous photos of the little birds in the snow. The little Bullfinch is very pretty, but it would seem not so easily seen by everyone.

[TonyQ]

@elefromoz@Zim Girl@shazdwn@michael-ibk@xelas@PeterHGthank you

@Kitsafariit sounds fun rolling in the snow in your PJs (but I don't think I will try it)

 

A few more from January - a trip to a local park

 

31.UK.31. Woodpigeon  Columba palumbus

Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham           22.01.2021

The pigeon we see most often - we see them every day in the garden. I will probably get a better photo but the light was nice!

[TonyQ]

32.UK.33. Magpie  Pica pica

Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham 22.01.2021

Again very common, a daily garden visitor

[TonyQ]

Cannon Hill Park has a nice lake, and here we had our second sighting of a Bar-headed Goose (about 4 miles from our previous sighting)

 

The lake also had

33.UK.33. Shoveler Anas clypeata

(M) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham           22.01.2021

(F) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham           22.01.2021

There were a number of males sitting in nice light. We only saw one female which spent more time in the shade, frequently with head underwater feeding!

[TonyQ]

There is also a small river that runs along one edge of the park

 

34.UK.34. Kingfisher Alcedo atthis

(F) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham 22.01.2021

(F) Cannon Hill Park, Birmingham 22.01.2021

 

We had seen it fly and land in a bush some distance away and against the light, but were still pleased. Then a little later we saw it sitting just on the other side of the small river - we were delighted!

It is also nice to know that Kingfishers appear to be doing well in a large city.