Monday, 15 March 2010

Better Luck With The Birds

No, no, no ... I'm not batting for the other side; although I have been invited by one of my Flickr contacts to join a group entitled 'Lesbo Girls'. What, I wonder, makes her think I might be that way inclined? :-O The same person invited me to join another group which "celebrates the sensuality of women". All the contributors appear to be other women, so I guess it's another lesbian group? I'm thinking I'm giving off the wrong vibes!

The birds in the title of this post of course relate to our feathered friends. Some of you perhaps remember a post from January, in which I whinged a bit about not having much success in attracting birds into the garden. Primarily, I wanted to get some nice photos of birds, but now I find I am rather mindful of them, their diets and their wellbeing.

I am gradually getting some more birds into the garden, although still have my fair share of pigeons!

I'm pretty sure I have a pair of blackbirds, who are nest-building in a neighbour's Elder tree. Mrs Blackbird is incredibly territorial and possessive over the food I put out. If other blackbirds come to share, she sees them off!

Mr Blackbird is a rather handsome chap.

But even he gets shoo'ed off by Mrs Blackbird sometimes. Some days they seem to get along pretty well, even working as a team to scare other birds away; but on other days, I'm left with the impression that they might have had an argument, and aren't speaking to one another.

I'd love to get some Bluetits into the garden, and in fact have seen one on the washing line, but of course I didn't have my camera to hand. I managed to snap this one on that Elder tree in a neighbour's garden, but it's not a great image.

I do have a Chaffinch who seems to be becoming a regular.

Do any of you know what this little bird might be? I think she might be Mr Chaffinch's other half but am not really sure?

Whatever he or she is, he or she sings very loudly and proudly!

I have seen a tiny little wren in the garden recently, but wasn't quick enough with the camera. I have also had a crow visit - my goodness, up close they are so sleek and slightly menacing in appearance. Another neighbour has some extremely tall trees in their garden, and one day I did manage to snap a trio of crows having a bit of conflab.

The only other bird I have managed to snap from the vantage point of our little garden, was this Greenfinch.

He always looks rather aloof, and very grumpy indeed! I think perhaps his life isn't going well at the moment?!

I had been wanting to get a decent shot of a Robin for ages and ages, with no luck whatsoever. It wasn't that the shots I took were crubbish, but that I didn't get any shots at all ... hadn't seen a single Robin. :( However, last week I headed up to The Ridgeway, and there, sat in a tree was this little chap:

So now I have my Robin shot! But being a greedy sort of girl, I'd like more.

That's all for now, but I am thoroughly enjoying my little bit of 'twitching' (the bird watching version of the word, not the muscle spasm version), and the pictures are getting a little better. Hopefully I'll have some more for another post sometime.

© Author

30 comments:

Karens Hopes said...

Lovely garden pictures,its great now that Spring is here(it is isnt it?)I spent a bit of time in the garden at the weekend and it makes me feel very happy.
Karen

trash said...

You have tyoed 'Twitcher' and 'Lesbian' in the same post, can't wait to see how many hits you get from that combination!

Dragonfly said...

I'm a secret Twitcher too! I think that is Mrs Chaffinch.

I was in the park earlier with Pip and was stopped in my tracks by a birdsong that I didn't recognise... Perched up high in the tree next to me was a sparrowhawk! I've seen one in my garden too!

A couple of years ago, I was thrilled to have a family of long-tailed tits - they are so pretty.

Have you tried putting nesting boxes up? They are sure to attract blue and great tits!

Oh, I could go on!!!

Gina said...

Just love that photo with the three crows on the tall branch. Have fun with your new "girly" groups ;)

Gigibird said...

You have so many different birds - well done!
I am so delighted they bring so much pleasure to you....I love mine even those naughty crows that steel all the food.

clare's craftroom said...

I think your photos are just beautiful ! You must have had to stay very still not twitching ...

Warped Mind of Ron said...

Awesome photos! Oh and "I'd love to get some Bluetits into the garden" perhaps the lesbian groups just thought you were into body paint??? :-)

Country Bliss said...

Great photos, looks like a female chaffinch to me. I have quite a lot of Blue tit's in my garden they tend to go for the fat balls, so it might be an idea to hang some of them up if you haven't already.
Yvonne x

Catalyst said...

How curious. Just yesterday late I was out in the yard trying to catch a photo of a big black raven who was raucously making his presence known. But he was high in a tree and shielded from my view by branches.

Linda said...

I have tried to get bird shots but have failed, yours are lovely, particulary the Blue Tits. (and no I don't mean it in that way either!!!)

Tilly said...

I've tried to get photo's of the visitors to our garden but they are all just too quick for me. I'm surprised at the variety of wildlife that we get since we are only a fifteen minute walk from the town centre. I think I should start keeping a list. During the snowy weather we had a female kestral and a flock of Fieldfares. It was fabulous.

Sew Create It - Jane said...

WOW - lots going on in your garden! Great photos!

Happy Frog and I said...

Great photos! I have a robin who pops into the garden quite frequently, must try and get a photo!

the mother of this lot said...

K. Wrinkle - Wildlife Photographer of the Year....who neither bats for the other side, nor helps them out when they're busy.

twiggypeasticks said...

Great photos Kitty. I like a bit of bird watching myself, like you I prefer the feathered variety :)
twiggy x

periwinkle said...

love your pics , we went to a wildlife centre at the weekend and they had a hide where you could watch all kinds of birds swinging on the nuts , there were guys with 6ft lenses taking pics of them( well they were very big ) and me with my little point and click. Surprisingly my pics were rubbish - you would have loved it..

Thimbleanna said...

You're SO funny -- maybe your friend was hoping that with a less-than-positive previous experience you might like to switch teams??? Hahaha!

GORGEOUS, gorgeous bird pictures Kitty -- you're amazing!!!

peskypixies said...

Fab pics Kitty!!!!

I do think Mr Balckbird is a handsome chap!!!!!

Malach the Merciless said...

Nevermore

Primrose Corner said...

Life is supposed to be an adventure Kitty:) Love your bird shots. I think that your mystery bird is a female chaffinch 'cos she has similar wing bars. If you vary the food you put out I'm sure you attract lots of different things into your garden. Goldfinches love niger seeds for example but I guess that depends on what you have about locally.

I love your crow shot and the blackbirds. Quite a photographic challenge really getting good shots of birds. Hope it goes well...

Suburbia said...

Fab pic :) Definitely a female chaffinch.

I love the 3 crows pic.

Burby x

Moogsmum said...

Gorgeous photos Kitty! It's no mean feat to get them to stand still long enough for a photo. We are blackbird central here - there were 8 male blackbirds fighting out there yesterday!

Sorry to say I snorted like a teenage boy at the comment by Country Bliss about Blue Tits and fat balls.....hangs head in shame....who would believe I'm the daughter of avid birdwatchers?!

xxx

Chris said...

Heaventy sakes, LOOK at these babies!!
You have really captured some beauts. How did you get that bluetit?!

speaking of bluetits, I was going to ask you out, but my wife didn't like the idea.

HA!

okay.

Strawberry Jam Anne said...

Lovely photos of your birds Kitty. I think that is Mrs Chaffinch as well. I found that when I bought wild bird seed from the local supermarket that after a short time I had loads of different birds appearing in the garden.

Anonymous said...

Hello. And Bye.

picciolo said...

wow your bird shots are coming out great, we get quite a few birds in our garden but I've never managed to take any pictures of them. I think that is a mrs chaffinch
: )

Kitty said...

Hi Karen - Thank you. I'm not entirely sure on the question of spring - one minute I think it's sprung and the next I'm shivering and sure it hasn't! Being outside is generally lovely isnt' it? :) x


Hello Mrs Trash - Oh Gawd, I didn't think of that. :( x


Hi Dragonfly - Oh thank you for that. I've seen the odd sparrowhawk but generally far to high for my lens to reach. Fingers crossed they 'come down' a bit! Yes, I've had a nesting box up for months now, with no sign of a single bird anywhere near it. x


Hi Gina - I don't think I'll join those girly groups - just not my sort of thing ;) x


Hi Gigibird - Thank you so much for all your help and advice. I would love to get a good close up shot of a crow. x


Hi Clare - Thank you! I hid behind the curtains! x


Hi Ron - Thank you! Erm yes, I'm thinking I should consider more carefully the language I use! x


Hi Yvonne - So glad I got the female chaffinch right! I tried fat balls, but not a single bird came near them :( They went black :-O x


Hi Mr Cat - Gosh, I'd love to see a shot of a big black raven. They do look menacing up close don't they? Do your cats not scare him off? x

Kitty said...

Hi Linda - If you keep persevering I'm sure you'll get them eventually - it has taken me months!! x


Hi Tilly - They are fast, aren't they? Butterflies are the same in the summer - drove me mad last year! Would love to see (and get) a shot of that kestrel! x


Hi Jane - Thank you - coming from you, that is a compliment indeed. x


Hello Happy Frog - Robins can be so tame, can't they? I look forward to seeing your photos! x


Hi TMOTL - Ha! Thank you. x


Hi Mrs Twigs - Thank you. Yes, the feathered variety are much more my sort of thing from a photographic point of view. x


Hi Peri - Birds swinging on nuts? :-O What sort of establishment were you at?! It does indeed sound like a nice place to go to take photos. x


Hi Anna - Bless you, thank you so much. I haven't batted for a long while, but have no plans to switch teams ;) x


Hello Pesky - Thank you. Yes, Mr B is very handsome, but I fear he is quite literally hen-pecked! :) x

Kitty said...

Hi Malach ... me no understand? x


Hi Julia - I've been putting out niger seeds for a while and that's what the Chaffinches come for. Haven't seen any new birds for a while now. x


Hi Burby - Thank you :) x


Hey Mrs Moogs! Thank you - those pesky birds don't stand still much at all, but putting the camera on continuous shooting mode maximises the chance of a half decent shot. You're not the only one who sniggers like a schoolboy ;) x


Hi Chris - Thank you. The bluetit was just feeding in a neighbour's greenery - I got lucky, that's all. Lol at your comment re your wife :p x


Hi SJA - Thank you. I buy the seed from a local pet shop or the garden centre. They seem to like it. x


Hello again Anonymous ... Bye again Anonymous :)


Hi Picciolo - Thank you. Looks like quite a few of you agree that that is Mrs Chaffinch - I'm quite pleased if I have a 'pair'. x

silverpebble said...

These are such fabulous pictures Kitty - so clear and detailed - magical. Emma x