The Big Garden Birdwatch 2020

[Gemini]

Has anyone taken part in this this year? OH is watching as I write. She intended doing it yesterday morning, but we were out late the night before and she hadn't filled all the bird feeders.

https://www.rspb.org.uk/get-involved/activities/birdwatch/

[WeeGranny]

I did one year..........and it was if the birds knew they were being watched! One visited and that was it........half an hour later there they all were! Hope S has more success than I did Gem

[Plantaholic]

Although we have a large garden, it is mainly grass and very open so we don't get many birds. I can hear them singing in the hedges but I don't know different bird songs. I do see a robin who I think lives nearby but I have stopped putting out food for the birds because of the rats.

[Lizzie48]

I have just seen the Flamingoes!!!!!!! Do they count?

[Daisy]

Lizzie - not many people will be able to better that sighting.

I only heard about it late yesterday when it was dark and pouring with rain. I thought it was too late for this year, and my chances of having a whole hour to sit and watch today or tomorrow is zero. Even if it's too late to submit it I might do it on Wednesday, just for interest.

Thismorning I watched 4 blackbirds - 1 male 3 female, systematically working across DS2's garden pulling up tufts of grass and pecking into the soil. I don't know whether they were looking for worms or leatherjackets or what, but they were very intent on their search.


It would be interesting to see what birds your OH has spotted, Gem.

[Gemini]

Extra points for flamingos!

Daisy I will let you know what she saw.

[Oma]

My next door neighbour has been doing it , she has feeders all along the fence and in the garden , she has 4 cats though so the birds only come when the coast is clear , we usually get plagued by Magpies but they seem to be scarce at the moment ,
We do see lots of Tits and Finches but not a lot of sparrows anymore ,

[Daisy]

Gem - thank you. I'll be very interested.

Oma, we get plagued by magpies, but they're not as bad as the jackdaws! We don't see many sparrows - and I'm never sure whether they're sparrows or dunnocks, but where DS2 lives, only 8 miles away, they have flocks of chattering sparrows. It's good to see them.

[Nanto2girls]

We have never taken part in it. But we love to see the birds in the garden.
Hubby is always feeding them. The robins seem to be very friendly this year.
Blackbirds and dunnocks are also regular visitors.
A few days ago i brought some old biscuits from in laws.
Hubby broke them up,and put them out today. By the time we had had a cuppa, not a crumb was left.
Last year we bought a load of fatballs,but the birds never touched them.

[Gemini]

OH saw a robin, blackbirds, starling, blue tit, great tit, pigeons, sparrow. Plus a squirrel!

[Daisy]

Gem - well done to your OH. I don't think the squirrel counts, though.

We never seem to see starlings round here these days. There used to be song thrushes as well.

[Gemini]

Actually Daisy if does!😊
After the bird count there are questions about other creatures - squirrels and hedgehogs included!
It's surprising we see so many birds as there are a lot of cats living around us. Ours is past his hunting days though. He just watches them, even if they are on the lawn!

[Daisy]

Oh, I had no idea squirrels counted as well! It makes sense though to get a clearer picture of how the wildlife's doing. Thanks for telling me.