Back to the Birds

At the beginning of the year, I started a little project.  I filled up the bird feeders then sat down at the window and watched to see what birds came to visit the feeders.  I made a note of the birds that visit the feeder and in what order I see them.

Red poll, siskin and goldfinch

I offer a couple of different foods.  I have peanuts, sunflower hearts, niger or thistle seed, mixed seed and suet balls.  I figure the wider the variety of foods being offered, the wider the variety of birds.  From time to time I throw some raisins out there and the occasional crust of bread.

Now that it has been a few months in, I can see trends.  There are two new species that I've never seen before let alone seen in my garden.  At some point I'll count up the annual list and see what we've got.  One sitting saw fifteen separate species of bird visit our garden. 

Great spotted woodpecker - female

I'm making a note of them in a spare annual diary that I had left over from work. I write down what I've seen each day.  When a new species shows up for the first time, I highlight it in yellow.   I also note when the red squirrels visit.  They are not birds, but they are rare little beasts and deserve mention.

pheasant family - regular visitors

I'm still waiting for swallows in the garden.  I've seen them for a few weeks in other parts of Dumfries & Galloway but not HERE.  I am also waiting for thrushes.  We usually get them in the summer, hopping across the lawn.  I expect the swallows and thrushes any day now.

female pheasant trying to get the suet balls

This is really fun.