Bird watching

[Onelife]

If it was roadkill it could have been anything.

Hi Foxy, I know it was duck, because I ate the whole duck, including its webbed feet.

[Onelife]

It's amazing what these roadside greasy spoons can serve up nowadays.!!!

Hi John, when I was a kid, I used to love greasy spoon restaurants, we used to stop at one on our way back from Weston-Super-Mare, and even though it is some 60 years + ago I can still see (minds eye) the converted coach parked up in its layby…lovely memories.

[Onelife]

It always amazes me how the distribution of birds has changed over time. I was brought up on Tyneside and never saw a magpie for many years. Now they are two a penny. We have quite a few blue tits, fewer coal tits and a fair few goldfinches. Not too long ago goldfinches were far more scarce than bull finches but they seem to have swapped places.
Gulls were usually only seen near coastal areas but since the ‘80s are everywhere. I guess it’s all down to predators and food supply.
I know there have species introductions over the years. Travelling to Soton you get to Northampton & red kites are quite common. They tried introducing them further north but they haven’t been as successful.
Common sparrow numbers seem to have dropped around here quite a bit in recent years as have thrushes. Robins, which were rare are common in our area.
Don’t start me on pigeons! We have a neighbour who feeds the flippin’ things every day ( the rats are quite partial to pigeon food too.
Still she’s doing her bit for environmental diversity.

Hi Ranchi, as you say, the diversity of birds across different parts of the country is quite interesting. When I lived in Redditch, Magpies were everywhere and it wasn’t unusual to see quite a few Jays. Here in Shropshire, I can count on one hand how many magpies I’ve seen, as for Jays, I haven’t seen one in 6 years of living here. We do get quite a lot of Buzzards flying overhead, we also get lots of sightings of Spotted Wood Peckers amongst several other more common little birds.
As for our Robins…they have fledged.

[oldbluefox]

If it was roadkill it could have been anything.

Hi Foxy, I know it was duck, because I ate the whole duck, including its webbed feet.

Even the bill?

[oldbluefox]

We used to get loads of birds and red squirrels in the garden. Over the years a large estate has been built which has destroyed many of the hedgerows where they used to nest and now we get very few.
However at the moment we have sparrows and blue tits in the nest boxes,the usual wood pigeons and collared doves, blackbirds and a couple of beautiful thrushes come to feed, And of course whenever we are out gardening the robin is never far away, Not seen the wren for a little while.

[Onelife]

If it was roadkill it could have been anything.

Hi Foxy, I know it was duck, because I ate the whole duck, including its webbed feet.

Even the bill?

I left that for my wife as I’ve always found them difficult to swallow

[Ray B]

Ah, the greasy spoons of yesteryear, blobs of grease floating around the tea cup, they were the days.

[Ray B]

Have the bird numbers gone down or are they all in the countryside. I say this because earlier this year the last feeder I filled at home in the city remains untouched, whereas, at our place by the coast the feeders are gradually attracting more and more visitors . I even had to nip to the farm shop for some mealy worms as the Robin was turning his beak up at what was on offer.

[Stephen]

Probably too cold and windy for them to venture out.

[Ray B]

Good point Stephen, I have noticed quite a few blue tits here at the coast.

[Onelife]

Have the bird numbers gone down or are they all in the countryside. I say this because earlier this year the last feeder I filled at home in the city remains untouched, whereas, at our place by the coast the feeders are gradually attracting more and more visitors . I even had to nip to the farm shop for some mealy worms as the Robin was turning his beak up at what was on offer.

If there is a decline in birdy dwellers then it normally has something to do with lack of food or them falling prey to something that eats them e.g. Peregrines, Sparrow hawks, cats etc. The lack of food could be a contributing factor with many people struggling to feed their families let alone feeding the birds?

[Stephen]

Plenty of bird food in our garden. Fat balls, Niger seeds and sun flower hearts.

As for Monty our cat, he spends all his time sleeping these days.

[Onelife]

Plenty of bird food in our garden. Fat balls, Niger seeds and sun flower hearts.

As for Monty our cat, he spends all his time sleeping these days.

Same here Stephen…as for cats, our dog eats them

[Stephen]

Monty eats dogs. So I’d keep your mutt up there.

[Ray B]

Plenty of bird food in our garden. Fat balls, Niger seeds and sun flower hearts.

As for Monty our cat, he spends all his time sleeping these days.

Same here Stephen…as for cats, our dog eats them

What a lovely dog you have,if he/she wants a holiday around my garden send it over.