What birds visit your garden?

Beef

This has probably been done before but what the hell! I live in the middle of a town and get the following on a near daily basis...

Great Tit
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Robin (never leaves!)
Chaffinch
House Sparrow
Pair of Blackbirds
Dunnock

I think that's it. Nothing rare or exciting!

myjugsarehuge

I'm lucky enough to live in a very rural area, I love birdwatching, have done for years. Apart from all the usual plethera of garden birds I get loads of Jackdaws, a few Hoodied Crows and Rooks and 2 or 3 pied wagtails on a daily basis.

Occasionally I get Snipe, Meadow Pipits, Reed Bunting, Linnets, Grey wagtails and Raven (once one was in the chicken pen). In the summer there are Grasshopper warblers in the marshy area over the road but I never saw one in the garden sadly.

No sign of starlings this year and no collared doves, I don't think they've got as far as me yet?

littlebug

on a daily basis I have goldfinches,greenfinches, siskins, house sparrows, chaffinches, a couple of blue tits, an occasional great tit, a robin (when I scatter some mealy worms around), 3 or four wagtails, a couple of blackbirds, occasional starlings and very occasional meadow pipet, mistle thrush and songthrush. Oh and a pair of jackdaws that have taken over the suet feeder thing.

John Mason

Golfinch, chaffinch, blue tits, great tits, robins, magpies, siskens, trush, sparrows, ravens, a beautiful blackbird

and i had a beautiful pair of wood doves until that stupid blood cat got one of them and i havent seen the other one around

i am so mad:mad:

tricky D

Resident in the garden:
Robin (very territorial especially at dawn and dusk)
Blackbird pair (quite a difference between sexes)
Possibly a Wren nesting in a rock pile, only spotted once

House Martins should be back in a month or two

Goldfinches (10 this morning)
Greenfinches
The odd Chaffinch
Song Thrush
Blue Tits
Great Tits
Long-tailed Tits
Starlings
Magpies
Dunnock

All sorts of seagulls hang out on the roof - don't bother looking at them anymore

sorella

Add wrens to that mix; here all year and very friendly. And chaffinches.

Still very new here so learning who is here.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

pink fluffy bunny wrote: »

and i had a beautiful pair of wood doves until that stupid blood cat got one of them and i havent seen the other one around

The last Wood Doves I saw were in Malawi, Africa. Do you mean Collared Doves, or was the cat a Leopard?

gerky

Blue Tit
Bullfinch(not too often)
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Robin
Siskin
Dunnock
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Blackbird
Blackcap(not too often)
Greenfinch
Grey Wagtail(not too often)
House Sparrow
House Martin(every year)
Magpie
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Starling
Swallow(every year)
Treecreeper
Wren
Wood Pigeon


I think that's them all(not all technically garden birds) although we do get Grey Heron,Buzzards,Kestrel and Sparrowhawk in the immediate area but not usually in the garden.

Hammiepeters

With a varied mix like that; you'd be surprised how often mr Sparrowhawk comes calling. It's always very fast. Flys with the walls and hedges as cover then swoops to make a kill and is gone.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

I'll not list them all but the all time Garden Count at the moment stands at 56 species. The weekly counts average 17.

I hope you all take part in the Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey (Winter months) or the BTO ongoing survey.

Beef

Kole Better Garter wrote: »

I'll not list them all but the all time Garden Count at the moment stands at 56 species. The weekly counts average 17.

I hope you all take part in the Birdwatch Ireland Garden Bird Survey (Winter months) or the BTO ongoing survey.

Tell me more...?

Beef

gerky wrote: »

Blue Tit
Bullfinch(not too often)
Chaffinch
Chiffchaff
Coal Tit
Robin
Siskin
Dunnock
Goldfinch
Great Tit
Blackbird
Blackcap(not too often)
Greenfinch
Grey Wagtail(not too often)
House Sparrow
House Martin(every year)
Magpie
Pied Wagtail
Song Thrush
Mistle Thrush
Starling
Swallow(every year)
Treecreeper
Wren
Wood Pigeon


I think that's them all(not all technically garden birds) although we do get Grey Heron,Buzzards,Kestrel and Sparrowhawk in the immediate area but not usually in the garden.

Good jaysis Gerky tis like a Bill Oddie wet dream...

littlebug

Beef wrote: »

Tell me more...?

http://www.birdwatchireland.ie/

Click on online surveys, register and you can record the vistors to your garden on a weekly basis.

stevensi

Despite living in Dublin 8 which is pretty urban I am lucky enough to have a park with a river outside my apartment window so i have been observing lots of species. I actually have a little list i keep (anal i know) but i don't care i enjoy it. Over the last 12 months I've had the following

Blue, Great, Long tailed and Coal tits
Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch,Siskin Linnet and Redpoll
Chiffchaff (only seen Once), BlackCaps, Goldcrest
Blackbird, Song and Mistle Thrush, Redwing and Fieldfare
Pied and Grey Wagtail
Wren, Robin, Dunnock
Grey Heron, Mallard
Black Headed, LBB, Herring and Common Gull,
Hooded Crow, Jackdaw, Rook and Magpie
House Sparrows and Starlings
Sparrowhawk
Waxwings
And in the Summer flying over
Swallow, Sand Martin and Swifts.
Oh and last Summer there was an escaped parrot ...very exotic for the area

It's amazing what you can see when you give a little time to observe what's about the place even in the city!

Amalgam

Siskin (multiple, fight over Niger seed feeder)
Robin (x2, very territorial)
Bullfinch (two pairs, male and female, very lively)
Blue, Great, Long tailed and Coal tits
Blackcap (very aggressive towards the tits, will squat a feeder and screech at any trying to feed)
Magpie
Wood Pigeon (4x loiter at end of garden trees now, 10x plus depending on food)
Dunnock
Wren
Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch
Blackbird, Song and Mistle Thrush
Starlings
House Sparrows
Collared Dove

---

Never had a wagtail, ever, which I miss.
This is the first year seeing a Jackdaw feeding from suspended feeders.
Long tailed tits arrive in a 'mob', record was 9 hanging from one suet ball, you couldn't see the food because of the birds.
Starlings feeding from suspended feeders. Rare for us.

Does the Siskin feed in pairs, would the female be less coloured than the male? We seem to have pairs feeding at the Niger seed.

I'm partial to the Dunnock, quite tame. Our tits are bold as brass, they won't budge when you go out to replenish food.

I put a mesh to prevent larger Wood Pigeons from getting at the food, leaving just enough room for smaller birds. I came back that afternoon to find a Collared Dove wedged in like a maggot, gulping down everything in sight, it could get in flat, sideways, funny bird, it could get out fine, very very persistant.

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Yes, that's the link to the Birdwatch Ireland one which ends soon. The BTO do one all year round

http://www.bto.org/gbw/index.htm

I was lucky enough to start it many years ago and do so for free. I think there may be a start up subscription now but the web site should explain all.

The contirbution from thousands of people watching birds in their gardens adds up to very important scientific data. Well worth doing.

gerky

Hammiepeters wrote: »

With a varied mix like that; you'd be surprised how often mr Sparrowhawk comes calling. It's always very fast. Flys with the walls and hedges as cover then swoops to make a kill and is gone.

Yea, they do be around, I actually had a very close encounter with a male last year, he was after being attacked by a large group of starling and swallow so he took cover under a bush about 3-4 feet away from me, he stayed for several minutes.
But I don't envy any raptors trying to eat in this area as the other birds don't take kindly to it:)

Beef wrote:

Good jaysis Gerky tis like a Bill Oddie wet dream...

That would explain the small bearded fella in the corner alright:D

John Mason

Kole Better Garter wrote: »

The last Wood Doves I saw were in Malawi, Africa. Do you mean Collared Doves, or was the cat a Leopard?

LOL - sorry wood pigeons

RuthyB

Hey, I've never posted here before, but my Mum has a wonderful garden that attratcs all sorts. We have

• Blackbirds (I think 2 pairs, or else one pair and a lone male)
• Robins (pair)
• Wren(pair)
• Bluetits
• Great Tits
• Linnets
• Goldfinches
• Chaffinches
• House Sparrows
• Tree Sparrows
• Coal Tits
• Starlings
• Collared Doves
• Wood Pigeons
• Magpies
• Grey Heron (Seen once standing in our pond a few months back)
• Bullfinches (rarely)
• Siskins
• Song Thrush
• Green Finches

Its great to see them all hovering around the feeder and hopping in and out of Mums flowerbeds

Run_to_da_hills

Magpies.

Linguo

loads of little chaps but always a big fat wood pigeon I call Alan, he's very tame!!!:D

Amalgam

Linguo wrote: »

loads of little chaps but always a big fat wood pigeon I call Alan, he's very tame!!!:D

I haven't been very creative, our tame one is called.. 'Woodsy'.

Collie D

Live in an apartment but we recently got a visit from a robin on our balcony. Was the day with all the snow so looked like something from a Xmas card. Put some food out for him and he was coming back a couple of times a day. Haven't seen him in a while but then again I've barely been at home during the day since. Little bugger doesn't hang around long enough to take a photo though.

murphysgirl

during the winter we had mostly three magpies and a couple of crows.

late spring and our two robins came back, fighting as ever.

plus we've now three tits jumping and sparring around.

my garden is enclosed, not very big, I've put out some bird feed in a feeder and a nest from B&B in the hedge near the wall and away from the neighbours cat. all in the faint hope some passing dot will actually find my garden good enough to bring up his young in.

living i hope

Sundew

I also have got quite a few birds to visit my 4th floor balcony in Dublin City to feed. Here are some of my regulars Whilst i can see blackbirds from the balcony none have actually landed the biggest coup I had was getting a pair of collared doves to nest successfully last summer on my window box. They reared 2 chicks during that miserable few weeks of non-stop rain!

1. Bluetit
2. Greattits
3. Coaltit
4. Robin
5. Starlings
6. A pair of Collared Doves
7. Sparrow Hawk
8. Seagulls
9. chaffinch
10. Greenfinch
11. Sparrow
12. Siskin

Here is a link to a thread on my collared doves last year. I'm hoping that they will nest again this year.
http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about1654.html

Judgement Day

Here in 'sunny' DG I have the misfortune to live in a town centre apartment and the variety of birds is very, very limited.

1. Feral Pigeons.
2. Starlings.
3. Blue Tits.
4. Great Tits.
5. Feral Pigeons.
6. Jackdaws.
7. Feral Pigeons.
8. Grey Wagtails.
9. Pied Wagtails.
10. Wood Pigeon.
11. Did I mention Feral Pigeons!

Anyway I recently bought a cap gun for the pigeons (used from my kitchen window) but after initial success they now treat me with contempt and clearly my arsenal needs a re-think.

murphysgirl

its wonderful, you can tell spring is coming, the birds are singing loudly in the mornings again or maybe it just that sunrise is starting to come when I'm at home and not when I'm at work that i notice them more, hmmmm.

Gaspode

Here in D15 I'm very lucky to have a large amount of wildlife visiting, or living in my garden including the following birds:

Blackbird
Crows/Jackdaws/Ravens (whatever you want to call 'em!)
Woodpigeon
Collared dove
House Martin (fascinating watching them zip across the garden and between the trees in hunting parties)
Swift (overhead, dont know where they nest, in the fields nearby I think)
Starling (a very new arrival - hope they dont drive out the smaller birds)
Coal Tit
Blue tit
Great Tit
Long-tailed Tit
Goldfinch
Greenfinch
Goldcrest
House Sparrow
Dunnock
Thrush
Robin
Wren
Barn Owl (nests nearby, and often sits on the tall trees at the end of our garden in the evening)
Magpie
Chaffinch
Kestrel - has appeared regularly, once even crashing into the kitchen window in its attempts to catch birds at a feeder)

Rainbowsend

The birds are very active at the moment and eating me out of house and home, constantly re-filling the feeders, non stop visitors from dawn to dusk are:-
Goldfinch
Greehfinch
Chaffinch
Sparrow
Dunnock
Blue Tit
Great Tit
Coal Tit
Long Tailed Tit
Siskins
Robin
Collared Dove
Wood Pidgeon
Jackdaw
Robin
Wren
Wagtail
Rook
Black Birds
Thrush
Buzzard (not on the feeder :eek:)
The odd Swan, Heron, Duck, Kestrel, Owl have been known to fly over also.

BogBean

Lads
The Siskins make most peoples lists. I am not too familiar with this bird, we dont get them really where I am from. Are they widespread in Dublin, in the city parks etc? From these posts they would appear to be something along the lines of garden birds. What about the rest of the country, are they everywhere or are am I doing something wrong?

Amalgam

BogBean, have you tried putting out Niger Seed for them, that will get them in.

Rainbowsend

Bogbean....they are of the finch family a little smaller than a goldfinch and skinny little things, yellow in colour the male has a black head, I had never noticed them before until this year and now they are there all the time I have about five of them, agressive in nature will fight off a larger greenfinch to get to the feeder, seem to only go for the peanuts. Maybe their numbers are growing or maybe when they find food they will stay there. I got really excited when I first saw them great to see something different, now they are there all the time - not so exciting

hannahbanana

Hi I am feeding house sparrows at the moment. Also one robin and numerous crows, magpies, seagulls etc

hannahbanana

oh how could I forget our Snowy Owl.......... not in my garden but close by. Also last year we had a corncrake in field opposite my house

Connacht

Hannah,
I'd be a little concerned that your Snowy Owl might be the one that was found injured and died in Foxford at the start of the year.
See here http://www.irishbirding.com/birds/web?task=Display&sighting_id=7692

sparklepants

South Co. Cork:

• Pied wagtails
• Robins
• Jackdaws - wonderful to watch gangs of them try to figure out ways of dislodging the bird feeder
• Rooks- who appear to observe the antics of the jackdaws
• Magpies
• Sparrows- far fewer than in previous years
• Wrens
• Robins
• Blackbirds
• Song thrushes
• Starlings
• Blue tits
• Great tits
• Housemartins - they build a nest under the apex of the roof every year and are due to return next month
• Common gulls - they retreat from nearby harbour and circle overhead whenever it's about to rain

hannahbanana

I hope not Connaght but our Snowy has not been spotted lately:(

cubix

Any one place that is reasonable for buying feed here in Dublin. Seen pleanty of deals on ebay but due to shipping its not worth it in the long run. Local pet store is doing a 25Kg of mixed seed at the moment for €19. Used it before and would have alot of husk type seeds. They also do a 25Kg bag of peanuts for €40. Birds never seemed to bother much when I put them in a feeder but seem to like them when I run them through the blender.
Whats the best anyones got on buying niger/sunflower seeds in bulk

Rainbowsend

I find B & Q very competitive on their prices especially if you are buying the bigger bags. Even the likes of Aldi or Lidl when they have them would be very keenly priced I bought a 25kg bag of mixed seeds in Aldi for 16 euro and a bucket of peanuts 10kg for 10euro. Though they dont have them all the time I would buy a couple of each when they do have them.

cubix

IF those prices are right you wont beat Aldi, especially for peanuts. I think the lad made a mistake but I managed to pick up a 25kg bag of nyjer for €35 in one of the bigger pet stores in Santry.

Sundew

Have a pair of collared doves nesting on my balcony at the moment.
They started building Saturday morning in my flower basket just as I was heading West!
Came back last night and spotted one egg in the nest this morning.
This is their second year to nest on the balcony. They successfully reared 2 chicks during the dreadful Summer last year.
They have been smart this year and have managed to use one of my flowers boxes as roofing. Will post a photo shortly.
Heres a link to a thread on last years successful nest

http://www.gardenplansireland.com/forum/about1654.html

roweeeeena

We have robins, blackbirds, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, collared doves, wood pigeons, a dunnock/wren (couldn't tell!), starlings, occasional great tailed tits, magpies, jackdaws, hooded crows, occasional black headed gull, and occasional goldfinch. Nothing out of the ordinary unfortunately!

What is this one? It's a juvenile I think so I'm getting confused.

stevensi

Hi there,

That is a lovely picture of a Greenfinch!

Regards

Ruu_Old

I live in central Illinois so we get plenty of cardinals. When it gets a little warmer I hope to make the yard a bit more appealing to the wee fellahs.

roweeeeena

Thanks Stevensi, I knew he was a finch of some sort, guess it should have been pretty obvious but I thought he'd be more green, probably because he's young (I think).
He's never been back since anyway, I give every bird that enters the garden a visual third degree with a binoculars!!!

lookjohn

Hi There, Swallows come to our garden every year to nest in our garden shed. This year I set up a webcam and am currently capturing the activities. So far 4 eggs have been laid and I expect the eggs to hatch this week. to view the live webcam day or night visit this link Swallows Nest

Judgement Day

Thanks for that. Very interesting - I thought the Swallow was dead there for a while then it moved slightly. I suppose incubating eggs doesn't call for a lot of flapping about. Should get more lively when the eggs hatch.

Anouilh

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