Went birding last week.

Not sure if this is the right area to put this, so sorry if it's not!!!

I love birding, and go out regularly with my dad, who is a nest finder, and licenced bird ringer. He is also licenced to ring some schedule 1 birds including Hobby, Dartford Warblers and Woodlark.

We went out early morning last Sunday, and had a great day! We found 7 nests- Robin, Dartford Warbler, Coal Tit, Great Tit, 2 Woodlark, and a Chiffchaff.

The Coal Tit nest wasn't accessible, and neither was the Great Tit, as it had nested into a sandy cliff like face in the woods. We did however ring 1 nest of 4 Woodlark (the other bird was still sitting on eggs, so dad will go back later to ring those.) We ringed a nest of 5 Chiffchaffs, that were absolutely tiny! And we also ringed 4 Robin chicks, and 4 Dartford Warbler chicks.

Sorry, I'm not allowed to post photos of the Dartford Warbler, and Woodlark chicks, but I can post ones of the Robin and Chiffchaffs.

Here are the Robins in their nest, and my dad ringing one of the chicks.




And here is one of the Chiffchaff chicks. They were so tiny!

Beautiful!

Glad you had a good day! I used to love bird watching, but there isn't really anywhere close by where I can do it now.

I love watching birds in the garden too, I could sit for hours watching them. I guess we're lucky to live out in the sticks. xxx

I'd be to scared of breaking them.

They're quite rubbery lol!

We do have a decent selection of birds in the garden, which is nice! Over the years, we've had Wood Pigeons, Collared Doves, Crows, Jays, Magpies, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, Long-tailed Tits, Tree Creepers, Chaffinches, Starlings, Wrens, Blackbirds, Song Thrushes, Robins, Dunnocks, House Sparrows, Pied Wagtails, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Bullfinches.

Haven't seen as many Jays or Wagtails in recent years though. The Starlings and Sparrows, thankfully, still seem reasonable in our area, but the decline's noticeable.

Sometimes get other birds flying over the area, but not in the garden; usually things like Buzzards, Sparrowhawks, Kestrels, the occasional Red Kite, Grey Herons, Swifts, Swallows, Green Woodpeckers, Lesser Spotted Woodpeckers, etc.. Also gulls, but most places get those - Black-Headed, Lesser Black-backed, Herrings.

Great list Eleanor! I see many of those birds too. There are Buzzards nesting in the woods near ours, and my dad has found a Buzzard nest too, they are doing really well, we see them a lot here. I have also seen a pair of Red Kites, which I got very excited about! I saw a Marsh Harrier too this morning when we were taking our daughter back to school after her dentist appointment. I had the wonderful experience of rearing a young starving Swift back to health last year, as well as 4 baby House Martins. They were all released back to the wild, and it felt lovely to see them go, but I cried my eyes out!

Sounds like the birds owe you a lot of gratitude!

What's your stance on Bird Watchers versus Dog Walkers, by the way? Recently, there have been huge conflicts between the two, as people allow their dogs to plough through and destroy the habitats.

Don't get me started lol! I have no problem with people walking their dogs out in the countryside, but what pees me right off is that loads of them just ignore the signs to keep dogs on a lead between May and September because of the ground nesting birds. It gets me so angry to see dogs in hunting mode off lead right near where you know there is a Woodlark or Skylark nest! Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!! Off to work now! xxx

That's the attitude that lets dogs walkers down. People think they have a right to let their dogs wander wherever they please and that it's more important than our wildlife. Dogs can go pretty much wherever their owners take them and, at the end of the day, can go home and eat/sleep. The birds have to nest, roost and find their food in their habitat - they don't have a house to live in - so when owners let dogs trample all over nests and food sources, the birds' homes are essentially destroyed! It drives me mad!

Demps goes down to a lake sometimes for long walks in the summer. There's a sign up to let dog walkers know that dogs must be leashed at all times when there are sheep around. We've always kept away from that area when the sheep are there for that reason, but I can guarantee there will still be people who disregard it.

Aww they are so tiny   

It drives me mad, I don't know how my dad stays so calm! I just boil up inside and want to scream at them!!! He did go over to a lady with 2 Springers off lead all over the place through the middle of the heath near a live Woodlark nest, and reminded her that they were supposed to be on leads. I don't know if it's ignorance, or the fact that some people don't care! I said to dad they should get the authorities over there to hand out fines to owners with off lead dogs, and to people who don't pick up their dog mess, they'd make loads of money that could go towards helping wildlife and their habitat!

Loving this birdy thread!

I made a list once of birds that I saw either in my garden or along the small river that runs behind it. As well as the usual suspects it included goldcrests, a white egret, goldfinches, siskins and once a kingfisher perched briefly on my washing line! Also once, a brown (presumably female) bird of prey perched on my fence and didn't seem inclined to go away - I brought out some scraps of bacon for it which it took out of my hand and "mantled" over, so I'm guessing it was a tame one.

BTW Amber, although it is very rare to find a dead bird these days due to the huge fox population, when I was a child in North Essex I did find a dead bird with a ring on it (I can't even remember what sort of bird it was). I knew the ring should have been sent somewhere but I didn't know where then and I don't know now! I bet you do though.

Amber wrote:It drives me mad, I don't know how my dad stays so calm!  I just boil up inside and want to scream at them!!!  He did go over to a lady with 2 Springers off lead all over the place through the middle of the heath near a live Woodlark nest, and reminded her that they were supposed to be on leads.  I don't know if it's ignorance, or the fact that some people don't care!  I said to dad they should get the authorities over there to hand out fines to owners with off lead dogs, and to people who don't pick up their dog mess, they'd make loads of money that could go towards helping wildlife and their habitat!

Good for him! And yes, I think that's a good idea. Or give them the choice between a hefty fine and community service to repair and replenish the habitats.

LyndaW wrote:Loving this birdy thread!  

I made a list once of birds that I saw either in my garden or along the small river that runs behind it.  As well as the usual suspects it included goldcrests, a white egret, goldfinches, siskins and once a kingfisher perched briefly on my washing line!  Also once, a brown (presumably female) bird of prey perched on my fence and didn't seem inclined to go away - I brought out some scraps of bacon for it which it took out of my hand and "mantled" over, so I'm guessing it was a tame one.  

BTW Amber, although it is very rare to find a dead bird these days due to the huge fox population,  when I was a child in North Essex I did find a dead bird with a ring on it (I can't even remember what sort of bird it was).  I knew the ring should have been sent somewhere but I didn't know where then and I don't know now!  I bet you do though.

Sounds like you've had some lovely variety!

I love hearing about everyone's birdy visitors! Thank you. Lynda, yes it really helps the BTO when people report a bird found with a ring on. There are 2 bird ringers in my village, so when I found a dead Greenfinch and a dead Blackbird with rings (both RTA victims) I just wrote down the letters and numbers and went directly to one of the ringers I know, and found out from his records that he had ringed both of them. My brother recently found a dead male Sparrowhawk on the side of the road, and it had been ringed in the village years before in the village it was found! You can report them here though, using this link- http://blx1.bto.org/euring/lang/pages/rings.jsp?country=EN

I love hearing about them as well Amazing, how many birds you can spot so close to home!

That's good to know, Amber, thanks! Will keep an eye out for rings in the future!

We heard a Nightingale singing when we went out too, absolutely beautiful song! It amazes me how much you see if you just sit still and watch!

Shame - we don't get Nightingales around here!

Update on our wren nest, by the way - the eggs have hatched and she's been busy this morning, clearing away the shells and poo!

Awww that's great news!!! The babies must be so tiny! She'll probably brood them for a few days while they're still so tiny, so they don't chill. Dad rang me and said he found a yellowhammer nest today, and one chick had fallen out of the nest, and he thought it was dead until he saw it's little foot move! He warmed it up in his hands, and then it moved more, so he popped it back into the nest between the other 2. He said the rain had made the nest flop at the front, so he wedged a bit of grass under the front. He will check in a couple of days to see if the lil one makes it.

Thank you for the link Amber, I have saved it in a safe place - just in case.

You're welcome, you will need to click on the open ring section, they only tend to use open rings on most birds. xxx

Amber wrote:Awww that's great news!!!  The babies must be so tiny!  She'll probably brood them for a few days while they're still so tiny, so they don't chill.  Dad rang me and said he found a yellowhammer nest today, and one chick had fallen out of the nest, and he thought it was dead until he saw it's little foot move!  He warmed it up in his hands, and then it moved more, so he popped it back into the nest between the other 2.  He said the rain had made the nest flop at the front, so he wedged a bit of grass under the front.  He will check in a couple of days to see if the lil one makes it.

They have very tiny voices at the moment! If the wren nests from previous years are anything to go by though, they'll soon start to find their lungs! At the moment, the mother is flitting backwards and forwards for food, then disappearing for longer whiles inside the nest to brood.

Hope the Yellowhammer makes it! Lovely little birds!

Awww, Wrens definitely make up for their tiny size with their big voices!!!

I was listening to them yesterday! Noisy little things!

Had the pleasure of seeing one of them as it poked its scruffy little head out of the nest, as well!

Awww bless them!