Brian's birding blog: The Garden

The garden is where I do most of my birding these days and of late I've managed to capture a few images of the birds visiting. On any given day I get around twenty species visit the garden with a total species list of just 66 since I've been living here.

House Sparrow nest on the side of the house in a box provided and under the odd lose tile etc. They usually start the year at six pairs and by the end of the year total over sixty birds before they disperse in winter ready for next years breeding. At no time do you look out into the garden and not see House Sparrows.

Male House Sparrow

Juvenile House Sparrow

Starlings visit but aren't so regular but when they do it's usually in big numbers. Last night around forty dropped in to feed all over the grass before a pre-roost murmuration above the garden of around three hundred birds. Like the Sparrows numbers build as juveniles emerge and they're without doubt the noisiest visitors due to numbers and the begging of the young birds.

Starling in the Honey locust tree

Blue Tit and Great Tit breed in the garden

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robins breed at the bottom of the garden and are ever present with juveniles present every year too.

Robin

Woodpigeon feed in the garden and nest not far from the house as do Collared Dove. Feral Pigeons visit the garden but thankfully only in small numbers feeding on grain spilt from the feeders.

Blackbirds visit all year and have just fledged three youngsters, great to see five birds running around on the grass this morning.

One of the fresh young Blackbirds this morning (I'll try again in better light)

Goldfinch are visiting often, mostly for the sunflower hearts I provide. I currently have a pair with six juveniles visiting daily. They also feed in the Honey Locust tree where they enjoy eating the small leaves. I occasionally see Greenfinch but not as often as I did a while back.

Goldfinch

Juvenile Goldfinch

Magpies still nest in a fir tree two doors down so call my garden territory and chase away the Crows that visit from time to time. The Crows nest in a large Oak behind my neighbours house. Jackdaw visit daily too but again get short tolerance from the Magpies.

Magpie guarding the nest

Jackdaw

A pair of Dunnock nest in the hedge a couple of doors away and feed in my borders most days.

Lesser Black-backed Gull and Herring Gull are constant overhead and do occasionally land or sit calling from the chimney.

Parakeets visit morning and evening but we don't see many during the rest of the day. They do bring young in so probably breed reasonably close. Epping Forest is a few hundred metres from the house.