Long-tailed Tits

I've just had a wonderful encounter coming out of my store-shed - a Long-tailed Tit flew in making lots of noise, and landed on the door jamb.  I stood motionless, watching it - absolutely amazed I should be only inches away.  Then, it flitted from the door frame onto my arm - just above the elbow (I can feel the sensation of it landing and its claws gripping my shirt as I write this - like a little kiss!).

Divine.

Long-tailed Tit painting by Finch Arts

A bird has never landed on me like that before - I wonder if it is nesting in the shed and was trying to see me off!

Pied Wagtails

For those who have read my blog for a while, you'll know that I love these little birds.  Each year a pair of Pied Wagtails have nested at my workshop and raised successful broods.  Their first job seems to be a thorough clean-up of old nests and possible nest sites, and then bring in fresh material.  They are quite messy with this, and drop bits of hay, feathers, moss and dried grass, so I know just where they have been.  They seem to know I am watching them though, and try to keep their chosen spot a secret and don't generally go to it until I look away, or carry on with what I am doing.

Last week a pair returned, flitting and chirping and home making, which made me very glad.

So often bird movement is highly localised, so I was wondering if you  have any birds beginning their nesting, and if you have a favourite visitor?

Big Garden Birdwatch

Yesterday I took an hour out to sit and watch the birds as part of the Big Garden Birdwatch.  The birds I saw were

Blackbird at the feeder - keeping an eye out for the competition

Blackbird

Dunnock

Robin

Blue-tit

Long-tailed-tit

Cole-tit

Great-tit

Willow-tit (or might have been Marsh-tit - I find it difficult to tell the difference)

Jay

Pheasant

Bullfinch

Chaffinch

Greater Spotted Woodpecker

A Blue-tit waits its turn at the feeder

A very enjoyable time, apart from the sleet and wind.  It is interesting to see the results of everyone's bird counts that are collected by the RSPB and the difference in data over years.  Some bird species seem to be declining, while others are growing in number and they are keen to find out the reasons why.

A pair of Bullfinch make a fleeting visit

It is anyway a wonderful excuse to be quiet and watch wildlife in the garden (in my case at my worksheds) and learn more about each bird's habits and character.  I was thrilled to see the Bullfinch - a pair flew in and landed on the dock stems and pecked at the seed sprigs - but the bird which I enjoyed watching most was the Dunnock.  Rather secretive and well camouflaged, it bobbed and flitted about feeding and hiding in the branches or hopping on the ground, skittish on its thin pinky/orange legs.

Dunnock perching unusually close

It also surprises me how much energy some birds expend on defending their spot - there are lots of spats around the feeders and on the bird table - the Robins are very argumentative and feathers do fly in the squabbles.  Blackbirds too, who stand guard over their meal, swooping in on other Blackbirds, who dash off full and loud  alarm calling their frustration.

Long-tailed tits at the feeders

Thankyou all you birds for visiting my garden and being so lovely to watch!

Bird companions

My feeders have been busy all day with birds - Blue-tits, Great-tits, Dunnocks, Chaffinch, Robins, Cole-tits, Blackbirds, Woodpecker and a gang of Long-Tailed-tits came by, and noisily took over for half an hour or so.  Alarm call shrieks made me stick my head out of the workshop, to see a Sparrow Hawk swoop past in determined flight.  All was quiet for a while.

Robin visiting the bird table - watches me all the time and follows me around

I cleared snow over an area of grass for the geese - it is some days since they grazed, and they eagerly followed my raking.  Very soon a Redwing came down and started foraging on the cleared grass, it pulled up a worm.  My stoat also made an appearance, and bounded in the snow, pushing something ahead of it, nosing it around as if in play.  It disappeared before I could see what it was. 

Treecreeper scampering up the trunk and probing in the bark for insects

The Redwing appeared again and sat in the old Sycamore tree.  While looking at it, I caught sight of a Treecreeper, racing up the bark, pulling and dabbing its beak into every crevice on the way.  What beautiful birds, so tiny - I hoped it was finding food.

It made me wonder what I could do for my bird visitors that are not nut or seed eaters, those who prefer insects, grubs or worms.  Must look into it.

The workshop wren came onto my workbench and I stood very still, it flew down and walked across my boots!  The Robins too are coming very close.

What lovely companions.

Feeding Birds in cold weather

In this bitter cold and wintery weather I feel so much for my birds - a little wren is complaining like mad in the workshop - it has made a roost with moss, straw and goose feathers in the corner of a shelf in the shed where I work, and doesn't want the noise of me chiseling and moving stone around, and doesn't want to go out either!  Other birds follow me waiting for fresh seed and nuts - they really need their water too and happily stand in the birdbath, even when bathed - must be warmer than the snow and ice for their little feet.  When snow is on the ground and frozen, foraging becomes difficult for small birds and unless they get food they just don't survive the winter.

New bird feeders ready to hang

Today I thought I would help them along, and make a special winter treat to ensure they were filled up with plenty energy for the long, cold night.  Smelling lardy, but worth it.

Treat for my garden birds - winter recipe bird food

I've mixed up seeds, peanuts, berries, dried mealworms, breadcrumbs and grated cheese with lard and squidged it all together and then spooned it into coconut halves.  I attached some string hangers and suspended them from branches near the nut feeders.

 Blue-tit at the feeder

Almost immediately the birds were feeding from them - the Blue-tits seem to boss the feeders here - so I put some on the bird table too, so everyone had a chance to get some. 

What sort of mix do you put out for your birds in Winter - do they have a favourite food?

A robin visits the bird table hungry for a meal