The Lincolnshire Bird Club

May 7th - May 14th:

7th, 9th, 11th saw a Coal Tit.

On the 12th saw two juv Blackies and one juv Robin close to kitchen window.

Yesterday watched the male Blackbird [not seen the female all week] feeding the two juvs, spotted the adult Robin with the juv near the ground bird table. Had a Great Tit and Blue Tit on the nut feeders. Late afternoon spotted a Song Thrush perched in the Rowan.

While sat in lounge spotted an odd looking bird for a few seconds as it passed the front window under cover of the trees, it had scythe/swept back wings and was the size of a Collared Dove and Wood Pigeon!

This dinner time took a few pics and video of the juv Blackies in the back garden.

Noticed earlier in week some of the Chaffinch had returned.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

May 16th:

Having been more or less confined to the house these past twelve days due to illness I have been obsering more. What a lovely sight I had while sat in the lounge looking towards the front window a juv Great Tit appeared and perched on the buddleah, then another came and this was followed by one of the adults, I got my camcorder and camera out and started snapping them! Then they all flew towards the dining room window, so followed them and perched myself on a chair looking for them, I spotted five juvs in the holly and then another landed next to them, so 6 in total plus the two adults feeding them frantically! WOW fantastic, never had 6 juvs in the garden at same time, if I remember correctly had 4 or 5. They stayed on the holly about ten minutes then flew back to the buddleah, and I went with them . Managed to get some video of them plus one of the adults feeding some of them and snapped a few pics as well, waht a fantastic day it certainly made me a feel a little better

Also during the day had two adult Blue Tit looking for food, one of the Coal Tits on the nuts and black sunflower feeders, a juv and adult Robin, the two juv Blackies and the male feeding them, an adult Dunnock, plus the usual gang including a few Chaffinch have returned, but not seen any juvs among them.

May 17th:

At midday on the niger feeder seen the first of this years juv Goldfinch, oddly I'd only been chatting to my mate the day before that I'd not seen any.

May 18th: 0700

Woke early for me and while looking out the side window onto the drive spotted two juv Goldfinch on the coal bunker, which then flew to the niger feeder.

Up to seeing the juvs especially the six Great Tits I was having a terrible week healthwise, but seeing these little fellows gave me a massive boost if only for a day!

Kind regards

John

PS; just remembered on the 13th had a Song Thrush sat in the Rowan.

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

May 20th - June 5th away in Scotland [ report later]

Seen this week although most of my time has been spent on the bed recovering from the hols. Juv Goldfinches seen on the niger feeder, juv Dunnock, juv Robin, juv Starlings and Blackbirds. A Blackbird has built a new nest in the lilac outside kitchen window and has been sitting on most of the week. Not seen any butterflies.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Song thrush and two juveniles seen a few times this week and a new species in the garden - a Green woodpecker on our Blue cedar tree last Sunday. Often hear and see GWs in the paddock opposite the house but first time in the garden.

David

For the past ten days had five juv Blue Tits here, one day saw four of them having a wash with the other on the nut feeder. Yesterday saw four of them on the small nut feeder with the other joining the Goldfinch on the niger feeder. Also yesterday while in kitchen heard an almighty thump on window and went in lounge to check on ground and a adult Goldfinch was laying motionless but breathing, after twenty minutes it sat up. I went to the bck gate and thankfully when it saw me it flew off, with a bad headache I expect!

In the past I've had some odd and great sightings here but at the weekend I got the shock of my life. I was in the back garden putting tomato plants in when I heard a commotion overhead it was five gulls chasing one of it's mates who had a beakful of food, then I noticed a bird coming low over the garage and thinking it was one of the gulls, didn't take much notice. But as it approached the driveway noticed it had a downturned long bill, it was Curlew! Never saw it after that, so don't know if it had taken a wrong turning or what.

Two weeks ago spotted the Sprawk overhead but not seen it in the garden for months.

Also seen this past week are juv Blackies, Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Starlings, Collared Doves but oddly not seen any Greenfinches.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

In the first two weeks of July nothing much happened except the coming of quite a few juv Goldfinches and Blackbirds. Then on the 17th spotted a juv Song Thrush having a drink, seen it twice since the latest being Sunday this time having a swill.

On the 23rd while filling a feeder next to conifer spotted a fluffy juv Blackie sat on the cat's box, I bent down and said hello and it never moved, it was there at least thirty minutes with one of the adults playing hell . It had gone when I later looked through the bins. Never saw it again but this week seen the adult male feeding a single juv so maybe it was the one I saw.

On the 24th spotted the Sprawk come over, I hadn't seen it for ages.

Since the 26th had a juv Great Tit visit every day and also a juv Dunnock that is doing a good impression of a Wagtail. On the 28th had 100s of gulls [Black-head and Common] overhead catching the ants.

The last few days has seen an increase in the House Sparrows in front garden and a return of the Greenfinches, maybe because I started putting black sunflower seeds out again, rather than songbird mix. still getting plenty of juv Goldfinches but not seen any Chaffinches for months. The Magpie stopped coming which is a pity, it made me laugh with it's antics.

That's got my thread up to date.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Aug 10th & 12th:

On the 10th spotted the Coal Tit had returned after an absence of a month or so, and saw it again this morning each time on the nut feeders. On Wednesday also had two juv and two adult Blue Tits plus an adult and juv Great Tit flitting about in the lilac shrubs. Spotted a young House Spug being fed while on the buddleia in front garden, in total there were approx 18 House Spugs with it. Still plenty of juv Goldfinches along with the adults. Noticed two Chaffinch having a bath and drink these were the first I'd seen since the breeding season began.

Had four juv Blackbirds all week nearly reaching adulthood. The feral pigeons don't come much since I stopped scattering seed, I only put it in the feeders now. Still getting the doves and wood pigeons. Had next to no starlings for weeks and that is a surprise because the rowan berries are ripe, the blackies are eating them at present.

Looking out the window it's looking very much like rain and I've got a full line of washing out do I take it in or leave it, mmmmmmmmm decisions.

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Aug 13th spotted a Coal Tit on the nut feeder and later on the water butt spotted a sheild bug [took pics]. Aug 16th counted 23 Goldfinch on the niger feeder including a good number of juvs.

Aug 21st both myself and the neighbours were entertaned by a very low flying glider over the houses plus two more much higher, I fetched the bins and while watching one of the higher gliders spotted a Sprawk almost as high, so I was well pleased. I assume the gliders were from Kirton Lindsey. We all remarked that the low flying glider which kept going round and round was or seemed to be a bit on the low side, and if anything had unexpectedly happened where would it have put down.

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Aug 26th: On opening the back bedroom curtains was met by a ple of feathers under the niger feeder, by the look of it Collared Dove, later went to look and saw it's breast bone on the path clean as a whistle. I'd had a visit from the local Sprawk by the sound of it. Also found a dead juvenile which looked to be a Goldfinch behind some bushes, this must have been the cat's work.

One day last week [forgot to put the event in my diary] I spotted 3 Coal Tit in the lilac next to kitchen window in company with four Blue Tit and one Great Tit.

Sept 5th: Had a single Coal Tit inspecting an old Blackies nest in the favoured lilac, then two Blue Tits also had a look, I expect they were looking for insects. No shortage of Goldfinch, counted at least twenty either on or below the niger feeder, with two Dunnock and a Robin. Not seen any Starlings or Blackies of late. The buddleia in the front garden which is the first one I ever bought sixteen years ago is now in it's last days by the look of it. Woke this morning to find one of the largest branches had keeled over and almost snapped, so broke it off along with another which looked about to break. The House Spugs won't be happy this is their favourite area for feeding, what with the nuts, fat balls and seed feeders on it They will have to move over to the conifer and holly where I already have seed feeders once I've cut the buddleia down. I've got some young buddleias ready for transplanting or may buy one of the "new" yellow/orange ones I've seen in a catalog I got recently [ they look similar to the ones at MSQ ].

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Sept 26th:

Decided not to cut the Buddleia down but have severely pruned it, there is still some livling branches on it, but because most of the feeders are on it have decided to train some Ivy up it. On Sunday transplanted a one year old cutting alongside the old buddleia so hopefully in a few years time it will have taken over from it's granddad.

Last week had a Coalie visit two days but not seen it since, have two Great Tits and one Blue Tit, upwards of five Blackies, between 18 & 30 Goldfinches, two Chaffinches, five Greenfinch, an odd Starling comes every few days but not the 60 odd of years gone by. Not seen the Wood and Feral Pigeons of late thankfully but the Collared Doves still visit. H Sparrow numbers are still upwards of 30.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Sept 28th - Oct 12th

Not a lot to report really. Had a Red Admiral on the 28th and 29th. Spotted the Hedgehog in driveway late evening on the 7th.

On with cleaning the 13 feeders in the back garden so all the activity is in the front garden. I now have seven feeders there and 95% of the birds are House Sparrows with a couple of Collared Dove and a few Greenfinch, then yesterday a single Chaffinch arrived. Today spotted a single Blackie, two Greenfinch and one Dove in back garden.

Hopefully tomorrow when the weather changes I may get something different .........

Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Oct 16th:

While in bathroom at 23.45 heard the honking of geese going over, no idea which way. Not sure what they were, if I had to guess from past experience I'd plump for Greylags.

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Oct 19th: Coal Tit - 1 on nut feeder.

Oct 23rd: two Magpie getting stuck into remnants of chicken, two Great Tit and one Blue Tit on sunflower seed feeder, two Greenfinch on the nuts with Goldfinch back on the Droll Yankee niger feeder after having cleaned it and at the front garden loads of H Spugs.

Oct 29th: Had the local Sprawk [male] pay a visit, spotted it perched on the fence about twenty feet from lounge window in back garden. It was there a couple of minutes then went up and made two sweeping passes from one end of garden to the niger feeder and then landed on the weigelia and dropped to the floor where there is a pile of branches waiting to be cut up and binned. Couldn't see if it had owt but it then went into the conifer and didn't see it again. First time I've had either the male or female for ages.

Kind regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Oct 31st: had a visit from two Great Tit and one Blue Tit plus the usual gang.

Nov 3rd: Female Sprawk perched just above the niger feeder just outside the lounge window as I was getting up. It would have made a cracking photo with no branches obscurring the view!

Last couple of days had upwards of 40 House Spugs in front garden giving all the feeders some stick lol. Other birds of note have been a single Coalie and a few Greenfinch. Two nights ago heard two lots of geese going over separated by half an hour. Have two Magpie coming for scraps most days which I enjoy seeing.

Kind Regards

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol

Nov 13th: Male Sprawk on the roof of house opposite checking out the food chain

Nov 16th: What a cracking day! I'd been gathering leaves in the front garden and hadn't been back in the house more than a couple of minutes, when I glanced out the window and saw feathers scattered about and the female Sprawk plucking them from a Collared Dove The raptor was no more than twelve feet away with it's prey. I went for the camcorder and thanked my lucky stars that I'd fully charged it a few days before [phew]. I was in two minds whether to film it from upstairs or risk standing close to the dining room window, I decided on the latter, and thankfully the Sprawk was too busy to notice me [phew]. It kept stopping when traffic or pedestrians came past but it was well hidden by the high privet hedge. I got about 15+ minutes of video and a few pics before it picked the dove up and flew into the corner of the garden. Actually this was better for me to get un-interrupted pics/video as there were no branches etc blocking the view. It was about twenty feet away and I ran off quite a few pics with the camcorder and more video.

Then I went to the lounge and got some peek-a-boo shots of it while it was behind the tree, it kept glancing my way checking for the moggy. Then after about ten minutes it picked the carcass up and flew on to the ivy covered fence no more than six feet away and I got excellent views of eating and looking straight at me in the sunshine, within a few minutes a vehicle came past and it flew off.

I got about 25-30 minutes of video and ran off 93 pics [also used my compact digi camera as well.

YABBA DABBA DOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Must be the best filming I've done all year. Wish we had a section for videos, have loads to show one day, maybe I ought to have my own website. DE suggested putting it on You Tube, as of yet never used it except to view.

John

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GETTING OLD HAS IT'S ADVANTAGES BUT I CAN'T REMEMBER WHAT THEY ARE lol