The mother-in-law's birds

Considering that the mother-in-law lives on the mountainside with mature trees and open fields alongside, she doesn't get very many birds. Her problem may be that her feeders are just too exposed.
But she does get a very welcome visitor who doesn't seem to mind the openness.




Some lovely long tailed tits

Long Tailed Tit

The long tail tits came to visit today and the one of them seemed to be very interested in the window and either what he saw inside, or the reflection, I'm not sure which.
He was flying back and forth right in front of the window and staring into my eyes. I got a few pics of him and I think you may be seeing this ever so cute one regularly.

Snow

We had been warned about it, so I decided to stay home and enjoy the snow. I was supposed ot be getting on with filing and tidying and stuff, but couldn't resist sitting in the window all morning.
We'd had a bit of snow last night, then a very heavy snowstorm for a few hours late morning. Then it turned lovely and sunny, so there's not much snow left, but here's a few photos


The siskins were their usual eating machines.


I snapped the robin. I'd cleared this rock to put some fatty seeds and chicken, but within half an hour you couldn't even tell where the rock was

The long tailed tits turned up for a quick snack.

And this blackbird must have been there for some time as the snow has settled on his tail. There were a few birds who were hunkered down trying to maintain their warmth, such as the wood pigeons

I was surprised to see crows eating the fat cake, but members on GBS forum have told me they are more likely to be jackdaws. I shall have to have a good look next time I see them.

I also spotted a thrush and whereas I'm sure the one I'd seen before was a song thrush, I'm sure the one I saw today was a mistle thrush.

A busy day in the garden today. The birds must be anticipating the cold snap on it's way.
I counted 8 goldfinches today and took a few pics.

I love the way they look down to see when they will be able to get a perch.


How cute!

The starlings returned. I'm not sure which of these 2 pics I like the best. The lower one looks well snug in the fir tree.

The finches really didn't like the middle seeds in the feeder

Mrs siskin looking lovely

But Mr Robin turned up

It got a bit windy today and twice the robin got blown away. So funny

The long tailed tits were about quite a bit today

And I was pleased to see (and photograph badly) the great spotted woodpecker. He was partial to the fat cake that's away from in front of the window. The black cap also liked that cake.

So it's giving big snow for tomorrow. Hopefully it will be so big I can't go to work and I can sit in the window and take photos of birds in the snow.

I did a stock up last night. The "songbird" and "softbill" seeds that didn't get eaten were put intot the big feeders and I filled the nuts up. Today, neither feeders had much food eaten from them. The nyger was popular as usual.
I was busy doing decorating and tidying type work, but everytime I went near a window, I'd have to look out.

The starling is having a right good nose at something


And I'd love to know what the blackbird is saying to the long tailed tit.


And I can't resist taking pics of my siskins

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Today was the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Since I normally get a decent amount of birds first thing, my hour was 9:35 to 10:35. (I wasn’t quite ready for 9:30 but that worked out well
My count
1 dunnock
4 starlings (quiet today)
11 siskins
4 blackbirds (although I saw 3 male and 2 female, there were only 4 at one time)
4 crows
1 blue tit
1 coal tit
1 great tit
5 chaffinches
4 goldfinches
1 magpie
2 wood pigeons
2 collared doves
1 gold crest
1 jay (woohoo, he was down the bottom of the garden for a while and I have a few fuzzy photos)
1 woodpecker (he returned, yippee - although I scared him off lifting my camera)
and with 2 minutes to spare
1 robin (I thought he wasn't going to turn up today.

noticably missing were :- treee creeper, nuthatch, long tailed tits.
I'd just finished my count, but there were lots of birds about when something seriously spooked everything and they all shot off. One poor siskin went the wrong way and splatted into my window. I rushed out in case it was the cat who had spooked them and to protect him, lifted him up using kitchen towels and put him the right way up, safe near the kitchen door (obviously I went back inside for my camera). I think the only damage was a bit of blood in his beak area. He flew off safely.

Later on in the afternoon I saw the tree creeper, 5 long tailed tits and 2 nuthatches. I think these are more late in the day birds rather than morning birds.

Some photos I took today:

Long tailed tit - cute as ever


Crows. I think they were having a romantic foursome!!!

This one was happy sat on next door's aerial

Until he flew off

Mr siskin after he'd gone splat. There was a bit of blood on the one kitchen towel I used to collect him, I think it was from his beak.

I think the siskins are the most common birds in my garden now.


The rear of a fat wood pigeon

And the nice side of a collared dove

Woohoo, I snapped the jay (albeit badly)

In all, a great morning counting. And also for the rest of the day.

New Year

I haven't posted a bit as I've been away for Christmas time and New Year, but I'd taken these pics just before Christmas and so here are a few

The gold crest is still a regular visitor


And I do like this pic of Mrs Blackbird


Blue tits are so fluffy

But not as fluffy as long tailed tits

The gold finches are regulars now. In fact I moved this feeder so next door could enjoy them while I was away.

The robin is still elusive. Mind you, I was out the back today stocking up and he flew up looked at me and flew off