The Big Garden Birdwatch

This morning was the Big Garden Birdwatch, something I have done for the last 3 years. I have to remind myself that it is a structured observation not a competition and that it is important to have an accurate count of the visiting birds.  I have maintained the same time each year too, 0815 to 0915, normally when the tit flock is most active and there is a constant stream of visitors. This year was different in that 14 of the total of 18 recorded species were logged in the first 20 minutes. However, the cause of the noticeable absence of birdlife half way through was found to be the neighbour's cat sat under our garden feeders. Once he had been sent packing business picked up again.

We started with a single Goldcrest in  the Christmas tree, a good omen and soon after the hungry hoard of Blue Tits arrived. Only one exciting sighting and that was of our first Redwing this year, the winter has been exceptionally mild with few frosts. However the wind has gone North and snow is forecast so I expect to see more of the Thrush family turning up over the next few days.

The last species was a lone Black-headed Gull heading up from the beach to the Downs

The list this year is as follows:

1.   Goldcrest
2.   Blackcap
3.   Blackbird              
4.   Blue Tit                 
5.   Wood Pigeon
6.   Chaffinch             
7.   Robin                    
8.   Dunnock              
9.   Goldfinch              
10. Starling                
11. Magpie                 
12. Herring Gull        
13. Carrion Crow
14. Coal Tit
15. Redwing
16. Greenfinch           
17. Great Tit
18. Black-headed Gull



Blackcap



"Yes, I attend the Big Garden Birdwatch every year"



"Wow! this water  sure is cold"



Alfie - the neighbour's cat - not the sharpest tack in the box - that's a plastic duck