This post will be very short! Judging by the nature of the records I obtained and the weather which probably contributed to the poor show this year’s BGB (see title) was somewhat of a washout.
I spent Saturday looking out of the window thinking ‘Shall I do it now? …Or now? …Or now?’ The day was pretty murky with strong winds and dampness throughout. I didn’t think I had enough time to do the hours worth of birdwatching on the Sunday due to other activities that were planned and possible interruptions. So I decided to do it on the 30th January instead.
My cue came when my youngest son who, if you’re a reader of this blog you will have come across before, said ‘Winston’s here again’. I went ‘What?!’ as my brain wasn’t tuned into Isaac speak. He pointed out of the window and raised his eyes heavenwards – ‘the Green woodpecker, Dad!’ as I should have known if I’d been paying attention! I’d forgotten he’d named him that. (Or is it her, not a common female name mind, to my knowledge. I think it may be quite a skill to tell them apart).
Here is Winston taken through the window on a mobile by Isaac.
Great, I thought and possibly said out loud. I’ll start now and duly noted the time which was 15.05. Not much happened over the next hour. Winston continued to feed around the middle of lawn, in fact he stayed for forty seven minutes. He flew off into the neighbours large silver birch.
There were only three other birds that landed in the garden. Those were the only ones that could be recorded. That is the rules! Two of which were robins (Erithacus rubecula), seen at a distance, one little wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) which I almost missed as it zipped across the summerhouse steps and a swooping magpie (Pica pica). I willed the small flock of starlings (Sturnus vulgaris) in the distance to come as they had in the morning and the two collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto) but they did not respond. Typically a dunnock (Prunella modularis)sang not long after the time was up!
Back to Winston the green woodpecker (Picus viridus). Over the last few weeks he or she has been a regular visitor and seems to come when no other birds are around apart from a couple of weeks ago when he was in the centre of a flock of around 30 starlings. Having a green woodpecker is rather an exotic bird to have on ones lawn. It makes up for the other exotic birds who we normally see over winter and have only visited once so far this winter and that is the jay (Garrulus glandarius)
The garden bird list has not had much change up until Christmas day last year which is quite some time away now. I think it was around breakfast time or some time in the morning – I didn’t record the time. Two great black backed gulls (Larus marinus) were standing on our lawn. A rather impressive sight. We do get a pair flying around in this area so it may have been them. We are not far from the local sewage works and municipal recycle centre which is quite likely a place they frequent. I think that takes the garden bird list up to 36. If you check the link at the beginning of this paragraph you will see the other birds I have recorded.
I have been slipping in my birdwatching recording. This often happens this time of year when I succumb to the winter blues! I can tell when Spring is on its way as I tend to pick up the slack in recording and as it happens I return to Bird Track.
Bird Track is a great app for recording your bird records. If you use the website you can now record dragonflies and mammals which is a cool addition. I tend to use the mobile version which you can get for free from Android from the Play store. It does require creating an account with the BTO. I had been using the App for some time without being a member and they enticed me in with a free membership for a year because of it or a very reduced rated one. I can’t quite remember. It is also available for Apple users. In using it you contribute to the work of the British Trust for Ornithology in collecting data about British birds. (Apologies for those who read this from overseas. There maybe similar apps in the countries you are from).
The BTO (find out about them here) probably are not as well supported as the RSPB in this country but they do a stirling work in harnessing the power of volunteers to survey birds in around the country. They have numerous helpful courses and videos to enable you to become better in your bird identification.
Bird activity is a little quiet at the moment in the garden but there was a rather plump looking female greenfinch (Chloris chloris) sitting in the Leylandii hedge this morning. We don’t get to see those very often so that was a little treat.