Our Feeding Stations :):)

WS - you've got greedy Magpies and we've got greedy Crows and Jackdaws - they also eat all our nuts and suet cake!!!

Hope you catch the baby woodpecker soon, funny we now have a couple of Greenfinches feeding each day as well as the plethora of Goldfinches

Lai

Great clips from your trail cam WS, I am becoming tempted to get one myself. It is amazing what they can pick up when you are not watching yourself. It reminds me of the old Kit Kat advert of the man trying to photograph the pandas which I think has just been revived again. I often think that there is a conspiracy among the wildlife to only appear when they think humans are not watching!!

Safariman

Safariman

Lai

Thanks Safariman, your spot on there with the Kit Kat advert, you only have to turn your back for something to happen. One of the cardinal rules of photography as all the experts say, is being at the right place, at the right time, with your camera ready, and with the Trail Cam you do'nt actualy have to be there. We have the Crows, and the Jackdaws as well Lai

WS

At last I managed to get some shots of the fledgeling Greater Spotted Woodpecker









I had to take them through the window, so they have'nt turned out to bad. It was there for ages certainly not as alert to movement as the adults, they catch the slightest movement, and their off

WS

Loved watching the clips from your trail cam WS, they are brilliant. How amazing to have the Squirrel eating in the middle of the birds and they all seemed quite happy didn't they. The Magpies are greedy arent they, did you see the huge bit of Mrs S's fat ball it took on about the 3rd attempt !

Great pictures of the Fledgling woodpecker, they are lovely shots and I wouldnt have guessed they were through glass.

I have some great news too:

Our Collard Doves have another baby, I saw it today for the first time, I am not sure if there is one or two but I will keep an eye out and let you know but I am so excited. Both mum and dad are very attentive so hopefully there will be more successful fledgings.

littlewid-x-

Thanks LW, I was really chuffed with the baby Woodpecker photos, I did'nt think they would come out that good.
Glad your Collered Doves are back, I thought they might be after their last successfull hatch, anmd fledge.

WS

Lovely photos of the fledged woodpecker WS. You obviously keep your windows clean!! Which is more than I manage to do.
Looking forward to some more collared dove photos LW from the next family, they are certainly busy little birds!!

Safariman

It's funny you ask that Safariman. I have now worked out there is definitely only one chick, I have never managed to see two. The one that is there is always well hunkered down in the nest so all you see is the end of his tail, or he is up and fidgeting like mad, he doesn't sit still when awake so he has been so hard to get a picture of. I tried when I got in from work today and I have some lovely positions but they are also beautifully blurred! I do have one but he was still on the wriggle but at least you can see him.
Mum and Dad have been very good again this time and are very attentive to him but the other day mum was just having fun, she was on my garden table and hopping from chair to chair and then wandering all round the table and then was having a high old time drinking from the bird bowl I have on the table for them to drink from. I should really have taken some pictures but I was on the phone to my mum at the time and describing the scene to her, honestly you would have thought it was the first time I had seen a bird in my garden but it was so comical to watch, you could tell she was just having fun.
I will keep an eye on this little fellow but heres fidget pants for now.



littlewid-x-

Thanks Safariman. I dont think the windows were particularly clean, I think it was the fact that I was that close to the window, and the Woodpecker was so close that the camera was focused on that it blurred out any specks. I'm fairly sure we have at least three or four of them, as I've seen two on at the same time, and others just after. I will try to get some more shots as I dont think they'll be around for long as they all go their seperate ways.
At least you got a pic of fidget pants LW   One thing you could try is to use a sports shot setting, or manualy increase your shutter speed, the increased speed should stop any movement, and with the sun so bright you can use quite a high speed. Do'nt blame you for not getting a pic of Mum having fun, we very often miss the enjoyment of the moment, because we are trying to capture it on camera, so you did the right thing, and enjoyed the moment

WS

Well I got a shock to discover not only did I have Fidget Pants but that Fidget pants had a brother or sister who I have named Houdini because I never knew he/she was there. Looks like this little one had been hiding further up the tree. When I first took this picture I thought it was mum but then I noticed the pre fluffy feathers round the bottom just like fidget pants, so it has to be a sibbling who has been out of shot.
These pics were taken before your advice WS

Fidget on the left and Houdini on the right

Houdini watching me

My little Fidget


Mum & Dad still visit the nest regularly and in fact the other day mum was bringing in more twigs, I am not sure if she is making it more comfortable for Fidget and Houdini or she is trying to get them out now and maybe have another clutch. I will be keeping watch  

littlewid-x-

 Nothing wrong with those pics LW, they are sharp with no hint of movement, so you must have stood very still on your stool, and Fidget behaved himself   Amazing how Houdini has stayed hidden for so long. Mum, and Dad could very well be planning another clutch, they clearly feel safe, and secure in you garden.

WS

  Littlewid, great photos and update, thanks for sharing.

Lai

Some photos of recent visitors to my feeding station after I had cleaned my kitchen window!! The Blue-tit decided he needed a bath before he had his breakfast and the Greenfinches are excellent posers for photos. The little Long-tailed tit only made a very brief appearance before flying off. The abstract looking photo, taken by accident just as he flew off, shows why you should never delete a photo until you are sure of what is on it. The final 2 photos are of a young bird identity unknown Any suggestions would be appreciated.


























Safariman

Lovely photos Safariman, so great to see all your beautiful birds.  I love the abstract pic it is brilliant, well worth not deleting it!

The other two pics? my first thought was young Dunnock.

Over to someone else for a suggestion.

Lai

Great shots Safariman love the one of the take off, it's something I've always said never delete till you've viewed it properly on a large screen. It's always difficult with little brown jobs, but I think your right Lai This is a copy of a pic of a baby Dunnock from the RSPB



WS

Thanks Lai and WS, I think you are right, it is probably a young Dunnock. I will keep my eye out to see if he returns.

Safariman

I've never seen one before Safariman so very envious that you have one in your garden  

Lai

Oh my, those are so lovely Safariman. I love the pictures of the Blue Tit having a bath, its just so adorable to see him sitting in the water bowl and thenstepping out as if to say "thats me done" and the Greenfinch is a real poser and I just love the photo of him with his head in the feeder, so comical really. The long tailed tit is so stunning, that truely is a wonderful picture and the abstract is something you would frame and hang up, definitely makes a lot of sense to check before you discard. Glad you got your Dunnock clarified, I wouldnt have known that one.
Truely, thank you for sharing those, they are beautiful.

littlewid-x-

We haven't posted much in this thread since Safariman shared some of his great photos, so here's a few from the weekend.


One of the Herons who keeps visiting, not very welcome at the moment as we have 6 pheasant chicks in the garden


A juvenile Blue Tit




Great tit with Slow shutter speed


Blue tit and Coal tit


Sometimes the feeder is so busy with 20 or so trying to get at the sunflower hearts, it's magical to watch.

Lai

Lovely photos Lai. I am finding that it is the Blue-tits who are dominating the feeders at the moment with the occasional greedy Wood-pigeon. I like to see herons but as you say everything else needs to be very wary when they are around. I have one who visits the pond in the spring and tries to remove all the frogs!!

Safariman

  Brilliant shots Lai love the one with the slow shutter speed of the Great Tit. We have a flock of around twenty Sparrows at the moment plus the usual Blue Tits, Great Tits, Chaffinches, Collered Doves, Jackdaws, Magpies, and the Spotted Woodpeckers still visit including the Juvenile ones. We dont have a Heron at our Pond, and I'm not sure if our Swallows have gone have'nt checked today

WS

Thanks Safariman, WS and Doogs.

Blue tits are definitely dominating our feeders too Safariman, but I do love to see them. The woodpeckers are also around and a couple of days ago the Sparrowhawk - although he didn't get any birds, thankfully.

I think our House Martins are off any day now. Last night one flew into the window and seriously winded itself, I sat and watched it for 20 mins while it recovered and very thankfully flew off into the night. I was worried it would get cold as it was turning dark and that it would die but I was so thrilled to watch it fly away.

Lai