Wild Birds

Not ideal conditions for photograhy and certainly not landscapes so it was back into the garden to record some of the birds coming to the feeders.
I get my bird seed from Martin at Poltross Wild Bird Food,  they get the seed mixes specially made up so you're not buying a load of wheat with a few sunflower seeds, like alot of other suppliers.
Most of the Bramblings have left for their summer breeding grounds now but we have a couple of stragglers in with the Chaffinches.

Brambling

Male Chaffinch

Still plenty of Chaffinches about but it's a bit worrying that the male birds are far more plentiful than females by something like 30 to 1. It would be interesting to know if that's a trend repeated in other gardens.

Female Chaffinch

Goldfinches are plentiful and Siskin numbers continue to rise, these small bright birds make more noise than any other birds in the garden.

Goldfinch

Female Siskin

Male Siskin

The Robin continues to be camera shy, in fact shy in general making short, sharp visits to the seed tray. I've tried mealworms in a pretty setting but the Robin is not for bribing.

The Bluetits and Great Tits have been checking out the various nest boxes so it's starting to feel as if Spring might be just around the corner.

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all photographs on this blog are copyright of Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without written permission.

05 02 11

Wet again, I checked the tide tables and the various webcams and decided it really wasn't worth travelling an hour to sit under a cloudy sky.
I'm sure the sun will come again, but sooner rather than later would be nice!
Despertae to use my new lens I set up the garden hide, topped up all the bird feeders  and sat down to wait.
Masses of willing models today, shame the light was poor.

Male Siskin, (Carduelis spinus) related to the Goldfinch and Redpoll and another fiesty little bird, always squabbling and jostling for space on the feeders.

Female Siskin, nowhere near as showy as the male but just as fiesty.

The break in the weather didn't last long as the raindrops on this birds head show.

Maybe next week will be better and at least I no longer have to go out to work so if it is nice I can take advantage, hopefully I'll be able to get up onto the Hadrian's Wall path with my camera again.

All photographs on this site are © Joan Thirlaway and cannot be used without my written permission