Our Garden Birds

[SueA]

It was really cold & very windy here yesterday grindle & hardly a bird in the garden so I was glad I did a count on Friday, might have another go today as well.

[grindle]

hardly any here as it as raining too much, it wasn't worth doing

[SueA]

Our birds made an appearance again yesterday, not quite as many as Friday but I'll submit both counts.

[SueA]

The longtail tits have appeared this morning now that the RSPB birdwatch is over!

[grindle]

I've noticed a definate lack of starlings over the last few days, they're usuall down in force at the time of year, not sure why

[steve]

In our area it’s nice to see Goldfinches seem to be thriving and getting fairly common, we fill a few bird feeders with nyjer seed and there are usually 6 or 7 on them daily

[derekbrooks]

Sent my figures to the R.S.P.B.yesterday. Blackbird 2, blue tit 2, great tit 2, coal tit 1, goldfinch 4, house sparrow 2, long tailed tit 4, magpie 2, robin 1, starling 2, wood pigeon 1, nuthatch 1, great spotted woodpecker 1.

[grindle]

all this cold weather is bringing in a lot of different birds, lots of Reed Buntings, black caps, which are unusual and at one point I had a group of 7 collard doves along with all the sparrows, starlings, a thrush, robins (3 at one point in a bush)

[roofgardener]

I sent mine in .. but there wasn't much happening. 1 dopey wood Pidgeon, a blackbird, and a house sparrow.

No starlings yet !

[sweetpea]

This one made a very quick visit

[sweetpea]

Had an exotic visitor in the garden. We saw this yellow bird in the conifer and thought it was an escaped budgie at first. After seeing it a couple of times we realised it wasn't a budgie but more like some sort of parakeet. Bright yellow with a red cap.
Yesterday it flew down to where I was working and landed within touching distance quite tame it seemed. Managed to get a couple of pics though not great ones. Will post pics at some point when I get time.
My daughter who is in regular contact with local animal rescue outfit found that no one had registered it as 'Lost' so the woman at the rescue centre is trying to organise a rescue mission and will look after it herself if successful. (watch this space)
It will soon fall prey to cats or other birds if left out in the wild so needs to be caught.

[sweetpea]

This is probably the best pic I managed, click to enlarge

better pic Click to enlarge

[sweetpea]

The bird reappeared in the garden this afternoon and one of the cats went for it when it was feeding some peanuts on the patio table which Maureen had put out for it. Luckily it took off in time but I think it is on borrowed time although repots suggest it has been around foe a fortnight.

[grindle]

hope someone manages to catch it before the cats do

[SueA]

I 'Googled' sweetpea & came up with a 'yellow mutation of a red crowned parakeet' which looks exactly like the 2 pics. you've posted, in the wild they're usually green with a red crown & are native to New Zealand & also known as 'Kakariki' the Maori name for them, so this must be a specially bred colour variant pet one. Maybe it's managing to survive as the climate where you live isn't too different from New Zealand? Hope someone catches it before it gets eaten!