|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jan 11, 2016 17:17:52 GMT
|
|
|
|
Post by faith on Jan 11, 2016 21:10:57 GMT
Thanks for the reminder.
|
|
hank
Junior Member
Posts: 71 
|
Post by hank on Jan 13, 2016 14:16:49 GMT
Thanks for the reminder and the link. We look forward to it every year.  |
|
|
|
Post by shirl100 on Jan 13, 2016 16:49:44 GMT
I am all signed up ready, I have been doing it for about 10 years now so it's interesting to see how numbers / species have changed over that time
Shirl
|
|
|
|
Post by htcdude on Jan 19, 2016 16:30:51 GMT
Looking forward to doing this again. Managed to get one of the kids to do it for a while too, hopefully both of them this year!
Nige
|
|
|
|
Post by NellyDee on Jan 24, 2016 13:53:42 GMT
Did it last year, got really fed up by the query keep coming up "Do you really mean this number". Anyway will do again this year.
|
|
|
|
Post by faith on Jan 24, 2016 15:04:09 GMT
Seeing how I spend such a lot of the time when I ought to be working just staring out of the window watching the birds (and the squirrels), it's very nice to have an excuse for doing the same thing for a whole hour without having to feel guilty . . .
|
|
|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jan 25, 2016 9:23:28 GMT
Did it last year, got really fed up by the query keep coming up "Do you really mean this number". Anyway will do again this year. Nelly Dee, recording results... "Number of chaffinches, 42. Greenfinches, 26. Jays, 31" RSPB online form..."WHAT??!!!!"  Even the RSPB computer is impressed!  |
|
|
|
Post by faith on Jan 25, 2016 9:35:56 GMT
I am most impressed by the ability to count 42 chaffinches all present at the same time and presumably flitting about like crazy! I have trouble deciding whether I'm seeing six bluetits or seven! Is there a knack to it (I'm not an accomplished birdwatcher)? It's the same when you see the people on television stating confidently, 'There is a flock 12,5023 geese here'.
|
|
|
|
Post by NellyDee on Jan 26, 2016 17:38:20 GMT
The counting is quite easy for me as the birds all sit around in the trees that surround the feeder and seem to have a queuing system for the feeders and the rest just mill around on the ground. the jays are easy as they stick together I have 5 permanent one (called my gang) which can rise to about 15 in the breeding season.
I have actually counted 80 chaffinch in the trees above, on the feeder and on the ground, it was one of those very calm days and the birds were just sort of sitting around. The coal tits are more difficult as they are real dash in dash out birds. I have also decided that the birds have 'allocated feeders' for instance the majority of chaffinch use the feeders that are up close and beneath big beech trees. The greenfinch and coal tits use the feeders that I have up the hill at the back of the house as (sparrow hawks main catching area) the 3 lot of feeders is in like a grove but trees further away and is used also by the coal tits, siskins and the odd chaffinch. The jays like all three areas as do the woodpeckers. Having said all that I have done a bird watch in the past when there was not a bird to be seen. I too do not know how anyone can count flocks in their thousands. At least mine generally hang about long enough for me to count them.
|
|
|
|
Post by artdemole on Jan 29, 2016 13:25:36 GMT
If this windy weather keeps up their will not be many bird around my garden...
|
|
|
|
Post by shirl100 on Jan 29, 2016 15:11:06 GMT
I have to really concentrate, I can't see all the garden ( 3 acres in total) so I focus on areas around the house where the feeders and shrubs/ trees are, I can easily count 150+ jackdaws sitting in the poplars waiting to come down and gorge on the seed from the feeders - which they clear in a matter of minutes. I hate doing the count when they arrive! Still looking forward to it though.
Shirl
|
|
|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jan 31, 2016 8:15:14 GMT
Our local supermarket has a small section for bird food in the pets aisle, and yesterday it was cleared out of ordinary bird seed. Looks like quite a few people are planning on doing the BGBW in North London.  |
|
|
|
Post by rowanberry on Jan 31, 2016 8:17:00 GMT
I have to really concentrate, I can't see all the garden ( 3 acres in total) so I focus on areas around the house where the feeders and shrubs/ trees are, I can easily count 150+ jackdaws sitting in the poplars waiting to come down and gorge on the seed from the feeders - which they clear in a matter of minutes. I hate doing the count when they arrive! Still looking forward to it though. Shirl That is a LOT of jackdaws! You must have to buy seed in bulk to keep that many fed. |
|
|
|
Post by shirl100 on Jan 31, 2016 8:38:42 GMT
I have to really concentrate, I can't see all the garden ( 3 acres in total) so I focus on areas around the house where the feeders and shrubs/ trees are, I can easily count 150+ jackdaws sitting in the poplars waiting to come down and gorge on the seed from the feeders - which they clear in a matter of minutes. I hate doing the count when they arrive! Still looking forward to it though. Shirl That is a LOT of jackdaws! You must have to buy seed in bulk to keep that many fed. There is a limestone quarry across the road and that is full of Jackdaws so there can be literally hundreds patrolling gardens. But I did manage to do the BGBW yesterday in our garden and not a Jackdaw in sight ( plenty this morning though), my results :- Long-tailed tit -8 Bullfinch - 2 Siskin - 4 Magpie - 1 Blue tit - 3 Chaffinch - 3 Great tit - 2 Dunnock - 2 Collared dove - 2 Wood pigeon - 8 Marsh tit - 1 Robin - 2 Greenfinch - 2 Blackbird - 2 Wren - 1 Nuthatch - 1 House sparrow 2 Shirl |
|
