As part of the BTO Garden Birdwatch we record the birds using our garden and off course the feeders. As 2012 comes to an end I always try to review our contribution to the local bird population.
House Sparrow has started to return in higher (albeit still small) numbers with a yearly peak of 12 and a reasonably regular 6 individuals staying as a group using the garden.
Goldfinch continues to visit the garden in good numbers and is surprisingly in 2nd place as regular visitor. Peak count was 21 and this species must have bred locally as birds we seen during the summer. Five years ago, Goldfinch was not a visitor to the garden.
Jackdaw numbers around the housing estate seem to be increasing rapidly. I was surprised a few years ago when doing the BTO Winter & Summer Atlases just how many there were. Despite being a medium size bird they regularly use our peanut and seed feeders.
Collared Dove is another bird which seems to be doing well. Peak count is 7, but we have been close to increasing this to 8.
Feral Pigeon is another bird which is starting to visit the garden and it perhaps not such as welcomed visitor. More birds are seen sitting on roof tops now, so are they getting chased from the town centres or has their been an increase in people keeping birds in garden lofts?
Blue Tit is an 1st place as a regular visitor to our garden. Typically a pair of Blue Tits are recorded every week and on occasion young fledged birds visit late summer. It was noticeable that no fledging Blue Tits were seen this year and they started to build a nest in our box, but moved on after a short time. Maybe next year!
Redwing was a new record for the year with 3 birds sitting on our tree for a few minutes this week.
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