RSPB Garden Birdwatch

26 January 2014

Back garden

It's a dismal, bleary view through the patio windows as we start our annual RSPB garden birdwatch at breakfast time. We start early so that we can include the band of long-tailed tits which tend to appear at the beginning and the end of these short winter days.

At a total of 14 species we're probably a bit down on previous years but our list includes most of our regulars such as blue and great tits, goldfinches, siskins aplenty and the cock pheasant.

The wood pigeon is one of the regulars that we miss out on but a couple appear after our hour is over, fighting each other on the back lawn with a lot of flapping and bunny hopping.

The mistle thrush, on its infrequent visits, continues to chase blackbirds from the crab apple but tolerates other (non-apple eating) birds such as goldfinches, siskins and great tits.

Garden Ratwatch

As I pop into the kitchen to make a cup of tea during our birdwatch, I spot a brown rat sheltering from the rain in the solidly built bait station that I've provided, popping its head out to on the lookout for spilt sunflower hearts.