Nice to see Nuthatch  back, on peanut feeder outside kitchen... don't think I saw one last year.
And couple of Sparrers on a fat coconut. We don't get many round here, now.

We have plenty of Sparrows here, around 30 in peak breeding season, but now down to around 10 at present. The Sparrowhawk took a toll a month or so ago. The long tailed tits have returned along with a few blue tits. The blackbird has been scarce, but I think the very mild weather of late and the autumnal glut of fruit means they do not have to come to the garden for food.

I have to say that I was very impressed with the ingenuity of one of the Nuthatches that visits us.

I blocked the hole in the wire, at the bottom of the peanut holder, with a few smallish stones, so that the peanuts wouldn't just keep falling into the 'tray' at the base of the holder.
I thought that the nuthatch I was watching, was pecking through the wire and just feeding on 'bits' of the peanuts. The way the holder is supposed to function.

No....The clever little sod was pecking through the wire until he flipped a whole peanut over the stones and out of the hole in the wire, where he could pick it up and fly away.
The Jay hasn't sussed this yet !

Cheers - Phil.

Greeted this morning by the first frost of Autumn.

Pouring rain here in our part of Ohio. We can at least start putting out seed on the bird table again since the illness affecting song birds has subsided.

I have commented before, but bird populations do seem to vary tremendously... yearly and by decade.
When I was young, Sparrows, Starlings and Blackbirds were most commonly seen in garden.... plus some Robins, Collared Doves and Jackdaws. Other 'occasionals'.
Now, very few Sparrows. Starling flock went when another house felled their roosting tree...(plenty of other trees, but...). Collared Doves displaced by Woodies and Jackdaws by Magpies. Pheasant's field got built on.
BUT, Birds much more diverse, now. All sorts of things that I never saw in previous decades. However, some have disaappeared completely.
Used to get migrants ... Redwings and a transient flock of little twittery things form Scandinavia... then, there was a storm about when they would be crossing... not seen since.
'Suicidal' Chaffinches, gone. Haven't seen Woodpecker for a while... or a Wagtail for a long time.
Even regulars such as Robins, vary. Year or two ago, maybe 3 pairs... now, just one.

Ah well. I am not a birdwatcher... just, sometimes, they give you a 'lift'. Thing 'go round' ... so enjoy what IS there. 

You're absolutely right, Keith.

The different species do seem to vary from year to year.
Some seem to thrive....others, the opposite.

Our 'Spadger' population seems to have dropped over the last couple of years...partly down to their nesting sites in our big barn being annexed by the flying rats, which have virtually taken over that area.
That won't last long, as Annie Oakley has been popping them off at a rate of knots in the last few days.
She's a much better shot than me !

Cheers - Phil.

Never underestimate the capacities of a Female who 'takes an objection' to something... 

Ohhhh.....She absolutely LOATHES them, Keith.....The amount of 'guano' they produce is ridiculous.....and the gee-gees' water buckets end up with a film of pigeon dust, on the top, 10 minutes after Von's freshened them up.

It's their 'own fault' that they're being dealt with, with extreme prejudice...Over two days we spent at least one whole day trying to make the barn 'off limits' to them.
This involved but a netting screen on the side entrance to the barn......then trying to drive the sods out of the (then) completely open front.

The idea being, that once they were all out, the front of the barn would be closed off.
They just would not go...They just flew up and down the barn...Over and over (and over and s*dding over) again.
I got a very sore shoulder from throwing tennis balls at them....to 'encourage' them out......a gash on the shin, where I tripped over an aluminium ladder that I'd left on its side.
(Tripped over it 'cos I was looking upwards to throw more tennis balls.......I said bad words !  )

"How are we going to get rid of them ?," said Annie......"We'll have to pay some pest controller to come and shoot them"......
"Sod that, I'll shoot them myself."

Well..there were about 40 in there, when we started....That's been basically halved now.
I'm sure Annie will be out there this afto' trying to take more out.

Well...they are considered vermin....wretched things !

Cheers - Phil

Quote from: Techno II on 16 October 2021, 09:09:47 AM
Ohhhh.....She absolutely LOATHES them, Keith.....The amount of 'guano' they produce is ridiculous.....and the gee-gees' water buckets end up with a film of pigeon dust, on the top, 10 minutes after Von's freshened them up.

It's their 'own fault' that they're being dealt with, with extreme prejudice...Over two days we spent at least one whole day trying to make the barn 'off limits' to them.
This involved but a netting screen on the side entrance to the barn......then trying to drive the sods out of the (then) completely open front.

The idea being, that once they were all out, the front of the barn would be closed off.
They just would not go...They just flew up and down the barn...Over and over (and over and s*dding over) again.
I got a very sore shoulder from throwing tennis balls at them....to 'encourage' them out......a gash on the shin, where I tripped over an aluminium ladder that I'd left on its side.
(Tripped over it 'cos I was looking upwards to throw more tennis balls.......I said bad words !  )

"How are we going to get rid of them ?," said Annie......"We'll have to pay some pest controller to come and shoot them"......
"Sod that, I'll shoot them myself."

Well..there were about 40 in there, when we started....That's been basically halved now.
I'm sure Annie will be out there this afto' trying to take more out.

Well...they are considered vermin....wretched things !

Cheers - Phil

I shoud have bought my air rifle over when we came over that afternoon.

Phill, you seem to have infinite capacity to damage yourself.  Let 'The Gal with a Grudge' do it!... and full marks to her!
But she might not like the doing... so...

Saw a coaltit in the garden today.
Not seen one of those for ages. 

There were Coaltits around a year or two ago... but mainly Blue or Great with visiting Long Tailed.
Incidentally, when buying Birdboxes... the extra £s for a bigger one seems to be Des Res! Have had several generations of Bluetits in one and Greattits in another.  Not sure whether any of the several  smaller, cheaper boxes have been used!

Coaltits ?..... pretty good population around us....A few 'greats', ditto 'blues'.

Cheers - Phil.

Have just remembered what 'the little twittery' seasonal visitors were. Waxwings. Would arrive in a flock each Autumn, ploat the berries and move along. Then one stormy year, they did not... and I haven't seen any since.