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Gardening

Birdwatch today

(17 Posts)
TriciaF Tue 21-Feb-17 17:22:55

Not sure where to put this - this morning I heard a cuckoo calling - shock
We're in SW France, on their usual route north from Africa. It seems exceptionally early, I could hardly believe it.

Cherrytree59 Sun 29-Jan-17 20:12:32

Yes tannith it has been extended this year to include Monday.

Cherrytree59 Sun 29-Jan-17 20:01:02

We sent for a pack (smug)
With it came a sheet with pictures of garden birds to mark off.
I was surprised that there was no thrush on the list although we haven't had any in our garden recently. (Maybe not counted as a garden bird)
So yesterday morning before letting cats out we served our little feathered friends a buffet and sat down in conservatory with our cup of RSPB coffee (*Free sachet* with pack and robin coaster to boot )
we spotted a good number of tits, sparrows, dunnocks,
some goldfinch also our resident pair of black birds. Pair wood pigeons 1 robin & 1 collared dove.
& a partridge in the pear tree
Quite good I thought but...
This morning came down stairs to find DH doing the hour count again as we had a wayfarer (sp) in the garden!

tanith Sun 29-Jan-17 20:00:02

I thought I read you could also do it on Monday? If anyone knows.

durhamjen Sun 29-Jan-17 19:40:20

Just done mine now, and it's okay.
Not many birds this year, so it didn't take long.
My sister in law is in Devon and said they had far more this year, so they must have migrated down there!

merlotgran Sun 29-Jan-17 19:20:35

I couldn't access the one I downloaded even though I bookmarked it.

We usually do it live online then you just submit it. The site must have crashed just as I was trying to access it.

Stansgran Sun 29-Jan-17 19:08:41

I managed to download it just before I posted. Merlotgran they do it every year. We managed to get a few things recorded ,the usual stuff, blue tits and long tail tits and one woodpecker, the odd blackbird and crow . But normally we have pheasant pecking at the door and a whole family of woodpeckers queueing up. I think everyone has put out food today in anticipation and we've become the poor relative.

ninathenana Sun 29-Jan-17 18:54:27

We were amazed and delighted to see a woodcock digging around the lawn for 30 mins. A rare sight.
We record ours on paper to add later.

oldgoat Sun 29-Jan-17 15:57:52

I keep my tally on a piece of paper then record it on-line when I have time. I don't think it has to be sent in today.

BBbevan Sun 29-Jan-17 15:42:49

We did it this morning. Loads of birds as we are rural and near a farm. But can't get on the site. Might try later or tomorrow. We had the same problem last year if I remember correctly.

merlotgran Sun 29-Jan-17 15:37:41

We're not going to bother now as it's getting too dark. I'll send for the pack next year in case it happens again.

Shame because there will be a lot of people unable to access the site so they won't have a true representation of bird populations.

Jayh Sun 29-Jan-17 13:20:01

OH can't get onto the site either. Goldfinches were our most popular visitors this year.

merlotgran Sun 29-Jan-17 13:14:27

We usually record ours live online but I think we'll have to do it your way, Badenkate

Badenkate Sun 29-Jan-17 12:53:36

Done my garden watch from 10.30 to 11.30 but I can't get onto the site to record my results. Probably because everybody else is trying to as well!

Charleygirl Sun 29-Jan-17 12:48:52

No problem here in London, no birds.

merlotgran Sun 29-Jan-17 12:44:02

We were all set up to do this an hour ago but the site appears to have crashed.

Anyone else having problems?

Stansgran Sun 29-Jan-17 12:15:19

I'm downloading the sheet and posting the sheet. We're planning on a 2pm watch as that seems to be our bird feeding frenzy time. There's a bit on the website about putting out a feast. Goodness we already do everything bar the starched linen napkins and cut glass decanters.