What's this all about?

Back when trim phones were the fashion, there was a starling that imitated it so well, it often sent me running to answer it.

The blackbird is a member of the thrushes, isn't it? Thracidae?

A blackbird? I thought with chi-chi-pooey it would be something really exotic! There's a blackbird around here that does a very convincing telephone ring tone. Most annoying!

We used to have thrushes in the garden when we first moved here, but have not seen them for a while. They did a good job on the snails. You could find the evidence in the broken shells around the thrushes' dining table stone.

Blackbird song is lovely, isn't it, elegran? But for the first time in my life I'm willing to agree that the song thrush is well named. We have had a fabulous singer in our garden this spring. Saw some of the babies today too

I've now seen my chi-chi-pooey bird and it is a blackbird. Maybe I transcribed it wrong - ti-ti-hooey might be nearer, or somewhere in between. It sings other bits, but that phrase was so distinctive I have been searching on it.

So now we know.

We got a free pair of binoculars from the National Trust Tegan. They weren't a lot of good.

Buzzards mew, crows caw, and could chi-chi-pooey be a chiff chaff?

Don't Buzzards make a mewing noise?

Np Tegan

sorry; I've gone back a bit to what dustyangel was asking...

Starlings?

You often get a free pair of binoculars when you join the National trust. And, if someone pays for you membership as a 'gift' [you can always pay them back ] your membership costs a lot less and you'll get your years NT membership.

Another query for twitchers. Yesterday loads of baby starlings were fledged in my garden and surrounding gardens. I watched as in every case it was the adult birds coping with one very demanding and noisy fledgling*.
I've noticed this in previous years, mother and father and only one fledgling. I've never seen two or more.
Where are all the brothers and sisters?

Had a vision there of televisions perched in distant trees chirping happily. What size eggs do they lay?

Thankyou Flower, the televisions were something distant to focus on in John Lewis. I hadn't thought of an RSPB shop though.

Hmm! I use Opticrom, they vary in price, I have a middle of the range pair but my DH has top of the range, If you go to any RSPB reserve with a shop they will have a range of different priced bins and will let you try them and advise you.

Televisions?? 10 x 40s are a good magnification. Mine can focus to within a couple of yards maybe less.

I've been enjoying this thread too. Can anyone recommend an inexpensive pair of binoculars. I need some lighter ones (mine are inherited and ancient.) I've looked in JL but find it hard to imagine the magnification I need when focusing on distant televisions!

Ditto Bags: Enjoy! it's free, delightful and birds are beautiful Get a good bird book too. Collins Guide is one to recommend.

We found an abandoned Blackbird nest in our holly tree, two beautiful eggs but, sadly, no parents. They are still around,probably, nesting in the hedge at the bottom of the garden. Sparrow triple nesting box now secure after being blown around in last gale. They seem to prefer my neighbours roof space but fingers crossed. Lovely to have Willow Warblers nesting Bags. Envious

Some will, some won't. Shrug. How the world works.
Meanwhile I'm hoping the local cats and magpies don't find the willow warbler and robin nests in my garden.
The endless fight to survive.....

Fascinating to watch.

Thanks bags but now I'm worried about the gales that are due. Will the nests be safe?

aka, Enjoy!

Since starting this thread after watching a singleton crow repeatedly take on a buzzard, I've really started looking at the birds in my garden. They seem not to notice me when I'm lolling in my swingseat. I've noticed there isca pair of robins nesting in the thatched top of my bird table and a pair of little goldcrest nesting in a conifer. Must buy a pair of binoculars, I'm getting hooked.