Collared Doves becoming regulars in the garden.

Collared Doves, Streptopelia decaocto,
Cosy Doves.
The pair of Collared Doves, Streptopelia decaocto have become very regular visitors. They'll come to feed in the morning at about 11am; lunch is around 3pm, and following this we see them coming again at around 5pm.
They are behaving more and more like a couple of lovesick teens.

the first time when the pair arrived to feed properly in the planter, all the other birds, large and small, flew off immediately, and there was no movement at all. All life had ceased to exist suddenly.
The birds are slowly getting used to having these 2 large birds in the garden and in the feeding station. Most (esp. the little ones) will fly off as soon as they spot one of them on the fence.

The, the Blue and Coal, Tits, tried coming closer to where their suet shells are hanging. This shows that they are at last coming to terms with these new regulars.

Here's some photos of my new friends. I'm trying for another picture; I want to make one of the pair tail to tail. A bit like this, but more exact.
Almost had their position when they were just standing in the reflection of the fridge on the window! They'll get into that position again soon, I hope.







This Jackdaw takes a gamble at entering the planter, I love those typical Jackdaw white eyerings.


(have a look at how, for a moment they gaze at each other! In the human world that is.)


Anything down there?

Other birds in the garden;

Pied wagtail, Motacilla alba.


Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus


House Sparrow, Passer domesticus (female)


Great Tit, Parus major


Coal Tit, Parus ater.


Song Thrush, Turdus philomelos

Blackcap, Collared Doves, and my other birds in the garden

Blackcap, Sylvia atriciapilla

Here's my Blackcap,, yesterday. I haven't seen her at all, today. I think she was caught by an estate cat, although I cannot be sure, unless I see it happen. All I saw was her being chased by one of the cats here. It looked as if she had been injured already; so he might have caught her before that, with her escaping briefly.





Coal Tits, Parus ater.


One of my Robins, Erithacus rubecula
He/she looks more like a stalking cat than a bird, doesn't he?
female Blackbird, Turdus merula. Hiding under the Fatsia. A plant pot regularly used by the birds as an escape from bully birds in the planter. i put a little food out here as well is in the planter.


Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

My Chaffinches, Fringilla coelebs, are visiting in relative low numbers; contrary to most years.


At the end of the day, around 5pm, I spotted one of the Collared Doves. It was in the planter, and because they are -super-wary- I didn't see number two when I took this picture. Two was to the left of my window and it was very much a surprise when he/she showed its face and came forward,, as I made the following picture.
Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto
Number One (which had been feeding in the planter) flew to join its mate on the wall, It took a bit before they headed off.
But I did manage this little portrait of number One, while it was in the planter.


They then started walking towards the end of the wall.

Food and Spring on the minds of my Birds

Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus


Dunnock, Aegithalos caudatus

We've been having cold days, and frosty nights in the past week, and over the weekend, meaning that Thrushes like Blackbirds, Mistle or Song Thrushes, are still finding it hard to find earthworms in the ground. The Song Thrush is still coming for her daily meals, the Blackbirds too, are also still feeding here. On another note, the Blackbirds seem to have something else on their minds too; Spring.
The two males and the one female, which have been coming daily, have been joined by male number three. He, and another 2 females, had been calling on us in December and early January. It is clear that the males do not tolerate him this time. I just love observing them. It is a pity that I do not get to see the beautiful chestnut female any more. A colouring which I had not seen before in Blackbirds.
The female Blackcap is still in control of the food, it seems. Fruit in all shapes, sizes and taste, is still going fast. Miss Blackcap seems to have switched to the more staple foods like seeds, suet and nuts. Never mind; the fruit is being gobbled up by the Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Jackdaws. They are the garbage bins of the garden and will eat anything, which others might not favour immediately.
Song Thrush, Turdus philomelus



Jackdaw, Corvus monedula


2 Blackbirds, Turdus merula
(Left: male. Right: female.)
male House Sparrow, Passer domesticus


female Blackcap, Sylvia atriciapilla



We try and keep these suet halves (which have now been filled up with home-made peanut cake again) for the little ones; the Coal and Blue Tits, mainly. So, upon spotting this tail, at the end of the feeder (which the Rooks had turned around) I had a suspicion as to who the owner of this tail was, and indeed: Miss Blackcap had found her way onto the coconut husk. Not very good news; she is bullying them enough already.


eventually she appears.

Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto


Robin, Erithacus rubecula


Spotting my little Wren in the garden again, made me feel a lot better again. It kept busy with foraging on the ground, on the supports of the shelf, in planters, and anywhere else she thought might be fruitful.

Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes



Foryears I've tried getting a clear picture of my Wren scouring the wood of the shelf supports, and I might have -almost-succeeded. At least I can show people now where she goes on these supports. More or less.

Food and Spring in the minds of my birds.

Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus


Dunnock, Aegithalos caudatus

We've been having cold days, and frosty nights in the past week, and over the weekend, meaning that Thrushes like Blackbirds, Mistle or Song Thrushes, are still finding it hard to find earthworms in the ground. The Song Thrush is still coming for her daily meals, the Blackbirds too, are also still feeding here. On another note, the Blackbirds seem to have something else on their minds too; Spring.
The two males and the one female, which have been coming daily, have been joined by male number three. He, and another 2 females, had been calling on us in December and early January. It is clear that the males do not tolerate him this time. I just love observing them. It is a pity that I do not get to see the beautiful chestnut female any more. A colouring which I had not seen before in Blackbirds.
The female Blackcap is still in control of the food, it seems. Fruit in all shapes, sizes and taste, is still going fast. Miss Blackcap seems to have switched to the more staple foods like seeds, suet and nuts. Never mind; the fruit is being gobbled up by the Song Thrush, Blackbirds and Jackdaws. They are the garbage bins of the garden and will eat anything, which others might not favour immediately.
Song Thrush, Turdus philomelus



Jackdaw, Corvus monedula


2 Blackbirds, Turdus merula
(Left: male. Right: female.)
male House Sparrow, Passer domesticus


female Blackcap, Sylvia atriciapilla



We try and keep these suet halves (which have now been filled up with home-made peanut cake again) for the little ones; the Coal and Blue Tits, mainly. So, upon spotting this tail, at the end of the feeder (which the Rooks had turned around) I had a suspicion as to who the owner of this tail was, and indeed: Miss Blackcap had found her way onto the coconut husk. Not very good news; she is bullying them enough already.


eventually she appears.

Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto


Robin, Erithacus rubecula


Spotting my little Wren in the garden again, made me feel a lot better again. It kept busy with foraging on the ground, on the supports of the shelf, in planters, and anywhere else she thought might be fruitful.

Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes



Foryears I've tried getting a clear picture of my Wren scouring the wood of the shelf supports, and I might have -almost-succeeded. At least I can show people now where she goes on these supports. More or less.