LEAVE YOUNG BIRDS BE!!


Please, do not hamper a young bird's life by picking it up, and taking it home with you. It is calling its parents to help them in locating it.
After fledgling from the nest, the parent birds will keep feeding it, and look out for it, until it will be able to look after itself.
And the reason you cannot see a parent is because of your own proxomity to the young bird. And while you are ebating if or not you should take the bird home, you keep the parent from giving it well needed nutrition in the form of a meal!


Photos

The photos on this blog are all taken by me. If there is any picture you might want to use for any other than personal use, please drop me a line to the email address shown in the sidebar on the right.

Friday, January 21, 2011

Blackcaps, Sylvia atriciapilla.

Blackcap, Sylvia atriciapilla


male
We have 4 male Blackcaps in the garden at the moment. Although originally classified as a migrant bird, there is a small population of Blackcaps which are now resident in the SW of Ireland.
During the cold winter 2009/2010 we had a female visiting the birdtable. She was a very feisty lady and even the House Sparrows and Chaffinches were put in their place whenever they came too close to where she was feeding on the seed and home made peanutcake. The first male which appeared us was a very shy character however and very polite too, whenever other hungry species would come close.
This all changed when another three Blackcaps (all males) made this garden their local diner.
female, March 2010.






Blackcap and Greenfinch.

The Blackcap is feeding on one of the many peanutcake pots and trays, while the Greenfinch prefers the mixed seeds.

I really hope that there is one or more female Blackcaps around as I'd love to see them breed in my area.
One of my 4 males should be able to sire offspring, don't you think?

It is weird that their total keeps growing now that the worst of this early winter cold weather has past. Wonder where they had been hanging around? And will I get any more? If so, can I have a female perhaps?

Mind you, they make great subjects for photos, I think.

Although many of the heavier birds try to steal nuts from the feeder, the Blackcap is the only one which is able to cling on and feed on the peanuts inside the feeder.
Blackcap and Siskin.

Sunday, January 16, 2011

A few winter birds sliding by.

Because I've had little, to no time lately, I created this little slide with a few images of this last week.
hope you like it this glimpse into the garden. Regular posting will begin again soon.

Sunday, January 2, 2011

Siskins lured by new peanut feeder.

Male Siskin, Carduelis spinus

Female Siskin. Carduelis spinus


We used to have numerous Finches when we moved here. Goldfinches, Greenfinches and Siskins. The mixed flock would arrive here in October and stay until moving on again in March. They didn't come in the winter of 2006/2007. I did see a pair of Greens and a pair of Goldies in spring. But these only visited a couple of times till early September. On the day the Irish Wheelchair Association came to bring us to Cork Airport, and a juvenile Goldfinch had me clinging to the window. At first I refused to leave ( of course!) So had they all been breeding here all along?
I'd see Goldfinches now and then in the Summer since then. And Greenfinches would visit very sporadically.

Hence my surprise to see a pair of Siskins yesterday and today! I got the birds a new peanut feeder, this winter. Mr. Chaffinch too, has been trying to find his balance, and today I even spotted the Blackcap on top of it.

Robin, Erithacus rubecula

Dunnock, Prunella modularis

This lady House Sparrow, Passer domesticus got herself a bit in a twist.
Female.

Why bite of bits of nut when you can pass a whole nut through the mesh. I had no idea this was possible.
House Sparrow, Passer domesticus.
Male.

Great Tit, Parus major


Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus
"We want more peanutcake!"

"OK, just give me some time"
Coal Tit, Parus ater



Blue Tit and Siskin


Rook, Corvus Frigulega
I love those 'crest' feathers on the Rook's head.
Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs
Female

Male




Pied Wagtail, Motacilla alba.



The Collared Doves, Streptopelia decaocto, have been around too, but did refuse to pose for a picture.