Big Garden Birdwatch 2023

  Pencil and paper at the ready, binoculars and camera to hand, I sat down in the Conservatory ready to start my Big Garden Birdwatch for 2023.  My eyes went immediately to the feeders where I expected to see most of the activity ..... Nothing!     I scanned the tall trees and noted 3 woodpigeons,  which over the hour increased to 5 and with the addition of a magpie and collared dove. 

Back to the feeders and  a great tit made a dive for the peanuts then back to the nearby bush where it proceeded to enjoy its breakfast.   Movement at the base of the feeder showed me a female blackbird busy pecking the titbits that had fallen from above,    Two male blackbirds then joined with one keen to chase the female round the garden till she flew off. 

A pair of greenfinches flew in to a nearby bush from where they hopped onto the feeders and stayed for a while gorging on the sunflowers. A single goldfinch joined them and a further greenfinch,

Movements in the pine tree caused me to get my binoculars out. The overcast weather didnt help with colours and the little bird I could make was continually flitting between the bunches of pine needles and cones.  I then saw a bluetit hanging in its traditional pose upside down from twigs.  But the movement amongst the pine needles continued and I eventually managed to make out the gold stripe on the head of a goldcrest,  I hadnt seen one there for a long time so it shows how patience and continual watching can be rewarded.

A dunnock appeared hopping round the base of the feeders and a robin also turned up to add a couple of extra species to my list.

Last ticks for the hour were   two house sparrows which are very rare in our back garden although often seen on house tops and gutters. 

So results as follows:

5 woodpigeons

1 collared dove

3 blackbirds

3 greenfinches

1 goldfinch

1 magpie

1 robin

1 dunnock

2 house sparrows

1 bluetit

1 goldcrest

11 species and 20 birds