Courting in the garden is now in full swing. The Redpolls are the loudest and most boisterous. Around 20-30 Redpolls come and make use of the feed and there is a lot going on. The males are constantly fighting and trying to get the attention of the females. Many of them now boast a pink chest and the red patch on their forehead easily catches one’s attention where ever they go.
The Redpolls gather round the feeding tray and we make sure there are enough sunflower seeds for everyone. We haven’t had so many Redpolls in the garden since January. Where did they go? We don’t know but this morning there have been more than one hundred.
They woke us early this morning because they are louder and fighting among themselves, a sign that it is almost spring.
In the last few days temperatures have been dropping and snowfall on and off everyday. We are waiting for spring and hoping for a summer this year. Last year summer was a total letdown so we do not know what to expect but we are full of hope. The photoes are taken this morning.
This Merlin lady is a daily guest in the garden. She preys on the small birds and tries to catch them unawares. The Redpolls are her favourites but she also makes do with Snow Buntings and Starlings.
There were around 50 Redpolls here today. These photoes are taken in the garden, February 26.
This winter the Redpolls in the garden have been from around 40 up to 100. This one posed so peacefully on a branch just outside the living room window.
In the lack of daylight in the last few weeks photographing birds in the garden has been difficult. Now the days are getting longer and it’s easier to get good photoes. Today I managed to take two rather nice photoes, if I say so myself, of a Common Crossbill and a Redpoll.
The birdlife in the garden has been very lively today.
This is a list of today’s birds:
For further information on the garden birds:
http://ornosk.com/weekly-bird-report/
It’s 12 days to Christmas and this little bird is so beautiful and tranquil in the snow. It seems that Redpolls are just made for these surroundings. –Remember to take time to relax and enjoy the little things in life.
When the weather gets colder small birds come in flocks to seek shelter in the the garden. In the last few days there have been more than one hundred Redpolls here.
There are at least seventy in the picture from yesterday, –eating sunflower seeds.
This weekend my students at the local secondary school are counting their garden birds. Of course I took part in this interesting project and counted the birds in my garden in the hours between 11 and 12 am. I also took some photoes, but that goes without saying 😉
Weather: NE 12 m/sec, clear sky and temperature 0°C.
In this one hour I counted:
Redpolls 40
Starlings 27
Blackbirds 6
Chaffinches 4
Redwings 2
Blackcap 1
Nú um helgina eru nemendur mínir í FSu að telja garðfuglana sína. Ég tók að sjálfsögðu líka þátt í þessu skemmtilega verkefni og taldi garðfuglana mína á milli kl. 11:00 og 12:00 í morgun. Jafnframt tók ég myndir af nokkrum tegundum.
Niðurstaðan:
Auðnutittlingur 40
Stari 27
Svartþröstur 6
Bókfinka 4
Skógarþröstur 2
Hettusöngvari 1
In the winter time when it’s really cold outside the Redpolls come and eat from the palm of my hand. They like the seed blends you can buy for Canaries and Finches. You can usually buy them in grocery stores and pet stores.
Holding them in your hand gives you a very special feeling which is not easy to describe. You could say that I feel like I enjoy some privilege not everyone has access to. –It’s a wonderful feeling.