Nice People Thread No. 14, all Nice and Proper

lostinrates

ukcarper wrote: »

I know it's surprising what can turn up in a garden I live in surburban area not to far from open countryside and water. Never had a kingfisher in my garded but then no pond etc must have been really nice. I get most of normal garden birds and like you bullfinch(lovely bird) but I've also had abuzzard, redpoll, reed bunting. Funnily enough I rarely get house sparrows or starlings.

I think, but not sure, that king fishers are drawn to running water/ real ponds over garden ponds? I'm no bird watcher, but its hard to take a kingfisher for granted. They are one of the most beautiful birds in this country IMO. Not just for looks, but flight pattern etc.

Buzzards are pretty much daily here, ( near very large hunting ground for them) and frankly, a bit of a pita at times.

The smaller bop I'm not good at, but we get a couple of different types.

Starlings aren't that popular with farmers. They puncture silage and haylage wrappers. They love our horrid apple tree though, and they are incredible to see. I adore them. Its like a different world when they move.


We have rooks too, for got them. And crows and magpies . Its like a corvid society. Its taken the rooks a long time to want to visit.

lostinrates

ukcarper wrote: »

On the subject of moles my back lawn has been ruined by a mole tried everything to move him on but couldn't gave up and he went eventually.

Cats . My cat moves moles on tremendously effectively. But they must taste vile as not a member of the beast family will eat them.

ukcarper

lostinrates wrote: »

Cats . My cat moves moles on tremendously effectively. But they must taste vile as not a member of the beast family will eat them.

Haven't got a cat but neighbours cat used to sit by mole hills ready to pounce but never saw him catch one possible he could have though. I agree with kingfishers fantastic birds.

lemonjelly

I don't know too many species of birds, to my shame. I don't know if that is my ignorance, or generational. Speaking with a few slightly older friends, they seem to know a lot more species than I.

I have magpies who pretty much live in trees at the bottom of the garden. A lot of pigeons drink from the pond. A lot of Crows & Blackbirds also frequently drop by.

I've mentioned the robins, and having put a bird feeder in a tree lower down the garden have seen tits feeding themselves.

I'm sure there are others, but I just don't know them.

I've seen a fox drinking out of the pond too. Not seen anything else, however last owner left some coconut bird feeders, & larger birds broke the string. Whilst on the floor the coconuts have been nibbled. Unsure if that's rats, mice, hedgehogs, or something else?

I've a decent sized garden. Not far from me is a park, & behind the park is a reservoir.

lemonjelly

Spammers seem to be hitting the forum big style at the moment.

lostinrates

lemonjelly wrote: »

I don't know too many species of birds, to my shame. I don't know if that is my ignorance, or generational. Speaking with a few slightly older friends, they seem to know a lot more species than I.

r.

I only know what I know, if you see what I mean. We have some small brown birds I just think of as 'small brown birds'. . You can see, if they are close enough some things to distinguish them, for example, do they have a finch beak or whatever. But looking up various small brown birds is for me, not so fun. If I am trying to work out what ELSE is living here! like what those small brown birds are eating.....then maybe. But otherwise, not to bothered

Some places I have lived have been some really enchanting birds, and some of those were misplaced wanderers too, like south east parakeets. ( I'd love some of them:o). But I miss things like humming birds. I also miss fireflies.

We get dragon/damsel flies down by the cake, but it miss them near the house. I like the colours.

lostinrates

lemonjelly wrote: »

Spammers seem to be hitting the forum big style at the moment.

Yes, well. I had to get a new hobby.

ukcarper

I've always been interested in birds but only started birdwatching more seriously 20 years ago. I'm pretty good on more common birds now but I can still find in difficult with some small brown birds, some bigger birds also. I find it very enjoyable cheap and takes me to some very nice parts of country.

lostinrates

ukcarper wrote: »

I've always been interested in birds but only started birdwatching more seriously 20 years ago. I'm pretty good on more common birds now but I can still find in difficult with some small brown birds, some bigger birds also. I find it very enjoyable cheap and takes me to some very nice parts of country.

You even speak like them! .

I can see its a great hobby for those who like it. We keep a bird identifier on the window sil, but the pictures on that or the rspb on line ones often do not match up with who I see / how I see things.

ukcarper

lostinrates wrote: »

You even speak like them! .

I can see its a great hobby for those who like it. We keep a bird identifier on the window sil, but the pictures on that or the rspb on line ones often do not match up with who I see / how I see things.

Yes I can see it's not for everyone.


I find videos a bit better that books plenty on youtube.