The insistent call of a Coal Tit from just outside the bedroom window was a reminder that it is Big Garden Birdwatch weekend, and that we’d better get watching. So while Alan was out in the cold checking the seas for Surf Scoter, Ruth propped herself up in the window armed with a cup of tea, binoculars and notebook. Still convalescing from her operation, it was the ideal kind of birdwatching.
Living in a flat in the centre of Llandudno, we only have a small area we can technically call a garden, but with the aid of some thick ivy cover, berry-bearing bushes, budding trees and a good supply of various bird feeders, we’re doing what we can to encourage small birds into the area, beyond the ubiquitous Herring Gulls and Jackdaws. So, as it called from the top of the tree, Coal Tit was first on our BGBW list, swiftly followed by a pair of Blue Tits. Until today, we’ve only noticed female Chaffinches but a pair of handsome males flew in this morning, though they need a lot more practice on the bird feeder if they’re to match her skill. A scattering of sunflower hearts and mealworms on the ground enticed a pair of Blackbirds, a Robin and a Song Thrush out from the cover of the ivy. Star of our humble list was a male Blackcap, who vigorously defended ‘his’ fat feeder from approaches by the larger Chaffinches, and who also tucked into the red fruit of an ornamental shrub.
It’s amazing how quickly an hour can pass when you’re absorbed in the comings and goings of birds, intent on feeding as quickly as they can. Thirteen species in total, not massive, but an improvement on last year and a new target to beat for 2011, and all useful information for the RSPB.
So if you’ve taken part in the Big Garden Bird Watch, don’t forget to send in your results to make up the picture of our garden birds today.