Sunday 27th January 2024 - RSPB Garden Birdwatch.

 

My garden long and narrow.

Friday the 26th to Sunday the 27th was allotted as the RSPB Garden Birdwatch dates. This year the Friday and Saturday were out for me and Sunday I only had an hour between 11.30 and 12.30pm and as it turned out a very poor hour for me. Most years I can normally see 15+ house Sparrows, about 4 Blue Tits, 3 Blackbirds, a Robin, Dunnock, Jackdaw, Magpie and Woodpigeon. And maybe every other day Collared Dove and Great Tit also seen this year but never regular Carrion Crow, Goldfinch, Coal Tit and Wren. BUT since early December I have had a male Blackcap who is a real bully and chases off most of the smaller birds that visit even its own species both male and female. So my list for this year reads:-

Magpie 2

Jackdaw 2

Dunnock 1

Blackbird 5

Woodpigeon 2

Blackcap (m) 1

House Sparrow 2

Great Tit 1

The 5 Blackbird was the only highlight with a record garden count, but 8 species and 16 birds was a very poor count as usually House Sparrows alone would be as many if not more.

 

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