In anticipation of the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch, Warren Baker takes us through a trial run of this weekend’s great birding event with an hour’s vigil at his window.
You can follow his usual sitings, photos and tips for setting up bird feeders at his Pittswood Birds blog.
Warren's Great Spotted Woodpecker
Photo by Warren Baker
The dummy run
Its that time of year again! The RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch! Today I thought I’d have a dummy run, so my feeders were re-stocked last night in anticipation.
These include the large 12 port tube feeder, and the smaller 6 port tube feeder, both filled with sunflower hearts (these are by far the best for attracting a large number of species in my opinion), also on offer are 3 different peanut feeders, and two fat squares, I also threw out a handful of peanuts, just in case a Jay turns up, and some old bits of cheese (not a good idea to put whole peanuts out during the breeding season though, as fledglings can choke on them if the adult birds take them back to the nest!)
So what visited me during my hour’s vigil? (the peak numbers of individual species are in brackets following the species ).
Blue Tits were the first to visit the bird feeders
Photo by Warren Baker
Well my dummy run was carried out mid afternoon, and as I settled down at the window, I could see that the Blue Tits (9) and Great Tits (4) were dashing to and from the Sunflower hearts, where there were a mixture of Goldfinch (6) and Greenfinch (12) sitting feeding. A Dunnock (1) was scurrying under the shrubs, and Robins (3) picked at dropped food from the fat squares, this was dropped by the Starling (1) that was feeding on them.
Collared Doves (6) came and went throughout the hour of watching, as did a flock of Chaffinch (11) they feed very nervously in my garden, as it is well used by a pair of Sparrowhawks, but they didn’t show up today. A Nuthatch (1) came in for a few minutes and fed on the peanuts, a favoured place also for the Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) which stayed for some time. It’s disappointing to only have recorded 3 House Sparrows, their numbers have declined here. It took three quarters of the hour before I got a Blackbird (1) on the list, a nice handsome male came and took some of the cheese, and the last two species just squeezed into the allotted hour, both Jackdaw (2) and Magpie (1) came in to finish up the cheese.
A nuthatch stopped for some peanuts
Photo by Warren Baker
So my dummy run produced 15 species, not bad at all, although the Coal Tit could have shown up, as could of the Woodpigeon as they are both regulars, maybe they will show up on the big day itself!
Warren blogs at Pittswood Birds.
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Hi again, Warren
Envious of your dummy run here – I consider doing this every year but haven’t yet. Mid afternoon is the time I’m considering for my count too. Hopefully we won’t’ get a Sparrowhawk visit. They always seem to time their visits 10 mins into mine.
This is a brilliant idea to show how the count can go for those new to joining in. I plan to do mine tomorrow and have put out extra foods like mealworms today to bring in more visitors tomorrow. I plan to put out grated cheese too. You made a good point re whole peanuts during the breeding season too.
You certainly have a well-stocked garden in feeders, food choices and visiting birds! I can’t imagine a woodpecker in my garden – great photo there. However, it is the nuthatch that I’m really jealous of – they aren’t up my way. Enjoy your official count