Well I've done my birdwatch. Some changes have inevitably happened since I did it last year. I'm not sorry to see the disappearance of most of the feral pigeons - we were inundated with them when we first arrived. I'm sadder to see this year there seems to be fewer sparrows & great tits. But equally we have some new faces, eg a pair of greenfinches, & the return of some who've not been around for a few years like the little wren with its jaunty stick up tail. Above all I'm pleased with the steady growth in blackbirds. When we first moved here I was shocked by the absence of any blackbirds or thrushes, but my abolition of slug pellets & a bit of healthy neglect seems to have encouraged them to move in. These days we also seem to have gained gulls. This is largely because the tip a mile or so away has now been largely filled in & has started to be landscaped, so they're having to find new feeding places. I find it all very interesting & a reflection of the health of the garden. Now I've only got to send my results off to the RSPB.
2 comments:
At least this year was better - last year was a null return chez moi! I'm not sure just how useful these surveys are as, even on a better day, the results in many ways did not reflect the range and variety of visitors we have. The only common ground was the preponderance of starlings!
I agree to some extent. Since I did the survey & sent off the results, all sorts of other visitors have appeared, including the detested feral pigeons. I even commented as much to the RSPB to this effect one year. They said it didn't matter as the birds will be in a neighbouring garden & counted there, which, to my mind, would be fine if everyone counted. Unfortunately I doubt all my neighbours have been involved in the count. The Vixen.
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