Over the last week our garden has been very busy. Considering that my garden observations are largely confined to early morning breakfast and brief garden watching sessions at the weekend, the number of different species seen on a regular basis is a good indication that out garden and the surrounding garden habitat (equivalent to about half a football pitch) is a rich source of food and shelter.
The family of four young Blue Tits, reared somewhere close by, have been in and around the garden for the past month and recently I have been seeing up to three at once on the black sunflower seed. A male Great Tit visits several times each day. A pair of Coal Tits have been around all year, but I have not seen young.
Greenfinches are ever present, but their numbers build up in the late summer and early autumn. House Sparrows have been sparse since July, but this morning there have been at least five after both the sunflower seed and the mixed seed. In the spring and summer a Chaffinch is often singing nearby, but it visits our garden seldom when I am watching. However I have seen it twice this week.
At 11:00 am today I was washing up and a Great Spotted Woodpecker landed on the shed roof briefly. This is the 31st bird seen in the garden in 20 years. The total for seen in and from our garden now stands at 55. I am sure that there will be some species that have passed through unnoticed. I do not have a niger seed feeder and I am tempted to invest for this winter to see if I can attract Redpolls and more Siskins.
If I ever get so old and frail that I become house bound, I will still be able to enjoy my birding.
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