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RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2009

My list for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch:

Blue tit 3
Great tit 2
Long-tailed tit 2

Chaffinch 2

Robin 2
Dunnock 1

Magpie 1
Carrion crow 4

Green woodpecker 1

Town pigeon 4
Woodpigeon 2

Sparrowhawk 1

Which is basically pretty rubbish — it was very quiet today — but is livened up by a couple of decent species: sparrowhawk, which is increasingly common around here but by no means something I see in the garden often, and green woodpecker, which it turns out I have seen once before on a BGBW, but was still pleasing.

Most ridiculous gap on that list: blackbird. I mean, come on. Almost as surprising, no ring-necked parakeet.

Lots of possibles that didn’t show: wren, goldcrest, goldfinch, nuthatch, coal tit, great-spotted woodpecker.  The garden has been weirdly short of birds for the past two or three years, though. We used to have lots of starlings: I’ve seen about two this year. Same with greenfinches. There used to be lots more chaffinches. I haven’t seen siskin this year.

I don’t know why this is true, but it’s faintly depressing. Ho-hum.

2 replies on “RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 2009”

During 7.30- 8.30 period I saw in my garden in BS48 3RW
10 longtailed tits
5 blue tits
1 great tit
5 blackbirds ( 1F, 4M)
4 robins
5 goldfinches
3 dunnocks
4 Jackdaws perching – Imnumerable jackdaws passing overhead
1 rook perching – ” ” ” ”
3 pigeons

Ooh, Bristol, I used to live in Bristol. Nice part of the country.

I wish we had jackdaws in London; they’re one of my favourite birds.

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