Yesterday was the big day for the start of the RSPB's 'biggest garden party' when we were all requested to count all the birds that visited our gardens in the space of one hour. I duly started in late morning and after 20minutes I had one Blackbird and one Dunnock. Having given up I decided that the next day would be a better day to take part in the census so wandered up to the harbour mouth in late afternoon with my camera in the hope there might be a good sunset...it looked hopeful. After enjoying the various waders in the middle of the harbour feeding on the mudflats
I wandered along the beach when I noticed a drake Red Breasted Merganser on the shingle, preening. Not that unusual, but in the failing light he didn't seem to notice me and allowed a reasonably close approach. The light was poor so I changed my camera settings to 800ASA and managed to get a few reasonable shots.
So today it was back to the counting business in the garden. In the pouring rain during the early part of the morning the birds were feeding and after an hour I had managed 1 Magpie, 4 Dunnocks, 2 Blackbirds and 15 House Sparrows...a pathetic count compared to what I have seen in the garden on other days but the rules state we have to record the maximum number of birds of the various species seen during the selected hour.
If only I could have included birds seen from the window but not in the garden I would have a VERY good list including Knot (150) Great Crested Grebe (6) Mediterranen Gulls(35) Slavonian Grebe (3) and many more....but that wouldn't be permitted (or very useful for the purpose of the R.S.P.B.'s Garden Birdwatch).
1 comment:
Wow - lucky you to get such a great shot of a wonderful bird!! And yes, it's a pity there isn't a "seen from the garden" section.
Know what you mean about the Bird count. But I was luckier than usual this year - they actually appeared to be counted!!
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