Sunny garden birds

What a difference a bit of sun makes! For the past few days, if not weeks, the sun has been quite `shy` to say the least, but over the past few days the sun has been shining and the world has seemed a slightly better place.

The photo`s below were taken in my little back garden in Peterborough and whilst the number of species isn`t great, I think the detail shown in the photo`s is pretty pleasing. Ofcourse, the fact that the sun is shining helps with the light!

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

It is hard to believe that 25 years ago the Goldfinch was a rare visitor to gardens in Britain, but now, with the availability of feeders aimed at them (the nyjer seed feeders), they are quite a common sight across the country. This is a gorgeous looking bird that is also known locally as the `Redcap`, for obvious reasons.

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

All photo`s digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30

Garden Birds

With work being pretty non-existent at the moment due to the weather, I am taking solace in the fact that this cold snap is drawing more birds to my little back garden in Peterborough.
The number of finches has risen in the last few days with Chaffinches being the most numerous, then Goldfinches and then Greenfinches and then today I had my own pair of Bullfinches, if only briefly!

It is pleasing to see that there is still a fair number of Greenfinches and they do not seem to be showing any signs of the disease TRICHOMONOSIS, which is caused by a microscopic parasite which lives in the upper digestive tract of the bird and its actions block the birds` throat, which leads to the bird being unable to swallow. The bird then dies from starvation. The Greenfinch is the species most commonly effected, but all finches can contract the disease and also House Sparrows and Collared Doves.

There are also high numbers of Blue, Great and Long-tailed tits visiting regularly, with Long-tailed tits feeding mostly on the fat balls, whilst the other birds seem to go for the sunflower hearts.

I do feed the wild birds a wide range of food from a number of feeders dotted around the garden which I am making sure are being kept topped up whilst the arctic wind keeps blasting our shores. It will help the birds survive the winter.

Male Bullfinch

Male Chaffinch

Goldfinch

Blue Tit

Great Tit

Robin

Blackbird

Greenfinch

Greenfinch

All digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30