Thursday 16 May 2013

New Birds in the Garden

The other day, this redpoll appeared in the garden.  He/she seemed very tame compared to all but the siskins.  We were thrilled, as it's the first redpoll we'd ever seen coming to our feeders.

Then, on Monday, we saw this bird.  At first we thought it was a thrush which had shrunk in the rain, but we sent the picture to The Raptor and he identified it as a twite.  This means we've had two new birds in the garden within a week.

New birds aren't common here.  We were very excited when we saw a greater spotted woodpecker back in July 2011- see post here - but he didn't stay long.  Since then, we've had the usual crew.

Then, on Tuesday, this pair of birds came down to enjoy some of the seed we put on the terrace wall - the wire is to keep the larger, greedier birds away.  The one on the left looks like a twite again, but the one on the right has a very distinct, pinkish breast.  Is it also a twite?
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9 comments:

  1. Anonymous16 May 2013 at 11:36

    We have had a redpoll and a blackcap feeding on the nuts this week as well. New ones to us at Holly Cottage!! We've also seen what looks like a sparrow but with siskin back and tail yellow markings??? One confused bird???

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    Replies
    1. Anonymous16 May 2013 at 14:24

      Not a female greenfinch perhaps?

      Delete
    2. Anonymous16 May 2013 at 15:39

      No - it has a male sparrows dark brown/grey/fawn head and dark bib. Only the lower back and tail with bright yellow markings.

      Delete
  2. Jon16 May 2013 at 12:28

    Haven't seen a blackcap for years.

    Do we have some sort of strange interbreeding happening here on West Ardnamurchan? Or explosive speciation brought about by global wetting?

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  3. s16 May 2013 at 14:13

    I thought we had a redpoll in the garden the other day but today having a good look I am now convinced the now two of them are linnets. What an abundance of garden birds this year.

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  4. Julie16 May 2013 at 14:28

    According to the book I have - (RSPB Handbook of Scottish Birds) the male linnet has crimson patches on breast so perhaps they are linnets? Some visitors to our campsite reported seeing a linnet last year.

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  5. tim from suffolk16 May 2013 at 19:31

    hi john, i think id on redpoll ok but the other 3 are male ,female linnets regards tim

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  6. Jon16 May 2013 at 19:44

    I can't believe this - three new birds in the garden within a week. What's going on?

    Many thanks for everyone's help in identification.

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  7. Anonymous16 May 2013 at 22:55

    Redpol looks like the one on my feeder. The visitors in the caravan next to the feeder think it is a juvenile lesser Redpoll. This years? fledgling which is why it is so tame or young and stupid! There were three Redpoll at the start of the week.
    TP

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