What's buzzing or flying near you 2025 ?

Unlike Blackcaps though, Chiffchaffs are obligate insectivores so they can suffer here if the weather turns really cold. But those that manage to find a sewage works or farm slurry pit are more or less guaranteed food for the winter months.

 

We have continued to see the green woodpecker on the spartan apple tree. It lands, looks around and moves to a branch that has more apples on it. Then it starts pecking at one apple for some time and then flies off. Amazing. Maybe it goes to other apple trees but we haven't noticed.

 

A surprise visitor to the bird feeders today, a female Greater Spotted Woodpecker. I've heard them hammering in the trees around here but it's the first to visit the garden.

 

We often get the GSW at our feeders and then the youngsters also come later on. However they are so nervous and if we move in the kitchen they are off while the other birds on the feeders will still remain.

 

I miss all the birds @On the Levels. I lived rurally up until just over a year ago and had all kinds visiting the garden. Now it's mostly tits and finches.

 

@LunarSea nearly all the Chiffs I see in Winter are at sewerage works, including occasionally a Siberian.

 

Today's visitors, Siskin Goldfinch and Long Tailed Tit.

 

These gulls were making a racket on a neighbour's roof top. They usually nest against the chimney, completely undeterred by all the spikes.

 

I love gulls!, being so close to the coast we have hundreds flying over and several usually pause for a rest on the roof. Occasionally we have one or two in the garden

 

Can't stand the blessed things, noisy and dirty. Would be improved by a vow of silence or staying out at sea.
Did see a Peregrine take a young one while walking near here.

 

Taken last year

 

Wildlife can be such a pain can't it?

 

Awww!!!

 

I've experienced that - muddy noseprints on the glass!

 

I'm a good way inland, but we have a lot of urban gulls. In the summer there was one coming to the garden for mealworms every data, which he/she must have been taking back to the chicks. It's not easy balancing on the narrow fence with those big webbed feet, hence the wing action.

It made me think about how gulls and pigeons are characterised as "greedy" but they are actually filling their crops to feed the young. No bird can afford to be "greedy" because if they got too fat they wouldn't be able to get off the ground!