What's buzzing or flying near you 2025 ?

Indeed @Bluejayway - and no need to call in Inspector Barnaby to find the culprit!
We have so many small birds permanently in the garden, so I'm quite surprised there hasn't been a few taken, unless it's always happening when I'm out.
Maybe it's like the 'KitKat pandas'....

 

Yes, the Blackbirds do love them @fairygirl. The apple tree belongs to my neighbour and overhangs my garden wall. He picks very few and I'm not a lover of apples so there's plenty for the birds. I have a pear tree. It was loaded with fruit earlier on in the year but the Jackdaws strip it completely before the fruit develops properly.

 

A Chiffchaff made a brief appearance in the garden this morning, the second this Autumn, maybe on it's way to it's Wintering grounds in S Spain or Morocco.

 

Not buzzing nor flying quite yet, but this little chap cheered us up

I wanted to lift her from the gravel path to avoid accidents but The Child told me to leave her, she'll make it on her own.

 

That'll probably get eaten by birds before it gets anywhere @Selleri
Guess what I forgot to buy at the shops yesterday @Sheal ...
Interesting re the jackdaws. I've not noticed them eating apples on trees before and we have loads of jackdaws round here.
I don't really like apples either, but I had a craving for ones called Empire when I was pregnant. No idea why!
I bought a couple of apple trees for this garden which were meant to be cookers/Bramleys. They turned out to be not that, and constantly got scab, so I got rid. A pity. I've never thought about getting another, but it would be nice. Younger daughter used to like eating the leftover pieces of Bramleys when I made apple pie or crumble. Older one just ate the entire apple when she had them - including the core.

Gorgeous photos - as always @strongylodon . I think we have them around here, but never seen one in a garden.

 

Had a spotted wood pecker on the sunflower seeds yesterday, that's a first, they are rarely seen around here.

See a lot of the green ones in the park,but again never in the garden.

 

Don't tell the birds @fairygirl, you can pick them up next time.

They don't touch the apples, it's just the pears they swipe when they're about the size of a golf ball.

 

Apologies @Sheal - I misread your post. I thought the jackdaws were eating the apples. I don't see much in the way of pear trees round here, so haven't seen them chomping them. Must be something very tasty for them to eat those in preference to other fruits/berries etc. Funny how certain foods can appeal more than others to birds. We have such an abundance of fruits/berries round here that it's real 5 star restaurant facilities for the birds.
This year has been particularly good for many types, although the bullfinches stripped the Amelanchier very early. There were so many brambles that many of them just withered and died off because there was simply too much for the birds to eat. I should have collected more - still got some in the freezer.

I'll get those apples later in the week....

 

Not a problem @fairygirl. Confirming it's the Blackbirds that eat the apples and Jackdaws the pears.

Yes, there's been a lot of fruit/berries available for the birds this year, they've even taken those growing on ivy. They've not cleared my cotoneasters yet though.

 

We also have a huge variety and amount of berries of all types round here @Sheal , so there's still plenty on trees/shrubs. Cotoneasters are a very common shrub in this area too, and it's the same - still loads on them, in my garden and everywhere else generally. It's been very mild here, so birds have had a lot of choice.
Hasn't stopped them stuffing their wee faces at the feeders though! Always lovely to have them all coming in, so I'm not actually complaining

 

Avocet, Greenshank and Kingfisher, Brownsea Island.

 

Blashford Lakes (near Ringwood, Hampshire) today.


Heron.


Common Sandpiper.

 

Stocking up the pantry for winter…

Any ID on the spider and wasp would be appreciated. Is it a noble false widow (Steatoda nobilis)?

 

I've been noticing chiffchaffs in the birch trees lately @strongylodon. I think some of them are staying all winter now.

Here's a wren on my compost bin. Not the sharpest of shots, but I only had one chance through the window and then it flew back into the trees.

 

@Escarpment like Blackcaps, a small number overwinter but both are outnumbered by eastern European ones coming here for a milder Winter.