Only a Winter's Tale

As we say in Scotland "it has been a very dreich winter this year" with lots of wind and rain and very grey skies. Subsequently I have not been out and about as much as usual.
It isn't that I am getting too lazy to throw on my anorak and get out there, it's just that on the odd occasion I have ventured out there hasn't been much to see. The strong south-westerlies  and the rain has put off a lot of the migrants from visiting us, especially those from Scandinavia. I haven't seen one Fieldfare or Redwing and birds like Brambling and Waxwing seem almost non-existing in my local area.
This however hasn't stop me from birding............... I just do it even more locally................ from my kitchen window as a matter of fact. So I will now bore (or delight) you with some of the characters who have ventured in to my back garden. First up is a little gem of a bird, often seen flitting about in the undergrowth and hence very difficult to photograph......... ladies and gentleman I give you the Wren:

Wren on Birch Tree

Hanging Upside-Down

Upside-Down Again

That's Better

I even managed to capture this Wren on video (no mean feat):

At the other end of the size scale is everybody's favourite (not) the elegant Woodpigeon........... or as some birders call them, Goshawk Fodder.

The Woodpigeon

Did Someone Say Goshawk

You lookin' at me?

I won't show you a video of a Woodpigeon, simply because they are always either chasing each other to mate, or actually mating!
Here instead are two of their prettier (and slimmer) cousins, a pair of Collard-doves............. (being watched curiously by a Robin):

Do you want more Robin pics?
Okay you win:

From the Side

Face the Front

That's it! We have the Xmas card photo.

I have to confess that these Robin photos were not taken in my back yard but during one of my rare trips out this winter. They were taken at Pepper Wood near Kirkliston using my old steam-powered Canon camera; and that was about the only bird I saw that day?
This Robin video was however taken in my back yard:

Another little bird that dots about the ground looking for scraps to eat is the Dunnock, which can often be seen below the bird feeder picking up bits of seed the other birds drop. When on the grass or under the tree it is surprisingly well camouflaged:

Dunnock on Grass

Dunnock, still on grass

It is quite an inconspicuous little bird, but it does have a great singing voice in springtime. Here is a little video of the Dunnock below the feeder (not singing):

A very thorough search for scraps I think!
Another regular ground feeder is the Blackbird, we often have two or three in our garden, and when there are two males they spend more time chasing each other than feeding:

Male Blackbird on Shed Roof

Male Blackbird on Decking

Male Blackbird below Feeder

Here is a short video of a Male Blackbird having an argument with a Starling, caught on my trail camera:

My money was always on the Starling; they usually have a few dozen friends around should they need to be called upon, as the following video demonstrates:

Different Blackbird at the Starling party this time, younger male, slightly browner and with less pronounced orange eye rings.
I love Starlings (probably told you that before) they are so full of character; they always check out the Starling nest box we have on the tree at the side of our house but seldom nest in it. They are great impressionists as well, I have heard them imitate Curlew, Buzzard and even car alarms. Here are a few snaps of some:

Starling on Nest Box

Starling in Tree

Starling on Bird Bath

Having a Drink

Checking for Blue Tits

The number of Starlings certainly swell in Winter, we often see flocks of 50 or 100 flying around the houses.
Another regular Winter visitor to our garden is the dainty Pied Wagtail, but we only see one or two of them. They don't usually visit us in the spring and summer months:

Pied Wagtail looking for food

Pied Wagtail n the grass

They are a bird that seems to be comfortable on the ground, walking around looking for insects or scraps of food to eat, they soon fly away if you open the door though:

Another Winter visitor we can rely on is the Siskin, but we have only had one or two coming to the feeder this year:

Male Siskin on Feeder

Male Siskin on Apple Core Feeder

Male Siskin

It is hard to get a sense of scale from these photos; so if you have difficulty in distinguishing a Siskin from a Greenfinch (for example) this video probably is more helpful:

That's a male Greenfinch on the left and a female Siskin on the right if you are still not sure!
Here are both sexes of Siskin for comparison (with a female Chaffinch at the start):

I understand that Greenfinch numbers have been down in recent years, but we always have a healthy number of them visiting our feeders in Winter:

Two Male Greenfinch

With the dark mask around their eyes and a serious looking beak I always think they look quite menacing. They certainly are very protective of any seed they find:

Our feeders are quite well attended in the Winter months; by far the most populous bird we get on the feeders is the Goldfinch, there are usually about a dozen of so of these birds visiting at any one time:

Goldfinch on Feeder

Goldfinch waiting to get on Feeder

Still Waiting

Finally, a space is available on the Apple-core Feeder:

Space at the feeders is always hotly contested.......... when you finally get a perch you spend so much time defending it you never get a chance to eat.......... as this time lapse video taken on my trail camera demonstrates:

Some birds just bide their time and sneak in when all the others are scared off by someone passing by; such as this patient female Chaffinch:

Female Chaffinch waiting

Male Chaffinch on Feeder

House Sparrow on Feeder

Female Chaffinch still Waiting

She did eventually get some seed.
Well that's just about it for my Winter Tale, but I can't go without featuring our all year round regulars............. firstly the maniac of a Blue Tit that roosts in our birdbox and chases every bird (no matter what size) away from the feeder:

Blue Tit on Birch Tree

Are you in my territory!

Here he is patrolling his territory making sure no-one has sneaked in when his back was turned:

And the one you have all been waiting for........... Backyard Personality of the Year..................... Duncan the Carrion Crow (with Duncanson of course)

Duncan the Carrion Crow on Fence 

I am Duncanson actually!

And here they are in action with their award winning performance:

That's all Folks!!

cheers

Teddyedward