Wednesday, January 20
22 comments:
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Lovely photos, I enjoy seeing blackbirds in the garden. They look so comical when they run! x
ReplyDeleteThey do look comical, Jo.I like how they stamp on the ground to simulate rain so that the birds so that the worms can pop their heads out to be snatched. The worms hold on to their holes very tightly though so the blackbird doesn't always win the battle. I also like how they cock their heads on one side listening for any movement in the grass or just underground.
DeleteLovely images, Sue. I do so love to watch the Blackbirds chase each other and forage in my garden too. I'm sure I've seen them watching the blue tits at the seed feeders too as some can negotiate the feeder perches (albeit briefly touching down some of the time).
ReplyDeleteWe aren't seeing the usual Goldfinch groups either - just a solitary one at present coming in with the growing Chaffinch groups. At least, they don't appear when I'm watching ;-)
I do hope last years miserable summer didn't cause problems for goldfinches, Shirley.
DeleteThey are very attractive. The closest thing we have must be the North American robin which is also a thrush and although a different colour from your blackbird, it is the same size and behaves just the same way.
ReplyDeleteOur European robin is also a thrush, Alain but it is much smaller than a blackbird. We also have a little bird called at dunnock that is also a member of the thrush family.
DeleteBlackbirds do a good job clearing up garden bugs, unfortunately they also flick soil about everywhere (usually on the path) while they dig about in pots and flower beds looking for these bugs! As the soil has hardly been frozen so far this year, they've already left craters everywhere, usually they at least wait until spring to make a big mess. Magpies also make a terrible mess pulling off moss from roofs to get at the bugs underneath and for some reason we've got 'flocks' of magpies about this year.
ReplyDeleteThe blackbirds don't really cause a problem in our garden S and D. They do sometimes turf moss out of the gutters but that's easily sorted out. They tend to prefer to forage in the leaves and under the shrubs. They will also forage in the perennial borders but rarely do any sort of damage.
DeleteBlackbirds are amongst my least favourite birds! They are so destructive. I have to protect all my small plants because if I don't the Blackbirds dig them up in their search for insects. They sing nicely though...
ReplyDeleteOur blackbirds must be better behaved than yours, Mark. Just think as well of all the slugs and snails that they devour. Surely that is also something to like as well as that sounds.
DeleteThe blackbird is so perfect in that first photo, I initially thought it was fake! I'm with Mark, though - blackbirds are a bit of nuisance, not so much in the garden as with other birds. They scare the smaller birds away & then proceed to make a mess of the feeders - a weeks worth of bird food is scattered every which way in a matter of hours.
ReplyDeleteIt tends to be the flocks of starlings that scatter food and cause ammess around our bird table, Margaret. The blackbirds tend to make a good job of clearing up underneath. We have quite a few different feeding areas in the garden so there is space for everyone to have a meal without falling out.
DeleteAs for the perfect blackbird in the top photograph, what you can't see in among the leaves is that he has a poorly foot.
We have similar bird here. They are big nuisance....
ReplyDeleteNot as bad as monkeys though, Malar
DeleteI love to see all the birds in the garden, we are blessed with plenty of Goldfinches and had a first visit from a Red Poll the other day. Blackbirds may scratch around a little, we have a Badger regularly visit the garden, now they can make a mess!
ReplyDeleteHi Brian - we had a redpoll visit just the once a year or two ago. Much as I'd love to see a badger - I don't think that I'd want one n the garden
DeleteWonderful photos, I especially like the second one. I'm just not patient enough to get good wildlife photos, though I got bought a remote for my camera for Christmas so I'm going to set up the tripod and wait for some birds to land on the window feeder and see how I do with that. The window feeder's brilliant, I get all sorts of birds using it and the great thing is that you get to see them up close.
ReplyDeleteI don't tend to ne patient either, Jo. Some people sit in hides for ages not us - we pop in wait for 15 minutes or so and if there us nothing to watch we walk on.
DeleteWE get lots in the garden form the house window as the feeders are fairly close but it's tricky missing the diamond leading. We didn't think photography when we had it installed.
What great photos especially the second photo, I love seeing blackbirds in my garden, and especially when they are singing at dusk.
ReplyDeleteGlad that they have another fan, Anna.
DeleteHa!!! Just LOVE it!xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Dina
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