Well, it's not every month you clock three life ticks. But April was such a month for me.
Following the red-legged partridges and siskins from April 1, I've also seen my first ever greenfinches. All of these in my own back garden!
Most excitingly of all, the siskins and greenfinches have become regular visitors to my bird feeder. Even the partridges have made a return once or twice.
It just goes to show that keeping your bird feeder topped up pays dividends in the long run, as birds come to realise you're a reliable food source.
Here's to April!
Monday, 29 April 2013
Sunday, 7 April 2013
Not an April Fools
I was shocked and delighted on the morning of 1 April when I looked out of the kitchen window and saw this creature wandering round the garden.
I hadn't the first clue what it was, but fortunately it was very easy to identify from a bird book: a red-legged partridge. I'd never heard of it before!
But what a remarkable bird! It pecked at the ground and then a second one followed it into the garden. I chanced my luck and headed outside to take pictures.
It stood for a while on this tree stump.
Then it spotted me and it and its companion quickly headed off.
I texted my mum immediately to let her know and she assumed it was an April Fools! You just can't win! Good job I've got the photographic evidence ;)
As if that wasn't enough, I spotted two interesting looking birds on the feeder in the afternoon that I immediately knew I hadn't seen before. I didn't find them easy to ID but they stayed on the feeder for ages so eventually I was able to confirm they were siskins.
I couldn't get a decent picture. This was the best I managed - you can just make out a little bird bang in the centre of this photo. I promise you it's a siskin.
Two life ticks in one day! What a start to April.
 |
| Red-legged Partridge [April 2013] |
I hadn't the first clue what it was, but fortunately it was very easy to identify from a bird book: a red-legged partridge. I'd never heard of it before!
But what a remarkable bird! It pecked at the ground and then a second one followed it into the garden. I chanced my luck and headed outside to take pictures.
It stood for a while on this tree stump.
 |
| Red-legged Partridge [April 2013] |
Then it spotted me and it and its companion quickly headed off.
I texted my mum immediately to let her know and she assumed it was an April Fools! You just can't win! Good job I've got the photographic evidence ;)
As if that wasn't enough, I spotted two interesting looking birds on the feeder in the afternoon that I immediately knew I hadn't seen before. I didn't find them easy to ID but they stayed on the feeder for ages so eventually I was able to confirm they were siskins.
I couldn't get a decent picture. This was the best I managed - you can just make out a little bird bang in the centre of this photo. I promise you it's a siskin.
 |
| Siskin [April 2013] |
Two life ticks in one day! What a start to April.
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