Fortunately, the Photo Tank is refilling thanks to readers, so we’re set for a while. (But keep the GOOD pix coming in!)
Today we have what the Brits call a “bumper edition,” thanks to reader/photographer John Pears:
In response to your reserves of photographs running low, I thought I’d share a few photos taken of the birds that visit my garden. I never tire of watching them squabble over feeders. None of the birds featured are rare but some are seldom visitors to gardens.
Starting with the finches – included are common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs), European greenfinch (Carduelis chloris) and the striking European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis). The larger greenfinch is the dominant feeder but tends to prefer the black sunflower, whereas the goldfinch prefer nyjer seed over which they squabble between themselves. I do occasionally see Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) in my garden but haven’t managed to photograph one yet.
Next are the tits including Blue (Cyanistes caeruleus), Great (Parus major), Coal (Periparus ater) and Long tailed (Aegithalos caudatus). Blue, Great and Coal will eat most things that are on offer whereas the long tailed tits which forage in large groups rarely visits the feeders.
The common European robin (Erithacus rubecula) forages on the floor and takes its turn on the feeders and occasionally the great spotted woodpecker (Dendrocopos major) will visit.
Although the smaller species tend not to be on its radar, the Eurasian sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) will occasionally visit the table, not with a House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), as its name might suggest, but typically with a blackbird (Turdus merula). However, only one of them is feeding!
All the spilled feed attracts a few mice which have become quite adept at joining the birds on the feeders!
[JAC: species unidentified; readers can help.]
Looks like a wood mouse ..
Apodemus sylvaticus
wood, garden, shed, garage…everywhere there’s seed mouse!
Or possibly the closely related Apodemus flavicollis, the Yellow-necked mouse? I believe you have them in Britain, although I am not sure how widespread they are. They’re rather hard to tell apart I think.
I’m too far north for that species. wood mouse would be my guess
🐭
Awww look at how cute the mouse is!
And the finches are…what, chopped liver?
b&
No but mice are often disliked and need extra “awws”.
I think Baihu likes mousies. Does that count?
b&
That’s Baihu’s way of liking mice. My way is different. 🙂
Mousies are very nutricious, especially when you include the bones. Remember afarlet Mowat’s eating them in Never Cry Wolf?
Ancient Romans ate them dipped in honey.
Is there anything ancient Romans didn’t dip in honey?
b&
Martyrs and apostles?
I wouldn’t at all put it past the Romans to dip them in honey, too….
b&
The garum.
I dunno…I’d still expect some enterprising chef to try some sort of sweet / savory sauce with the two….
b&
The Roman taste in food was atrocious. They didn’t even have coffee for crying out loud!
Probably no tea, either, I’d guess.
…probably explains why they never conquered Ethiopia nor China….
b&
Yeah, a whole civilization with no stimulants.
Well…they did have honey….
b&
Wonder how similar garum is to Thai nam pla?
I dunno, but the way it was made creeps me out. A bunch of slaves dumping dead fish in a barrel & leaving it out in the sun. Yuck, I bet maggots grew in it.
Wonder if they also shot the fish in the barrel…
Only the Republicans did that, I think….
b&
Love that poster! Still got a giant version stored in the basement. Too many bookshelves to hang it on a wall…
I think the dislike stems from the amount of seed they get through. If you’re a subsistence farmer (which obviously I’m not!)they take lots of food out of your families mouths.
Also they are dirty as they pee where they eat and they spread the hunta virus.
yes..I’m not a fan even though they can look quite cute..
Great pictures! This is always a bright spot in my mornings.
I notice in the robin that the principle adaptation for perching comes from having a rotated toe, which looks to be the 1st (innermost) toe. Look at the size of the sickle claw on that toe!
Of course that made me think about Dromaeosaurs, which are the dinos with the killer claw on their hind feet. The big claw that they had comes from the 2nd toe, which was not rotated, as can be seen here in this feathered example:
Deinonychus.So it looks like these guys were not big on perching in trees… :/
Well, back to grading papers.
fascinating observation. From my observations I would say that the robin perches a lot but probably not quite as much the finches and tits and they don’t spend much time on the floor, unlike the robin. The robin is a member of the thrush family but its rear claw is more well developed that other thrushes. Even compared to the woodpecker, which spends long periods grasping onto tree trunks, its claw rear is impressive. I wonder if it is because the robin is a very territorial critter which can be quite a fearsome fighter…it can be induced into attaching a mock robin!
I think that you’re right – the rotated toe in perching birds is the hallux – first toe.
Wow, you have quite the variety of birds in your garden. I wonder if the variety grows with the variety of feeders and feed. Perhaps in spring I’ll get a couple feeders and see what comes our way. I’ve been meaning to get a hummingbird feeder for some time now, but it always slips my mind. Darn mind.
that’s just a selection but we don’t get humming birds
Minor clarification for non-Brits: it’s greenfinch then chaffinch.
Ah, wonderful pictures, John!
Coincidentally I’ve recently started watching international feeder cams, creating a “virtual” lifelist, and thus I’ve just learned to recognize Blue and Great Tits, and Chaffinches. So exciting!
thanks, the images are actually reversed between the green and chaffinches. the greenfinch is the green one!
I figured that out ALL by myself. 😀
Just got the chaffinch 2 days ago, and am looking forward to the green. Here’s hoping I get the rest of those in your lovely pictures. They’re most helpful!