Friday 27 November 2009

Friday at the (Silent) Flicks

Until recently I had always seen Blackbirds around in the gloom before Sunrise. When checking the recordings from the video camera which monitors the ground feeder it was quite a surprise to find the earliest and latest visitor was in fact a Robin.



Now is the time of year when some windfalls from one of next doors apple trees fall in my garden. I decided to slice one up and put the pieces on the ground feeder to see which birds would be interested. There was only one taker. A Blackbird sampled them on several occasions.



Normally the Collared Doves are quite timid and don't bother the other birds but this one was quite different. There was no way any other bird was going to share its breakfast for very long..




Have a great weekend observing the wildlife around you. Take care - I heard several reports of accidents on black ice on the roads in Lincolnshire this morning.

14 comments:

  1. Hi John

    We've really enjoyed watching the robin, the blackbird and the collared dove and sparrows tuck in to all the goodies on your feeding tray. The red breast of the robin is very striking and the blackbird seems oblivious to all when he's feeding on the apples. We're glad that the lurking cat seems to have taken a holiday...

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  2. Hello Twosie. Pleased you enjoyed the video clips. I think the cat visits most nights and sometimes hides under next doors bushes but Bobby and the Cat Gard seem to keep it away during the day.

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  3. That's cheered me up John, sad though it is I look forward to Fridays and the films. As entertaining as always, thanks.

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  4. Great videos again John. I have noticed the Robin is usually the latest visitor to my garden and I often hear it singing in one of the trees when there is not enough light to see it. I wouldn't know about very early morning though ;)

    The Dove was being bossy, they usually seem very placid.

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  5. Great Friday entertainment, as usual!

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  6. Lovely videos as always John. Your Robin is an early riser like my garden one. Just after 4 a.m. I hear his 'ticking' call, as though he's patrolling the garden.
    That Blackbird is really enjoying his apple for breakfast.

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  7. My pleasure Adrian. It's nice to know that other people like looking at them.

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  8. Thank you Wilma. There always seems to be something going on to film.

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  9. Thank you Keith. My goodness your Robin is an early riser. I had heard that Blackbirds liked apple so I thought I would try it out.

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  10. Really interesting to have a video camera that offers another eye view of the going's on. Just think of all the sights you'd miss otherwise! Lovely to see a robin start off the day. The collared dove was certainly making sure it had the food table monopolized ~ I think it might have flown off if a bigger bird, like a blackbird came by, though. It probably doesn't take too much courage to peck at a sparrow ...

    Got a kick out of your magpie silly walk ~ brings back all sorts of Monty Python skits! Hilarious!

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  11. Hello Glo. I had hoped to see more night wildlife with the camera. There have been foxes around the gardens in the past and I thought there might be the occasional little furry creatures that some people catch with buckets ;)

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  12. Thank you Jan. This morning was the first time this end of the year I heard a Robin singing at first light.

    It was unexpected behaviour form the Collared Dove.

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  13. Hi again John, great videos and a good set up you have there being able to record action when you’re not there to see it. It must be great to fast forward/rewind the action to see what you’ve captured.

    Funnily enough I might have guessed the robin would have been an early/late visitor. Another to look out for (if you see them during the winter) is the blackcap. When we’ve had them they are out with the Robins and in many cases chasing them off!

    I have been putting quarters of apples out too and yes it’s the blackbirds that enjoy them here too. I’ve also got a couple on my obelisk again and it is also a hit. I’ve seen a starling and blue tit take apple from the obelisk during the cold of winter but after the blackbirds it is the blackcap that loves them here.

    Thanks, enjoy your weekend too :-D

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  14. Hello Shirl. The pictures should be clearer than they are at the moment. They are much sharper on my main monitor but various PC processing always degrades them to some extent. It is useful as the recorder starts when it detects movement though that includes moths, leaves and rain drops but it cuts down how much I have to scan through.

    I must 'obtain' some more apples as several neighbours seem to just let them fall and rot. Many years since I last went scrumping ;)

    I have never seen a Blackcap so I must keep a look out this winter.

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Thank you for visiting. Hope you enjoyed the pictures. Any comment, or correction to any information or identification I get wrong, is most welcome. John

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