Two months later

My last post was 19th July and on the 20th I saw my first juvenile greenfinch. On 18th August there were two one at at least one has been an on and off visitor since then. My last post also mentioned a blue tit. He returned on 7th, 18th and 27th August and there were three on the 31st. I've seen one or two most days in September.

Not the best photos I'm afraid. I also saw a Great Tit yesterday, the first definite sighting in the garden, though I do mention one back in November. And on 9th September I also saw a Coal Tit.

7th September was another first for me with this warbler. I'm recording it as a Chiffchaff but it could be a Willow Warbler. It was darting about the silver birch (the pink and purple flowers are malva), hedge and next door's leylandii after insects.

Two more juveniles: I spotted the dunnock whilst watching a juvenile greenfinch on the 8th as it flew down from the hedge. To be honest I wasn't even sure if it was a bird or just a falling leaf seen out the corner of my eye and I had to go upstairs for a better look. Eventually it popped out from under the marigolds for a confirmation photo. This one was taken a few days later. The wood pigeon was presumably with a parent because I find the woodies very nasty to each other and other birds.

I haven't seen a blackbird in the garden since 17th August but on the 2nd one was still collecting food, presumably for its young. I was outside when this one came down. I don't think he could get any more in his beak. The same day a young starling also came down and this was even closer.

I'm now getting quite a lot of goldfinches, usually one to three of various ages, some adults, some juveniles with no red and some with a bit - I guess late and early broods. I don't normally see this many at once.

However I am now getting plenty of starlings, especially when I first put the food down in the morning. One Friday I was out near the top of the garden and saw dozens on my roof. I only had my mobile and a very poor photo showed a possible 90, with easily 10 or 20 more on neighbouring pairs of semi-detached houses. On the Saturday I spotted those 150 or so gathering together before flying of for their evening roost.

Three birds I haven't mentioned yet are the robin (saw one on 10th August), the collared doves (still get quite a few) and house sparrows (have had up to 30 and they're always around).