h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I filled our bird feeders yesterday. This morning I spotted:

Goldfinches (about 6)
Greenfinches (these are the first we've had for about 2 years)
Chaffinches (rare in our garden but common next door)
Bluetits
Sparrows
Woodpigeon
Feral pigeons
Starlings
Blackbird

Not a bad selection.

I know there are a robin, a coaltit and a wren out there somewhere as well, but I didn't see them today.

Here's a Robin (called Charlie Bird) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BTI0ajVWm7c

Yes, I've seen Charlie Bird.

I've often had robins land right beside me and look at me, and I always thought I could train them to land on my hand.

We had a really tame one the year before last that Dad thought would probably follow him into the house eventually. Unfortunately he seemed to end up as prey as one morning he never appeared. He actually used to sit on the window sills watching us inside the house until we went out to feed him.


Our garden birds have been depleted recently due to an increased number of sparrow hawks. Its a shame not to see so many of the song birds especially, but its a natural cause so we just have to accept it.

We've had a few more recently due to the snow, and the remaining birds have broken cover to come to visit the tables for easy food supplies.

Venus had a little friend who who sing to her, directly beside her, as she spread seeds, worm-feed, etc, for over 3 years. She does miss the visibly unique little lad now that he is gone. (I have seen brief video clips of himself at breakies, and with a lady-friend)

My dad recently put out some feeders hoping to attract more song birds rather than the ubiquitous house sparrows we're used to. Well the sparrows were quite happy with it. He occasionally sees the odd house finch and Carolina chickadee as well as the many pigeons and ring neck doves picking up the dropped seeds. He's now getting quite fond of the sparrows as they congregate in the bush just outside his living room window near the larger feeder.

Sometimes we get lots of sparrows - up to 10 of them at a time! But the day I made this posting there were only 2.

We have probably somewhere around 50 or more. He has to refill the feeder daily.

I keep hoping the grackles will come in for the dropped seed. They're my personal favorite.

I liked grackles when I encountered them in the states.

We have broad tailed grackles around here. Beautifully iridescent black. I love that they sound like a child's experiment with a 200 in one electronics kit.

A lot of people hate grackles. They can be annoying when literally hundreds of them show up. I remember a plan when I lived in San Antonio to put out some sort of feed that would constipate them so they wouldn't leave so many droppings along the River Walk.