We could excitedly report that we seem to have a pair of Dunnocks in the backyard this week. First we identified the call (the squeaky wheel sound) and then saw one in a tree and one on the ground under the fatball feeder.
However, we have no photos and no assurance we weren't actually looking at female sparrows (except that they don't favour the ground under the feeder).
Since then Dunnock calls have been heard from neighbouring gardens with trees, so we have our fingers crossed that they really are living in the area.
Here is a link to some info on Dunnocks - you are forgiven if you form the view that they aren't much to write home about, but from a biodiversity point of view they add something we have never had in our garden before last year, and, if they show up on the day, will give us something novel to add to our RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch in the last weekend of this month. If you are in UK sign up to count birds - who knows what delights you might discover in your survey space.
And some bonus old photos of Mr T in his garden
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| Driving home from the allotment |
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| Surveying my domain |
Lovely photos of Mr T. I'm glad to read that you have shufflewings in your garden. They are in the amber area of concern, so it's good to hear that they are appearing where they may not have been before. It always cheers me to see or hear them in the garden.
ReplyDeleteTwas you who alerted us to what they sound like and i picked up on one here last summer.
DeleteWe think this is great news and would be very happy to see dunnock here in Aberdeen too.
ReplyDeleteYou look very happy to be outside. We are not a bird family. The cats we had loved to see birds but the rest of us are not interested. It is more for cats or bird dogs, which we are not. Enjoy your birdies. Happy Friday!
ReplyDeleteGreat photos of Mr T. I hope you get Tigger 2 to help you on your allotment.
ReplyDeleteHari Om
ReplyDeleteHaving enjoyed watching Dunnocks in the Edinburgh garden, I do hope you get a decent sighting of yours! Awwwwwwwe, Tigger, mate... YAM xx
I can't tell you how much i miss seeing Tigger living his so UN-cat like life. I love seeing him in his wheelbarrow and truly miss the donkey rides. will check out the dunnock to see if i have ever seen or heard them. we get excited when we see lizards, black snakes and this past week there is a black cat visiting. any critter that comes in the yard excites us. but not the pit bull. that is a different excitement. off to visit the dunnocks
ReplyDeleteno dunnocks here, they are so cute and the sound is so cheerful, would like to hear them in the trees. I did see that dunnocks are for sale here and that makes me mad. I don't like birds in captivity
ReplyDeleteI wondered if dunnocks were a kind of scone until I read on..confused because of the recent baking posts. Nice to see mr T again.
ReplyDeleteBannock? I hear you. I had to look it up though and see it's the kind of scone my Narna used to make on a hot plate on top of the coal range. I still have the 'girdle' as she called it. Not exactly useless to me but very seldom used and i should use it more. Her scones (rhymed with stones in her language) were our favourites where scones were concerned.
DeleteOMCs the Dunnock is a new fine feather friend to me. What beautiful fevvvvvers too
ReplyDeleteMr. T it is always nice that you can drop my...love you in the wheel barrow
Hugs Cecilia
It always makes my day when I are a dunnock. The females sometimes have more than one male partner. Arilx
ReplyDeleteI've never heard of the dunnock. I hope you see them soon.
ReplyDeleteHow nice to see Mr T again. Great memories
I’d never heard or dunnocks. So I followed the link. They’re sweet. And yes do oook lie sparrows.
ReplyDeleteExcept they have a touch of blue. Very pretty. I hope you see many in your garden
T would have been pelighted to see dunnocks, and get close up for a definite identification.
ReplyDeleteTheir plumage is understated, but very beautiful. Arilx
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