As far as I recall, this was the first time the Pheasant appeared in the garden, while I was awake and looking, of course :)
Having a Pheasant wandering around right outside the window gives all sorts of photo opportunities and they're such funny birds to watch, often behaving like some sort of Monty Python character.
A look of terminal shock in their eyes
There may have been more than one but we have decided it's the same male that visits almost every day.
You can tell that these were all taken in the rain, on the same day in fact but, I'm sure there's a permanent surprised look in his eye!
The same morning, another fowl visitor appeared, we'd caught glimpses in the field beyond but never in the garden itself, again, right outside my window.
Grey Partridge outside the window
The young Blackbird dropped in regularly.
Young Blackbird eye to eye
We've only reached July 5th but the Pheasant has taken up a bit of space, I just think he's so photogenic.
A real rarity appeared today and it took me a few looks, photos and checks on sites to confirm a Redpoll in the garden.
I'm fairly certain that a pair passed through over the following couple of days along with a youngster, female above, male below. I've not seen any since, in the garden that is.
Redpoll male
July 6th and the Siskins turned up again.
Male and female Siskin
The Partridge put in quite a few appearances, I called this one Alan ;)
Alan (Partridge) :)
One bird that I was very happy to see regularly was the Greenfinch, in some areas of the country they have disappeared completely. I don't know if I'd forgotten or I learned the difference between male and female birds while all these birds were visiting. I did spend a bit of time reading up on the possible causes of birds declining and one probability is poor hygiene at feeders so I always try to wash and cleanse our feeders as often as possible.
I love it when something new appears in the garden or even the vicinity and towards the end of July I was lucky enough to be at the window when a Chiffchaff popped up on the fence for a quick look at all the fuss.
Another fence visitor which I do see all around the other boundaries was the Reed Bunting, a female of which popped onto the fence while I sat here.
Although they are all around us, I hadn't seen any Wood Pigeons near the garden, I guess it's just a matter of time when there's free food on the go? That said, we don't get them very often at all, I think there's plenty for them out in the fields.
It feels like I've missed something for July but, there were a LOT of young birds around so I've included them in the Young Ones pages, no point duplicating them here.
