Birds in our Scottish Garden

The "Regulars"

We see many birds in our garden but we have a small group of "regulars" who are here most days and approach us for treats of their favourite foods.

The Blackbird

This is our resident male Blackbird who has been here since we moved in.

He's quite a character and demands sultanas both for himself and when he's feeding chicks.

We chop up the ones for the chicks but if we do offer any that are too large they get rejected 😂

He develops a very manic look when there's chicks to be fed.

He's just been through his moult so looks a bit dishevelled at the moment but as you can see, he enjoys a sunbathe.

A male Blackbird on a garden table looking at some sultanas placed on a plastic lid.

A male Blackbird perched on the arm of a garden chair.

A male Blackbird sunbathing in some long grass and plants.

A male Blackbird sitting relaxed on grass.

The Robin

This Robin is the politest bird we've ever known.
He/she turns up and just waits until we notice them and give them their favourite suet sticks. (Pink ones are preferred over the white ones 😊)

They raised at least one brood of chicks in the garden this year in what we thought was a ridiculous place, on the ground, simply hidden by some grass which was overgrowing a flower bed.

It turns out they knew best and despite all the cats, hedgehogs and other predators that visit, they fledged.

They've just moulted too hence the picture without a tail.

Robin waiting politely on the back of a garden chair.

Robin with a beakful of nesting material.

The Doves

This pair of Collared Doves have raised several broods of chicks in our Ivy Hedge both last year and this.

This year, they've become a lot tamer and didn't object when we had to put one of the young back in the nest when it had emerged too early.

They're quite feisty and take an exception to other birds. They have a love-hate relationship with The Blackbird which can be awkward at times 😂

The Doves are often sitting on these posts, near to the nest and our garden table where treats sometimes appear.

Young Doves, sitting on an Ivy branch, nearly ready to fledge.

Dove babies nearly ready to fledge.

Starlings

Our village has a reasonable sized population of Starlings.

Not quite enough for a murmuration but they're working on it.

This particular Starling is often in and around our garden and has an unsettling habit of mimicking the call of a Buzzard 😊

A row of Starlings on top of a chimney stack.

A starling perched on top of a hedge of mature Ivy.

Helping the Birds

Although we do provide supplementary feeding when the birds need a helping hand and fresh water is always available, the benefits of having a wilder garden seem to be appreciated.

The opportunity mature Ivy and shrubs provide for nesting sites, the ability to find insect food needed for their chicks plus flower and grass seed to forage for, all seem to attract the birds such as this Goldfinch feeding on Meadowsweet seeds, (Filipendula ulmaria) .

Other plants with seeds particularly popular with our feathered friends include:
Common Knapweed, Greater Knapweed, Field Scabious, Dandelion, Sunflower and Teasel.

A Goldfinch feeding on Meadowsweet seeds.

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