New bird visitors

The only birds ive had are pigeons dont know why as there is food out such as mixed bird seed and peanuts

Love the Goldfinches,Scottish..first time I've ever had them,thanks to the Niger seed..and I think it is a Greenfinch,as it look like our little visitor this year too:o)

My parents have loads of goldfinches in their garden, they're so pretty aren't they? But I live just a mile down the road and don't see any :(

The third picture is a greenfinch - I tell the difference between greenfinches and chaffinches by their beaks and eyes if I can't tell by the colour - chaffinches seem to have more delicate features and greenfinches are a bit heavier set. I don't think the second picture is a greenfinch though because it has yellow on its head, but I don't know what it is, never seen one of those!

3rd ones look like Swallows just back from Africa

I agree Bjs. I thought the same, they are early birds aren't they? They dont feed from garden feeders, well rarely, they prefer flying insects don't they? Such lovely photos Scot.

I get lovely finches and lots of the tit family here, the sparrows and dunnocks have all come back in recent years and theres the resident doves, blackbirds, robin and now big fat pigeons, however the goldfinches have not visited this year, they have deserted my garden and now visit my daughter instead, she only lives one road along from us, there are lots visiting her feeders daily, we buy huge bags of seed between us and share the cost so its not a case of them prefering her mixture its out of the same bag, lol.
Lovely photo,s Scottish....

Wonderful blog Scottish. I was amazed to see those two swallows sitting on the wires. They are back early. We have not seen any yet.

Wonderful pics Scottish,

Very few finches have visited my garden in the past but I bought a niger seed feeder from B&Q last autumn. For several weeks I thought it had been a waste of money but gradually as the wintry weather settled in the goldfinches became regular visitors. A few greenfinches have used it too, although they seem to prefer the mixed birdseed feeder. The seed has only spilled significantly onto the ground once, when I hadn't closed the lid firmly enough and the wind tossed the feeder around. The goldfinches are such attractive birds, they are very welcome in my garden.

Hey just had a though about the swallows,house martins, maybe this means we are in for a lovely warm summer!!!! Yippee.

Thanks everyone - I spent a while down the river trying to get shots of the swallows/sand martins/house martins - whatever they are but they were way too fast. I had fun watching them though!

Great blog!
The two on the line aren't swallows...the tails are far too short.

Wonderful photos and a lovely blog, I had to give up feeding birds because of neighbouring cats, none of which seem to have collars let alone bells on them:((

I had a female blackbird in my garden today, going mad over some soil improver I was putting down ... ? It looked like she was taking something in it for nesting material but I couldn't figure out what, but whatever it was she kept coming back again and again, even when I was standing right next to it. I'm puzzled!

Mouldy have a look at my blog of 8th July 2010 it shows young not unlike those here.

I have looked on google images for swallows and h.martins and they look almost virtually the same, very difficult to id. The only difference is when they are in flight, you can tell by their tail feathers. Scottie I looked at your blog, great photos of those baby birds.

I hope Scottish can give a positive id when she hears back from Ispyabird.

I still think they are swallows Sg. but we shall have to wait!

Sorry Grandmage I did not notice you had been looking at our swallows. They used to arrive here in the middle of March. Now we are lucky if we see them at the beginning of June. They are fewer in numbers too. I've seen hundreds gathered on the phone wires around here as they start off back to S. Africa now we are lucky to see 40.

Sad news Scottie, poor creatures, such a long journey they undertake too and this cold spell can't be good for them either.

Yeah, you're both probably right, especially if they're youngsters.
I just looked for those ridiculously long, black tailfeathers, didn't see them & jumped to the wrong conclusion.
What am I like?! Lol.

We are all wrong. There is a clearer photo on Ispybirds.

Thanks everyone - I'll put you all out of your misery now.....
The one I managed to photograph are Sand Martins. I think there also may be some swallows hanging around - its just very difficult to get the picture focused, I'm useless at using the camera properly. Too impatient to learn!!

I have been told by a guy who walks his gun dogs along the river that there are kingfishers in summer. Guess I'll be spending a few days keeping an eye out for them!!

I did not think of Sand Martins Scottish because I have never seen any up this far. Kingfishers will be very exciting. You will need to be quick they are like greased lightening. I don't think you will get any complaints about your photography.

I'll 2nd Scotsgrans comments, Scottish... nothing wrong with your photography & I envy you the kingfisher.
Hope you have great fun catching it/them!

lovely birdy pics scottish, i love the Goldfinches and the greenfich to, mine are all back but having to watch casper with the nesting and young when they arrive.