Thank you for this!
I have printed the fiche with all the bird pics from which to identify. The ones I have been calling ‘collared doves’ are actually Turkish doves.
We have lots of birds visiting our garden. I will try to identify and fill out the census.
That’s my problem - LOTS of birds all over the place. in winter, poor light, perched on a distant branch or thistle head, they all just look like "smb"s small brown birds, which is, I believe a birdwatcher technical term. 
LBJs (little brown jobs)
Thanks for the reminder Jane. I’ve done the count for several years now and this year to my surprise the numbers were up for sparrows and chaffinches (so many, difficult to count) but down for greenfinches, bluetits and great tits. This morning it was super to see a hawfinch arrive : grosbec casse-noyaux.
Wow! We haven’t seen a hawfinch for years. Such cutely pompous birds!
@Fleur @JaneJones How on earth do you get close enough to know you are looking at a hawfinch???
Hi Sue and Jane, I’ve seen them before, various individuals at different times. And I was attentive today because I was trying to count the birds, and this one really stood out. Today’s hawfinch was the biggest bird of the bunch apart from the blackbirds, magpie and starlings. They usually come in spring/summer, on the way to somewhere else I imagine, because they don’t stay long. I feed the usual garden birds every day and we are always on the lookout for unusual ones and ready to grab the camera when we see something different. OH’s long lens is perfect for getting close-ups. I have a theory that some birds come every year, like the bramblings, hoopoes, blackcaps, thrushes, goldfinches… or maybe they observe other birds feeding and decide to join in.
OH is better than me as he can recognise even the small brown birds by their shape, flight patter, hoppiness and so on. I have to wait until they come close enough! We have a terrace with balustrade outside our bedroom, and I can lie in bed and watch them hopping along the balustrade to the feeders.
Missed this.
Have seen Blue Tits, Great Tits, Black Caps, Robins, Finches, Jays, Redstarts, Blackbirds and the very occasional Tree Creeper.
There’s a woodpecker that I hear regularly, but hardly ever seen. Same goes for the Golden Hoopoes when they’re around.
What I want to know is what birds I have that sound EXACTLY like some bloke whistling for his dog. Some days, there must be two or three of them and it sounds like they’re filming a new episode of One Man And His Dog in my garden.
Do you have a smart phone? If so, load the Birdnet app onto it. Just brilliant! Point your phone in the direction of the sound and Birdnet will tell you what bird (or birds) are making that sound.
Right on cue (almost)… I’ve just spotted a beautiful white heron flying by my study window…
(no idea if he’s whistling like a dog… )
Great tip! Downloading now.