Seen anything unusual in the cold spell?

[Bren In Pots]

Forgot to say I've been out 3 times to refill the water containers because they keep on freezing up.

[SarahStrawberry]

New visitors to our garden and house have been a Barn owl, a Tawny owl and a red squirrel (visiting from the woods nearby I'm guessing). Lovely

[Glutton4...]

Kestrel. Hiding in the hedge. Sent snow everywhere as it flew off. I didn't even know it was there until it panicked!

[Jeanied]

I've got some really interesting bird tracks in the snow - some have great strides with tail marks in the snow behind - one is just a circle of little steps. I'd really like a guide to garden bird snow tracks to refer to.

[Glutton4...]

Some of those with tail tracks aren't birds!

[Jeanied]

Gawd - you mean they have three toed rats here in Stanglia?

[Capsid]

What havent we had on our feeders? Ive even seen a young kestrel sat on our arch trellis (am hopeing it wasnt waiting for a sparrow or 2 for lunch). Only 1 I couldnt identify was kind of like a bluetit but with a long pointy beak rather than a short stumpy one.

That sounds like a nuthatch.

[binley100]

I wish I knew more about types of bird, by the time I get the book they've usually gone and it's only the distinctive looking ones (apart from the usual suspects ) that I can identify.......

[sewer rat]

Woodcock are about the most unusual bird for a garden visit that I have seen.
In the walled garden under reclamation I have seen siskin, linnet, brambling and waxwings.

[SueA]

We had 3 goldfinches today, we only get then occasionally & a thrush which I know isn't unusual but I've never seen one before here in our garden.
Saw a flock of siskins in an alder tree & one of fieldfares in a wild apple tree a few miles down the road yesterday & I've never seen either of those close up before.

[Snadger]

I've got some really interesting bird tracks in the snow - some have great strides with tail marks in the snow behind - one is just a circle of little steps. I'd really like a guide to garden bird snow tracks to refer to.

Pterodactyl?

[binley100]

Pterodactyl?

as long as it's not some Raptors ......

[vicky]

There's a mass here as we back onto marshes. A Barn owl family, flocks of Goldfinches, long tailed tits in the winter only, Egyptian Geese, Lapwings, big flocks of geese, swans and ducks and the latest in the garden was a Curlew. Hare and deer are common and an otter has been seen locally this year (not by me though!)

[maljackson]

I get a woodpecker visiting, but only when it's freezing. I've got loads of feeders so I get greenfinch, goldfinch, I think a chaffinch, starlings, dunnocks and tree sparrows, as well as collared doves, pigeons and magpies.

The suet pellets seem to be very popular with the starlings and blue tits. No sign of the long-tailed tits yet.

Mal.

[Comfreyfan]

A Bullfinch and a wagtail were my additional visitors today. You're right about those suet pellets Mal, they're loving those - mobs of long tail tits have been visiting since last week, one of my favourites.