BIRDS OF CLUNY
Species List
List of birds seen or heard from, over or in the garden during the 57 year period from 1950-2013| Grey Heron | Curlew | Waxwing | Treecreeper | |
| Whooper Swan | Redshank | Dipper | Jay | |
| Pink-footed Goose | Common Sandpiper | Wren | Jackdaw | |
| Greylag Goose | Black-headed Gull | Dunnock | Rook | |
| Mallard | Common Gull | Robin | Carrion Crow | |
| Red Kite | Lesser Black-backed Gull | Redstart | Raven | |
| Hen Harrier | Great Black-backed Gull | Ring Ouzel | Starling | |
| Sparrowhawk | Stock Dove | Blackbird | House Sparrow | |
| Common Buzzard | Wood Pigeon | Fieldfare | Chaffinch | |
| Golden eagle | Collared Dove | Song Thrush | Brambling | |
| Osprey | Cuckoo | Redwing | Greenfinch | |
| Kestrel | Barn Owl | Mistle Thrush | Goldfinch | |
| Merlin | Tawny Owl | Grasshopper Warbler | Siskin | |
| Hobby | Swift | Whitethroat | Linnet | |
| Peregrine Falcon | Hoopoe | Garden Warbler | Twite | |
| Black Grouse | Green Woodpecker | Blackcap | Lesser Redpoll | |
| Capercaillie | Great Spotted Woodpecker | Wood Warbler | Mealy Redpoll | |
| Red-Legged Partridge | Sky Lark | Chiffchaff | Common Crossbill | |
| Grey Partridge | Sand Martin | Willow Warbler | Bullfinch | |
| Common Pheasant | Swallow | Goldcrest | Snow Bunting | |
| Moorhen | House Martin | Spotted Flycatcher | Yellowhammer | |
| Oystercatcher | Tree Pipit | Long-tailed Tit | Goshawk (24/08/13) | |
| Lapwing | Meadow Pipit | Coal Tit | | |
| Common Snipe | Grey Wagtail | Blue Tit | | |
| Woodcock | Pied Wagtail | Great Tit | | |
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There has been a total of 96 species recorded over the 57 years. However on a visit to the garden during the April to July period, you should expect to record 20 to 30 species of birds in and around the garden. We feed the birds all year round but there is also plenty of food within the garden itself and we rely on a number of species for the natural control of some insects, slugs and snails. The following is a little information about some of them.
GREY HERON
There is a small heronry just below the road on the way up to Cluny. Herons are regularly seen moving to and from their nests throughout the breeding season.
GEESE/SWANS
Throughout the autumn, winter and early spring, grey geese particularly Greylag are very regular over the garden. Pink-footed geese are mainly heard passing over, often at night, in the autumn on migration to feeding areas further south. In late April numerous skeins are heard returning north.
BIRDS OF PREY (RAPTORS)
The most commonly seen bird of prey from the garden is the Buzzard. They soar and mew overhead, occasionally landing on the ‘Big Trees’ and are frequently mobbed by crows. Sparrowhawks are regular visiting the bird feeders on occasion! As the feeders are placed near shrubs and trees, small birds have a better chance of escaping and Sparrowhawks are not always successful in catching them. Throughout the summer, Ospreys can occasionally be seen. The first Red Kite passed over in February 2001 causing much excitement. A Hobby was once seen in 1999, quite a rarity.
GAME BIRDS
A Capercaillie was once recorded on the top of the Wellingtonia in the early 1950’s, a bird most unlikely to be seen now due to the population’s decline. The occasional Black Grouse has passed through. We used to be able to view a ‘lek’ over on the other side of the river but unfortunately the plantation has grown obscuring the view and numbers of Black grouse have declined in that particular area. Grey Partridges also used to be in the adjacent fields but have now gone. Unfortunately Pheasants have taken the place of some of these species and their numbers are so dense at times that they are doing untold damage to the local fauna and flora as well as the garden.
WOODPECKERS & PIGEONS
Both Great Spotted and Green Woodpeckers are regular visitors in and about the garden. The Great Spotted visits the bird feeders and has nested in the past. Surprisingly, we are very fond of Wood Pigeons. They do little damage to the garden and coo (and breed!) almost all year.
HIRUNDINES
Swallows, House and Sand Martins regularly feed over the garden throughout the summer. Only Swallows have ever nested here and we still have an occasional pair taking up residency in the attic.
THRUSHES
Song Thrushes are a feature of the garden and thrive on the large supply of snails and slugs, as we do not use any slug bait. In the autumn, migrant Song Thrushes stay for a number of weeks and the breeding population returns in February. Mistle Thrushes are present all year noisily defending their nests in spring and their ‘own’ rowan trees in winter while blackbirds are continually feeding on ‘beasties’ in the lawn. Hundreds of Redwings and Fieldfares pass through from late September into October and November stripping rowans and cotoneasters of all their berries.
WARBLERS
The most common migrant to the garden is the Willow Warbler arriving here in mid-April. The fantastic vocalisations of Garden Warbler and Blackcap are a real summer treat although they can be difficult to spot in the dense undergrowth. The odd Chiffchaff with its more monotonous song passes through in spring and occasionally late summer. We still have at least one pair of Spotted Flycatchers usually nesting in a nest box on the side of the house.
TITS
Cluny is alive with tits. They appear to be everywhere all the time but especially at the feeders. Two pairs of Long-tailed Tits breed and large family parties are regular throughout the winter now regularly feeding on fat at the birdtable. Blue and Great Tits use the nest boxes but there are also many natural holes available in the old beeches, oaks and ash.
CORVIDS
Although considered as vermin, we enjoy the entertainment and garden services of several pairs of Jackdaws, some nesting in the house chimneys. Starlings are naturally woodland birds and there is the occasional breeding pair but they never visit the bird feeders unlike town gardens. Ravens regularly pass over, calling evocatively while raucous Jays are regular in the garden and occasionally visit the bird feeders.
FINCHES
Chaffinches are very common all year and are probably our most common species. There are breeding Siskins, Goldfinches, Bullfinches and sometimes Redpolls, while Twite and Brambling are regular in the autumn and winter, feeding mainly in the surrounding fields. Sometimes, when working under some of the ornamental cherries and apples in spring, it appears to be snowing but on looking up, 4 or 5 very quiet Bullfinches are found to be stripping flower buds off and only eating the best bits! Incredibly, despite these welcome little devils, all the affected trees appear to flower very well in most years.
WE HOPE YOU FIND CLUNY’S BIRDS OF INTEREST. IF YOU THINK YOU MIGHT HAVE SEEN SOMETHING THAT IS NOT ON THE LIST OR YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS PLEASE SPEAK TO WENDY. IT WOULD BE GOOD TO REACH THE 100!