Quiet Week

Not sure why but since last weekend the birds seemed to have left the garden. There have been very few Starlings on the feeders and I haven't seen the Robin for days.  The wind has been horrendous for the past few days, with really strong gusts; I'm beginning to think its blown all the smaller birds away.

This morning it was a bit brighter, but still very windy and overhead 30+ Redwing battled their way north.  In the garden this afternoon there was a pleasant surprise as a pair of Collared Doves, very timidly fed on the corn thrown out for the chickens.  They are really nervous birds and were continuously looking up.  Locally they're top of the Sparrowhawk food chain, so they've good reason to be on edge.

Collared Dove

Pair of Collared Doves

The Carrion Crows were back on the aerials and I managed a couple of photos as they posed in the sun.  But then even they couldn't withstand the wind and were off to seek shelter elsewhere.

Carrion Crow in the sun

Blown Away

Lows and Highs

The rain fell, the snow disappeared and the birds seem to have deserted the garden.

 

Saturday 19th                                         Saturday 26th

A single Starling was all that I could record for the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch.  Still there's always tomorrow.

Solitary Starling for Birdwatch

Highlights today was a Little Egret flying over the River Cole at Covingham and the Starlings over Nythe again:

There's been a Little Egret along the River Cole for most of this winter.  It's quite possible that the photo below, which I took on the 5th January is today's bird.

Little Egret

The huge Starling flock I saw yesterday over Covingham, not only changed their fly-over time but also there flight plan.  I was just going to the front of the house where they passed over from right to left at 4:30pm yesterday, when I suddenly caught them flying behind me as I was coming out the back door at 4:15pm.  I just managed  a couple of shots, but its difficult to get all 5000+ Starlings in the viewfinder.  Yet again very impressive as they passed overhead heading north.

A small section of the 5000+ Starlings this evening

Waxwing and Starlings

Thought I'd drive up to Queensfield to find the 16 Waxwing reported from there yesterday, but yet again another blank.  The only thing of note was a large flock of Goldfinches on the estate.

Elsewhere two Common Gull at Nythe and at 4:30pm a huge flock of  Starlings blotted out the sky over Covingham.  There was probably in the region of 5 to 6 thousand birds. Unfortunately the camera wasn't to hand, so I need to keep an eye out for them tomorrow evening, just in case they use the same flight path. Very impressive!!

The Sun!!!

What a difference a day makes, especially when the sun comes out. The last few days have seen a lot of cloud and even though it was still freezing today, the birds seem to appreciate some warmth from the sun. Most of the action was in the back garden and as the snow started to melt away, another new species entered the garden.  This time two Pied Wagtails an adult and an immature, bringing the garden total to 12.

Pied Wagtail

Other visitors today were the Starlings on the feeders, a male House Sparrow, a pair of Woodpigeon, the resident Robin and a female Blackbird.

Starling

Male House Sparrow

Woodpigeon

Resident Robin

Female Blackbird

 For a brief moment a Blue Tit was perched in the Plum tree in the neighbours garden before it flew off.

Blue Tit in the Plum tree

On the house behind the back garden the resident pair of Carrion Crows were on an aerial, with the male cawing to the female. I can only presume the male was performing some sort of courtship display. As he was calling, so he continually fanned his tail outwards. The female wasn't that impressed and flew off to the next rooftop.

More Snow

The snow that fell last night for several hours finally fizzled out by late morning.  Mind you, you’d think after that length of time we would have had more than 1in. Throughout the rest of the morning the slow thaw began with slush just about everywhere. I dread to think what state the untreated roads and pavements are going to be like tomorrow, as the temperatures are set to drop to minus 3C tonight.

More Snow

At least this changeable weather hasn't put the birds off and today was all about Fieldfares.  I’d seen at least one bird in the village this winter and today in the street a pair landed in the road opposite the house.  Where the snow had melted, they had come down to drink from a puddle.  Shortly after, one of them landed in the plum tree behind the house and I just managed a photo of it before it flew off.  Later the same or another Fieldfare was seen flying east over the estate at low level and as the sun set another bird landed in the Silver Birch behind the house.

Fieldfare

Fieldfare in Flight

In the back garden the number of Starlings is increasing with at least a dozen on the feeders.  The resident Robin seems to pick these times to come into the garden.  Not sure why, unless its safety in numbers.  There are quite a few cats about and a Sparrowhawk is never to far away, so it could be that.

Starling

Overhead 3 Black-headed Gulls circled over the shops and having seen 7 Common Gulls at Liden Lagoon at the weekend, I guess it wasn't that surprising to see 3 wheeling their way over the rooftops here in Nythe.

As the light really began to fade and dusk fell a female Chaffinch landed in the plum tree and after a brief preen flew off towards the recreation fields.

Female Chaffinch in the fading light

The Thaw

There was a bit of a slow thaw today, with much of the snow starting to melt away. A few of the icicles hanging from the porch have now gone and as I write, here comes the next batch of snow; which if forecast correctly will last through until 5am tomorrow morning.

Just after lunch I made a quick trip to Abbey Meads in the car and en route a pair of Common Buzzards came low over the car. One of them was carrying a piece of carrion and wasn't about to give it up. There was quite a tussle and I'm surprised they both didn't end up in the middle of the road. Also about were several Redwing moving back and forward over the dual carriageway and every now and then small flocks of Fieldfare could be seen heading west.

Back at Nythe several small flocks of Starling got together and gave a good show as the swerved and swayed in mid-air. These are known as a murmurations and even though this one only contained 200+ birds it was still quite spectacular.  Not sure if this will work but here’s a link to one seen over London.

Another Quiet Day

Very much the same as the last few days.  Only new bird in the back garden was one of the resident Carrion Crows. He just couldn't resist the chocolate muffin thrown out for the chickens.

Carrion Crow

Overhead a solitary Fieldfare headed west, whilst a flock of 12 Woodpigeons sat in a tree overlooking the recreation field.  A trio of Magpie broke the silence as they squabbled over something, not sure what but then that's nothing new for Magpies.  All in all another quiet day......

Liden Lagoon

There I was thinking I was going to be home bound, when there was a break in the weather. However as soon as I got to the Lagoon, down came the snow again, not enough to put me off though.

The Lagoon

  As I got out of the car 50+ Goldfinches and half-a-dozen Siskin were in the Alders by the car park (opposite Barnmoor Close).By the time I got my camera ready they were gone.  Fortunately they were back after I’d walked around the water for an hour. 

Goldfinch

Siskin

About a quarter of the water was frozen and there were a good 150+ Black-headed Gulls standing on the ice. In amongst them were a surprising number of Common Gulls with at least 7 recorded.

5 Common Gulls, Herring Gull
and far right Black-headed Gull

Herring Gull with two Common Gulls
and Black-headed Gulls

The only large gulls were 6 Herring Gull, one of which had found a Swan Mussel. 

Fresh clean white headed Herring Gull

Herring Gull with Swan Mussel

 Also about were the two resident Mute Swans with their two Juveniles in tow, several Canada Geese and a good twenty or so Mallard. There were no Goosanders but I did come across a drake Pochard behind the islands. 

Drake Pochard

Other birds on the water and ice were Moorhen, Coot and a Grey Wagtail. 

Grey Wagtail

 In the trees and hedgerows were Woodpigeon, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Robin, Blackbird, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Chaffinch, House Sparrow, Starling, Magpie and Carrion Crow.  One other bird seen was a Meadow pipit as it flew east overhead.

More Snow

Well my plans to walk around Liden Lagoon were scuppered this morning as the snow came down once again. This time a fine powdering precipitation, that if it weren’t for the fact that the temperature was about –2C, would be falling as drizzle. Not good for the camera!! So again stuck in doors, however it did have its rewards as a pair of Fieldfare flew over the house, heading east and then Common Gull alighted on the roof of the house at the back. At long last some images of it.

Common Gull

Common Gull in flight

Also about a pair of Blue Tits, Starlings, Pied Wagtail, House Sparrows, Woodpigeon, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Blackbird, Robin and Dunnock.

Starlings

Just as I was about to give up with the weather along came a break...

Quiet Day in Nythe

A very quiet day here in Nythe, though I did manage to glimpse a Grey Heron heading off towards Shaftesbury Lake early this morning.  Apart from that the only other birds flying about were a few large gulls and the resident Common Gull.

In the back garden the Robin was on the bird table and stayed there even though I walked right passed it.  He's completely fearless.  The only other birds were a few Starlings on the feeders and a Woodpigeon picking up scraps.  All very quiet.....

Snow Storm

It was forecast snow today and didn't just.  It started around 7:00am and stopped around 5pm, with almost 5 inches on the ground. 

Heavy Snow

Around 1:00pm there was a bit of a lull and then back it came again, so it was no surprise that the number of birds flying about were a bit sparse.  Having said that, as I was clearing the snow from the paths, a flock of 50+ Redwing passed over heading west and were later followed by 19 Lapwing. 

In the back garden, once I'd cleared away a patch for the birds to feed on, a Robin, a Blackbird, Dunnock and a Woodpigeon all came down to feed.

Robin

Blackbird (Male)

Dunnock

Woodpigeon

The Lull before the Storm

Another cold start to the day, perhaps not as cold of late, probably because of the cloud cover. One thing for sure there is definitely snow in the air. The clouds look full of it and this afternoon a few snowflakes started to appear.

During the morning though, there were quite a finches around the estate with Goldfinch, Chaffinch and one or two Siskins overhead. Late morning a Cormorant flew north and as I was walking across the recreation park a female Sparrowhawk shot by low and fast down Tyneham Road.

The garden today was a bit quiet; the only bird to venture into the garden was a male Blackbird, he landed on the lawn briefly and then flew off. The female on the other hand just sat in the Leylandii for most of the afternoon. On the rooftops a pair of Carrion Crows were surveying the estate with an occasional look upwards as small flocks of gulls passed overhead.

Female Blackbird

A pair of Carrion Crows

Overall it was a very quiet day. Perhaps the lull before the storm as tomorrow’s forecast is for a lot of snow.............

Frosty Day

Another bitterly cold night with the temperature dropping to –5C.

Frosty Back Garden

With a dry start to the day the back garden was once more busy again, with more and more birds coming to the feeders and at long last a Robin, bringing the year count to 10.

Robin

Overhead the early morning Pied Wagtail roost dispersed and one or two Chaffinches were heard passing through. Recently a pair of Blackbirds have been coming into the garden and today they were joined by a pair of Woodpigeons and a Dunnock.

Blackbird (Female)

Woodpigeon

Later in the day a Pied Wagtail and a pair of Magpies were seen chasing a Sparrowhawk as it made a low pass over the house.

Nythe Pool

Another frosty morning, but at least the sun was out.

Nythe Pool (The good side)

Managed a quick walk around Nythe Pool before I headed off to work and I wasn’t disappointed. A Little Egret was by the waterfall and a Moorhen was swimming in amongst the reeds.

Little Egret

Around the pool, there were Bullfinch, Chaffinch and Goldfinches feeding on seeds that had fallen onto rough ground. In the brambles a Wren hung around long enough for me to get a quick photo and a small party of Long-tailed Tit, Great Tit and Blue Tits passed through.

Wren

Along the path there were a pair of Blackbirds, a Robin, a pair of Collared Dove, several Woodpigeon and a Grey Squirrel. The female Blackbird was not happy about me being on the path and was scolding me as she came right up close.

Squirrel

Blackbirds

On the other side of the pool on the grass bank there were a pair of Carrion Crows and a Magpie. Overhead a Grey Heron attempted to land and several large Gulls passed over.

Grey Heron

The only real disappointment was the horrendous state the pool is in, with a sofa and other household items lying around in the water, right under the waterfall.

The other side to Nythe Pool