BBQ, Beer and Birds

BBQ, Beer and Birds. Its enough to make you wonder what sort of activities are going on in the back garden, but it's all innocent. There was a BBQ and a few beers, and the birds were a daily log and images of what passed overhead or were in the neighborhood. Best of the 16 species logged was a Red Kite that came down low over the estate before climbing up to several hundred feet and drifting off east.

Red Kite

The warm weather, which reached the dizzy heights of 24C, certainly had the raptors mobile, with 5 individual Buzzards passing overhead throughout the day.

Spring is definitely here - 24C / 74F

One individual was mistaken as another Red Kite, and then I realised it had a couple of tail feathers missing. Others were in slightly better condition and were enjoying the thermals.

 

Common Buzzard with a few tail feathers missing

High up. Another Buzzard enjoys the thermals

The morning actually started with a Blackcap bursting into song as I opened the back door. It was in the back garden briefly and then disappeared into the Silver Birches along the road. The Red Kite was right place at the right time again. I was just bringing in the empty recycling bins from the front of the house, when I caught the Red Kite swirling around as they do over the top of the bungalows in front of the shops. By the time I'd got the camera out it was gaining height but I managed a couple of shots. I even remembered to check that the SD card was inserted this time.

Locally the Carrion Crow was surveying his patch from the TV aerial above the house, and also showing the Woodpigeons that they wont put up with large birds on the estate. They are very aggressive and in flight I do wonder how they miss the clothes line that is suspended across the full length of the garden at 15ft high.

Carrion Crow

Woodpigeon taking a risk by taking off with the Carrion Crow close-by

On the feeders the House Sparrows and a pair of Blue Tits were busy collecting food. The local Blue Tits wouldn't normally use the feeders at this time of year, but I believe they have been caught out by the unseasonable weather. Normally they will coincide the hatching of the eggs with the emergence of their staple food the caterpillar. With a normal Spring this would be the case. However a lot of the trees have only just come out into leaf, which means moths and butterflies have only just started laying their eggs. Consequently lots of eggs, few caterpillars as yet and supplementary food required.

Female House Sparrow

The resident pair of Blue Tits

Around the garden there was certainly plenty of activity, but with so few flowers in bloom, a lot of the insects were reliant on the nectar from the Marsh-marigold or Kingcup (Caltha Palustris) in the pond or from the neighbours Damson that has leafed and flowered at the same time. A few butterflies made it into the garden, with Brimstone, Green-veined White and a male Orange-tip.

Marsh Marigold

Damson in leaf and in flower

There were several species of hoverfly and one in particular (myathropa florea) was enjoying the warmth of the garden around the rose bushes. How I caught it on camera whist it was in hover mode was quite an achievement. It would hover for a few seconds shoot off at high speed and then return to its last location. It will hover briefly again, shoot off and return. It did this most of the day and occasionally it would alight on the Rose Bush.

Hoverfly (myathropa florea) in hover mode

Hoverfly (myathropa florea) at rest

Also in the borders a caterpillar sp. which I will have to look up as I have no idea what it is. Its almost certainly going to be a moth but with hundreds to choose from, this will require a little bit of detective work.

Caterpillar sp.

The rest of the day was all about sitting back and enjoying the wonderful sun and keeping the binoculars to hand in case anything of interest flew over. Later in the afternoon a few Lesser Black-backed Gulls passed over and one had a few damaged primaries to its left wing. An unexpected bird was a solitary Rook which headed of towards the direction Liden. I'm surprised the resident Carrion Crows didn't see it off, but it wasn't hanging about and I guess they didn't see it as a threat.

Lesser Black-backed Gull with damaged primary feathers

Rook

Just as the day was drawing to an end a party of 5 House Martins and a single Swallow circled overhead, and a Collared Dove, which I haven't seen for a few weeks, dropped down into the garden to feed under the feeders.

All in all this was a really good day with the first BBQ of the year, a few beers and great wildlife all from the back garden.

16 Bird Species seen and recorded.
Common Buzzard, Red Kite, Herring Gull, Lesser Black-backed Gull, Woodpigeon, Collared Dove, Swallow, House Martin, Robin, Blackbird, Blackcap, Blue Tit, Rook, Carrion Crow, Goldfinch and House Sparrow.