Yes, wet stuff, not white (although there was smattering of that too). Now everywhere is sodden and getting very muddy.
Field full of fieldfares, redwing and thrushes.
Showing posts with label redwing. Show all posts
Showing posts with label redwing. Show all posts
16 January 2010
12 January 2010
Christmas update
We've been offline over the festive break and what a lot happened.
Snow for starters, over two feet and still falling. It started on Thursday 17 December and it has snowed every day.
It's brought a wide range of birds into the garden, all the usuals: chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, blue tit, great tit, a few coal tits, black bird, starling, wood pigeon, collared dove, house sparrow, dunnock etc. Siskins have been noticeable by their absence, we have a regular visitation of three robins but have had up to five at any one time, all carefully watching each other evenly spaced and taking their turn on the feeders. One female black bird has become very tame and quite demanding, as soon as she sees anyone in the kitchen she flies to the window table feeder and looks in. When you open the window she hops across to the washing line and then as soon as the food is down, even before the window is closed she's back and she guards it quite zealously chasing off other black birds but she seems to tolerate the robin.
The tree sparrows have been back occasionally and once or twice the nuthatch. However, we have had daily visits from first one redwing and eventually four individuals all feasting on the cotoneaster berries. There has also been a yellowhammer once or twice and one day a snipe flew across but didn't land, the first time I've seen once actually in the village never mind almost in the garden. The snow has been very deep but I've not seen many mammal tracks, a few small rodents (mice &/or voles probably) in the back garden, no rats thank goodness.
The blue tits have been keeping warm by nesting together in one of the artificial house martin nests under the eaves, I counted over a dozen heading in late one afternoon, I'm sure there were some already in.
Snow for starters, over two feet and still falling. It started on Thursday 17 December and it has snowed every day.
It's brought a wide range of birds into the garden, all the usuals: chaffinch, goldfinch, greenfinch, blue tit, great tit, a few coal tits, black bird, starling, wood pigeon, collared dove, house sparrow, dunnock etc. Siskins have been noticeable by their absence, we have a regular visitation of three robins but have had up to five at any one time, all carefully watching each other evenly spaced and taking their turn on the feeders. One female black bird has become very tame and quite demanding, as soon as she sees anyone in the kitchen she flies to the window table feeder and looks in. When you open the window she hops across to the washing line and then as soon as the food is down, even before the window is closed she's back and she guards it quite zealously chasing off other black birds but she seems to tolerate the robin.
The tree sparrows have been back occasionally and once or twice the nuthatch. However, we have had daily visits from first one redwing and eventually four individuals all feasting on the cotoneaster berries. There has also been a yellowhammer once or twice and one day a snipe flew across but didn't land, the first time I've seen once actually in the village never mind almost in the garden. The snow has been very deep but I've not seen many mammal tracks, a few small rodents (mice &/or voles probably) in the back garden, no rats thank goodness.
The blue tits have been keeping warm by nesting together in one of the artificial house martin nests under the eaves, I counted over a dozen heading in late one afternoon, I'm sure there were some already in.
21 December 2009
Snow and hoards of hungry birds
Yes, more, and more. A couple of feet so far and now it's freezing solid.
The bird feeding stations have been doing a roaring trade (must order more food...!). Yesterday there were four robins, carefully watching each other and taking turns; today there were three.
We've also seen a redwing in the holly tree on a couple of occasions. When the finches numbered over fifty we stopped counting but all three main groups have been here in great numbers along with lots of bramblings. One bird which is missing is the siskin, we have seen only one or two.
The bird feeding stations have been doing a roaring trade (must order more food...!). Yesterday there were four robins, carefully watching each other and taking turns; today there were three.
We've also seen a redwing in the holly tree on a couple of occasions. When the finches numbered over fifty we stopped counting but all three main groups have been here in great numbers along with lots of bramblings. One bird which is missing is the siskin, we have seen only one or two.
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