What have you seen
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A few weeks ago a sparrowhawk hit the bedroom window (bungalow)It lay on its back with eyes rolling.I turned it over and left it to recover,3 hours later it was still where I left it and showing no sign of life.I got the key for the garden shed to get a body removal impliment and by the time I returned it had disappeared without trace.It will forever remain a mystery as to what happened.(We have no foxes in the area,I did not see any of the neighbours cats......so.....did it suddenly wake up and fly away,did a red kite take it whilst my back was turned....suggestions please!
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I once did the same thing for a Blackbird but put it out of harms way and kept an eye on it for 15 minutes. It suddenly woke up, shook itself and flew off. I know it survived fkr that winter as we saw it in the garden. It had a bit of white in its wing. So, in all probability it suddenly came to and took refuge.
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Had 1 Redkites flying over the field yesterday very low and making their way south possibly fed up with the rain. Have got the Greenfinches in the cage feeder again, but not seen any Redwings or Fieldfares so far a lot of Song Thrushes it has been a good year for them, also got the local hare coming around looking for plants to eat.
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Another fatal collision today by a male blackbird
(Why is it only the males?). I've had a look at the RSPB website which has a page all about window collisions but their conclusion is that it is difficult to stop this.I've put a string across the window this morning about two feet from the glass and hung a couple of old CDs on it. They swing about and spin quite a lot so I'm hoping this might help. It doesn't look very elegant but I'd sooner have this than dead birds. Our worry is that one time it may be our tame blackbird. That would be very upsetting. Perhaps the sooner they strip all the remaining rowan berries the better it may be but that won't be for a few days yet, there are too many left on.
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Oops my note should have been 10 Red kites not 1.
Have had a birds hitting the windows here but have put up some window butterfly stickers and that seems to work as they look a different colour to the birds than us.
Popped over to see a friend this am and did a bin run on the way only to have a male Sparrowhawk fly very low to the ground about 6 feet away from me through some oak trees there some birds singing the the hawk and stopped.
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It been a bit spooky here the last couple of nights. While taking Flyte for his last walk just after 10:00 I've spotted through the trees 2 then 3 pairs of stationary eyes reflecting the light from my head torch, Roe Deer I suspect, and heard at the same time the calling of a couple of Tawny Owls. OOOOOO!!!
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We spotted a break in the clouds this morning and headed off for the beach at Burton Braddock in Dorset. We got ourselves a coffee and cake in the Hive Beach marquee like cafe (there is a take away counter too.) Then headed for the beach. There have been some serious cliff falls and mud slides recently. One end of the beach is blocked by crumbling cliffs and the other side has the ever moving Blue Lias base, some of it liquefying after recent rain. This is where fossils appear but great care is needed. The Blue Lias extends all the way up to the Midlands, there is the Blue Lias Inn in Warwickshire, not far from where some of our family live!
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It was nice to finally do a spot of wader watching today when we walked up the estuary at Conwy. The tide was rapidly coming in when we started out so plenty of close sightings of the usual waders plus a Snipe and a Kingfisher. Some of the Wigeon have paired up. Hope they don't become separated on the long journey home.😀
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Caught sight of a blue flash this afternoon. It's such a joy to espy a Kingfisher.
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An iridescent flash is all I ever see. It's so quick you almost wonder if you imagined it. We have a pair locally and although some have got some good pics, I rarely catch them.
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Apparently, on my Burton B post above we had arrived about 30 mins after this big fall and I'm amazed to see people walking so close to the cliffs (lives have been lost doing this.) So if you're visiting this area in the future keep well away from these cliffs which stretch along the coast for several miles west. BBC LINK
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Gosh brue that is a huge landslip and to see folk walking around it stupid or what, we know that area well.
There is an area near the river Lot that has slipped and trees across the road all has now been cleared up but will see if any more has slipped when we go to check on a friends house on Monday.
Saw a great white egret on the way to Villefranche on Thursday not far from the road and as there was a lot of standing water in the fields it was having a good look around for food.
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Over the last few days we've seen a blue tit going into the nesting box. It doesn't appear to have nesting material with it, but has gone in and out a number of times now. Surely a bit early to start nesting, or perhaps the recent mild weather has confused it?
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They're usually looking for insect food in the nooks and crannies Ina, same with the bark on trees etc. I think some small birds pile in together during winter so that's another thing that happens in nest boxes, Wrens like to do this.
This morning I've seen Magpies knocking each other over on our lawn, but apparently, when I looked it up they are playing and testing each other.
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Thanks brue, maybe that's what it's doing. I have seen a few birds around the outside of the box from time to time, in various places, looking for insects, but this one goes inside, stays inside for a minute or so, then comes out again. And comes back again a little while late, doing the same again, and again!
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The moon in the west this morning, heavy frost and a glow from the sun rise. Roll on Spring!
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Lovely photo brue, dull and wet here.
Have done all the bird feeders and water this morning and the birds had a late xmas present a new solid fat feeder with fat tubes in a bargain at local country store. The Hawfinch has been busy on the window seed feeder not much room for the other birds when he is on it, great to see close up from where I am sitting.
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Very white with frost here today, temperature hasn't risen above freezing all day even with blue sky and sun. Topped up the bird feeders yesterday and put some extra seed and mealworms on the bird table and feeding station dish this morning, had to thaw out the water in the bird bath several times during the day.
Redkite - I am envious of your Hawfinch, I have tried several times to see them but never have, the same with Waxwings
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Impy, I'm not sure whereabout in Kent you are but there are a couple of places in Kent that you may see a Hawfinch, particularly in Winter when the tree cover is sparse.
There is Bedgebury National Pinetum, near Goudhurst or try Trosley Country Park, near Wrotham, especially near the car park.
Pretty scarce bird nowadays in Kent. Good luck.
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Took a photo of a Wintersweet flower, such a strange straggly plant, but such a lovely little scented flower close up.
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Must go check mine brue. Not had a flower in the 2/3 years I've had it, I put it in the ground last autumn I'd had it in a pot so I could bring near the house this time of year but it didn't thrive. I've not been that far up garden for weeks as its sooooo wet.
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This morning, not a bird to be seen, then we saw the male Sparrowhawk perched right outside our kitchen window, he looked in good condition but obviously the cold weather has reduced his hunting efforts. He had such good plumage close up, the red brown front was a very rich colour, we usually see the female.
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Thanks for the info Wherenext, Trosley Country Park is closer to us than Bedgebury, we haven't been to Trosley for years (or Bedgebury come to that), I am thinking that a visit is well overdue now. Sorry I have taken a few days to acknowledge your message, no excuse only that I have only just seen it
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Highlight of the day as it is very dull and damp, just looking through the kitchen window to see 2 red squirrels running on top of the wall then the 1st went up a oak tree followed by the 2nd round and round then back down on the wall again and then same thing again at the next oak tree along the wall and then down to the ground and run behind a large juniper tree they were there for about 2minutes and the 1st came out and run to the wall next to the road and then 2nd followed and it is not spring yet!!
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