Small Birds stocking up for the colder days

Posted on 11th December 2017 by Richard

It’s a joy coming downstairs in the morning, opening the Kitchen Curtains to be given the view of 15 plus birds around the Feeders; House Sparrows, Dunnocks, Coal, Great, Long Tailed Tits, the regular as clockwork Great Spotted Woodpecker and occasional visits of Goldfinches and Chaffinches.
Needless to say this also attracts the odd Rat and Squirrel, but with ample woodland for the Squirrels and a Stream opposite, neither can be successfully shooed off. They are wildlife as well of course !

Three Buzzards make an appearance almost daily and the Sparrowhawk is never too far away, although he or she is more interested in the large amount of Pigeons we have in the derelict Mill opposite.
Four legged wise I’m pretty sure the Hedgehog (or Hedgehogs) has gone into hibernation. I’m hoping it’s in the House I built for them under the Laurel bush, one hibernated there last winter but I’m inclined not to look as it may disturb things and don’t want them wandering off anywhere in this cold snap.

Firecrests at Chilham

I’ve only seen Firecrests at Dungeness. Whilst visiting someone in Chilham I happened to look out of the window and saw two flitting around a rather dense bush.
I only had my little Digital Camera so not the best of photos, plus they don’t sit still for more than about two seconds !

Due to a sudden appearance of a Hernia which is giving jip plus somewhat troublesome hips through my herniated disc I’m confining myself to Barracks more than I usually do.
So birds, if you want a photograph taken, you know where my Garden is !!
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Foxes & Nuthatches around the Garden

Posted on 9th January 2017 by Richard

Fox mating time

It’s the time of the year for Foxes to get together for mating and this seems to be happening with our daily visiting Fox down the Lane.

Daphne, as we call her, has been coming here since early Summer. I started to feed her as at that time she seemed quite poorly.
Needless to say, she got wind of this and it became a daily procedure of sitting alongside the Garden in the large drive waiting for food to be suitably served.
This could be any time from 2pm !

Over the last week or so much barking has been heard in the early hours of the morning, mainly in the front Garden. It would seem that young ones will not be far away in late March or April!

Birds around the Garden

Yesterday I did an experiment as to how many varieties of birds I could see in a 10 minute watch of the Feeders – Blackbirds, Dunnocks, Robins, House Sparrows, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Long Tailed Tits, Collared Doves, Starling, Great Spotted Woodpecker and a Nuthatch (quite rare here).

Don’t forget the 2017 RSPB National Birdwatch – 28th to 30th. January. Information on the RSPB Web Site here

Thorn twigs around the base of the Bird Table to prevent Rats and Mice climbing !!

All n all pretty pleasing, especially the House Sparrows for which we have probably a dozen nesting in the Ivy at the back of the house during the night.
With such a decline of these once extremely common Birds, it’s a joy.

With some snow on the way it will give me a good opportunity of strolling around both the Garden and Fields to see what footprints I can find. For some time I’ve been wondering if Badgers are present on the perimeter of the nearby woods. If they are there, an added bonus and I can set up my Trail Camera accordingly.

A mixed weekend down the Lane and Conningbrook

Posted on 23rd August 2016 by Richard

The weekend started with meeting up with the very knowledgeable birder Neil Burt (See Neil’s Twitter Page) at Conningbrook Lakes.
Regret to say that whenever you arrange to meet someone the weather’s bad, but the rain eased at 7.45pm and we had a look at the Little Egrets coming in to roost on the Eco Lake – 10 came.
Unfortunately the light was not good enough to take photos but it was a most enjoyable evening and I gained much knowledge from Neil.

Slow Worm at Conningbrook. A Warden reckoned this is about one year old

On Sunday I thought I’d try to walk over to the Lakes via the fields and footpaths down the Lane. A slightly crafty short cut enabled me to walk at good pace in just 20 minutes, a total of 1.2 miles to the Eco Lake rather than 1.42 from the Car Park.
Although a pleasant afternoon the only sound of smaller birds was from within the heavy leaved trees, but I did come across a Slow Worm and enjoyed just sitting in peace for half an hour by the northern lake.

Common Blue – Greater Spotted Woodpecker – Spotted Flycatcher

On my way back I went more the proper route. The footpath overgrown in many places did exhibit lots of Butterflies and Damselflies.

The rest of the afternoon was spent pottering around the Garden with Camera at the ready should anything arise. This worked well as a Juvenile Blackbird sat on the Garden Shed roof and devoured a couple of Blackberries all be it he or she needs to get her technique right and follow our Mum’s demands of ‘eat smaller pieces or you’ll choke’ ! All part of the learning process.

Juvenile Garden Birds on a sunny Summers day

Posted on 6th August 2016 by Richard

With the temperature at over 25 degrees this morning I thought it good to get Camera, sit in the shade and watch the juvenile Garden Birds at work, rest and play.
At present Blackbirds seem to be the main event, all day long they’re either noisily scurrying through the dead leaves under the Laurel Tree and occasionally taking a stroll across the Lawn in search of Worms. I have to say they’re pretty good at it!

Highlight was probably the Wren who seemed to not notice my slight movements and came to within 6 feet away from me. Having only my telescopic lens on, I had to wait for quite a few minutes before it was at a good enough distance to focus.

Blackbird – Dunnock – Great Tit

The seed on the Bird Table wasn’t attracting much, which I thought to be good, they were all searching through Grass or fluttering around in the overgrown Bramble and Rose Bushes.
Certainly the baby Chaffinches were, never stood still for more than a few seconds!

Male Chaffinch – Coal Tit – Lapwings

The Robin pictured seemed to either be airing himself or had slipped through the Bench Seat Slats! Whatever, he remained quite still for a good two minutes.
It’s the first year we seem to have Coal Tits in the Garden so it’s a pleasure to see a number of young ones about.
The Dunnocks however are always here in numbers. Their behaviour reminds me of keeping ex-Battery Hens, they’re full of cred and on the look out for the first piece of food that becomes available.

All in all a great two hours just spent observing and learning. The only overhead birds I saw were about 20 Lapwings doing a fairly low fly pass. Last Winter they spent their time on the field just below my house. Maybe it’s a sign of the forthcoming end to Summer and they’re seeking lower land or possibly, as a few day, migrating south.

Wildlife Diary

Recording wild life through the year around Hampshire, Kent and elsewhere

Tag Archives: Blackbirds