Wildlife – Magnificent May

Posted on 23rd May 2020 by Richard

Nature springs to life in Bishop’s Waltham

I say magnificent May for the reason the weather got warmer, wildlife very active and some hope after the Lockdown ending to a certain extent.
To get to the more tranquil places around here you first have to walk through more the Dog walker, Cyclists and Jogger parts of the countryside and through the past few weeks I’ve got to meet same faces daily and have a quick chat. What’s very noticeable is the amount of people speaking about what’s around them. I guess that not going to work so much and the need to get out more has brought about the will to appreciate and learn and indeed I still have a lot to learn !

Two of many Swallows Bishop’s Waltham

After weeks of walking around the locale I’m getting further afield now with trips to Titchfield Haven, Hook-with-Warsash on Southampton Water. Of the two, the latter is better, to get to the Beach and the protected area means a 400 meter walk from the car thus avoiding the crowds on the more popular beaches and Ice Cream Vans !

Green Woodpecker – Sedge Warbler – Skylark (Hook-with-Warsash

The Garden here is also very active, especially with the young Starlings from their nest in the Gutter above plus occasional visits from Long Tailed Tits, Goldfinches and the Great Spotted Woodpecker which for some reason loves the tree in the neighbours garden at the back, there every day without fail !

Young Starling causing havoc on the feeders

Blackcap – Hook-with-Warsash

Hopefully the rush of people going to the surrounding popular beaches won’t be the start of another Virus surge and life can get back to normal, Nature has moved ‘onwards and upwards’ over 5 or so weeks of partial rest.
The air is cleaner, the importance of nature has come to light. Long may it be so !

Winchester Green Party

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Sometimes it pays to stay at home and bird watch

Posted on 14th November 2016 by Richard

Yesterday I went for ‘the long walk’ around my patch, down the Lane, over the fields to the River and back. Besides the Fieldfares there was very little about either with Birds or other wildlife.

I got home and thought I’d wrap up, pull out my Garden Chair and see what comes along – it was quite delightful.

Observation of the back garden bird feeder seems the Tits have a kind of rota system; the Great Tits, Blue Tits and Coal Tits all seem to come at different times right after each other.
All of them mix well with the resident House Sparrows and Dunnocks and take little notice of the invading Starlings and Great Spotted Woodpecker.

Also visiting were a Green Woodpecker, Grey Wagtails and a Jay, all of which were camera shy and seemed to avoid the lens at all costs.
However, a Yellowhammer did sit on the Clothes Line for just enough time for me to get a shot.

Pride of place though was a Male Common Buzzard perching on the Electricity Cables above the back hedge. I was especially pleased with this as it’s usually only the female which I see gliding about.

Some Lapwings on the wasteland, overall upwards of 200

Everyday it seems will spring up at least one surprise, but even if it doesn’t it’s a joy and a great learning curve to just sit and observe who’s where and what’s what.

Servicing the Bird Feeders for Winter

Posted on 18th October 2016 by Richard

Although the Garden and it’s surrounding are pretty much bird friendly with so many wild Blackberries, Rowan and other fruit etc., I thought it about time to start off feeding the Birds again.

Because of the Stream opposite, a Field behind and next door keeping Rabbits, we are somewhat attracted to Rats, so my first job was to make a few alterations and adjustments to my existing set up.

In the Front Garden I moved the whole Feeder contraption further away from the branches of the small tree, surrounded the upright with downnpipe and attached a few thorn cut offs around the bottom.
It seems to have done the trick, no Rats climbing up anymore. In fact for some reason or other, the Rats seem to have vanished, maybe the local Predator Birds are having a feast, possible an Owl as well?

In the back Garden I made a better and bigger table to stop crumbs falling to the ground beside the Pond. The Rats were having a field day there rummaging through the One Day Lilys and other flowers.
I’ve also lowered the roof a little to hopefully stop the Sparrowhawk, or at least slowing him or her down so the Tits etc. have a better chance of escape.
As it happens, the Sparrowhawk has ample Pigeon available on the fields.
Again I’ve put thorn twigs on the upright and enveloped the upright with Downpipe.

None of this will stop the Squirrels of course, battling them is a lose lose situation. Watch, admire their diversity and cunning plus just accept it !

It was nice to see the Chiffchaff appear. Like the Grey Wagtails, they seem to wander off during late Spring then return again about now.
Blackbird numbers are increasing in droves. I don’t think there’s any Scandinavian migrants yet but certainly the increase in numbers shows they are moving south from other parts of the Country.
Starlings are also very apparent at present

Weather patterns seem to be changing every year with some birds too early, some late. I wouldn’t like to be a Farmer, I’m sure in previous times they knew exactly when to do what, nowadays it’s all a suck it and see situation.

However, jobs done and all birds welcome down the Lane.

Rye Harbour Nature Reserve Mid September

Posted on 13th September 2016 by Richard

Like many coastal reserves, visiting them on a hot day is not always advisable, 1. The birds are all sheltering and 2. there’s never enough shade plus of course,, the settings on your camera need changing for every direction !!

However, 27 degrees on 12th. September is not the norm and as it was due to get hotter still, this day seemed the best option.

Whilst walking alongside the canal going out to Sea, two Seals made their way otwards on the tide bobbing up just now and again seemingly to put the sun on their cheeks before going back down again re-appearing some 50 meters further out.

Most birds on the Lakes were too far to get any decent shots but on my way back to the Van, the area around the Static homes was full of bird song with Buntings and Starlings happily sharing Blackberry bushes and the roofs of Static Homes !

After Rye, I popped over to Dungeness for a quick look around the Old Lighthouse Garden but nothing present there.
All in all, not a good day for any tick sheets but a beautiful September morning and early afternoon getting warm from the Sun and…….tired

Sedge Warblers & more at Dungeness

Posted on 10th June 2016 by Richard

Although I go to Dungeness on probably a fortnightly basis (25 minute drive) and have done so for the past year, I hadn’t a photograph of a Sedge Warbler up to now.

The Sedge Warbler

My day started off just before 10am and it was cold! I walked from the ARC Car Park along to the viewing point on the main Site and sat there for a good hour. In this time I saw four Hobbys, a Marsh Harrier, Common Terns and the usual Reed Buntings making a right racket.

I walked back slowly, got the car and drove round to the main RSPB Car Park and set about a long walk around the whole Reserve. Between the Christmas Dell Hide and Denge Marsh Hide I found myself face to face with a Sedge Warbler sitting very calmly amongst the shrubbery.

Starlings – Wild Foxgloves – Small Blue
Ah good I thought, at last I’ve seen one. For the rest of my walk I must have seen another 8 or 9. It’s strange how this happens, you never see something, but once you do, you seem to see them over and over again.
This makes for not being so excited about seeing one (unless it’s rare) but on a challenge to take a better photo than the one you had before!

The Swallow, nice pose, pity it wasn’t on a twig though!

I finished up around 3pm, the sun had come out and from being cold in the morning I was now quite hot!
A Linnet and some Swallows sat on the telegraph wire back on the ARC and that roundd my day off quite well.

Other wildlife included quite a few Electric Blue Dragons, Four Spotted Chasers and lots more Invertebrates, most being in the form of Midges.

Good preparation for Scotland in two and a half weeks !

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