Tag Archives: Jay

End of May down the Lane

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The second part of May continued to be good for wildlife down the Lane and the fields below; the House Sparrows nesting above the back door fledged and no sooner had they and a second lot started !
Also fledged were the Blue Tits in the Box at the top of the Garden and all around young Wrens and more were appearing.

Blue Tit looking out of Bird Box
The fields were just as busy; Yellowhammers, Reed Warblers and Whitethroats numbering more than anything else

Jay    fledged blue tit    Ladybirds-mating
Young Jay – Just fledged Blue Tit – Ladybirds in Spring!
Female-Reed-Bunting    Female Yellowhammer    Mid-Spring-Whitethroat
Female Reed Bunting – Female Yellowhammer – Whitethroat
A trip to Dungeness proved very good to see the Damselflies and Dragon Flies coming to life.
The Scrapes were pretty quiet though, just many Common Terns, Avocets and the usual. Two pairs of Egyptian Geese gave birth on the Islands, nice to see but some avid Dungeness Birders not too happy about the invasion. All Gods creatures !

Four Spotted Chaser    Blue Damselfly    green-Damselfly
Four Spotted Chaser – Blue Damselfly – Green Damselfly
Avocet-at-Dungeness    Wild Trout in Stream    House Sparrow with food
Avocet Dungeness – Trout in Stream down the Lane – House Sparrow approaching nest above back door
Our passing Hedgehog found a friend and from the noise was successful in it’s mission. However, soon after this we didn’t see them again. Good news is they seem to have taken up home in the Mill House opposite.
I miss them but they’re still around and will hopefully produce young shortly.

Whitethroat with flies
Whitethroat with a pretty good Breakfast I’d say !
With 5 days in Pembrokeshire and the weather being quite good since, wildlife and nature is rolling along nicely.

February Wildlife Summary

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In general February has been an especially good month for spotting wildlife both at home and beyond. Highlights though have to be the Waxwings at East Malling and the Bittern at Conningbrook Lakes.

As the month has continued, so has the birdsong and the numbers of House Sparrows in my garden are showing a big increase over last year.
Although I’ve put various bird boxes up here and there, the house, garden and immediate surroundings are a magnet for nesting birds; the Barn, the derelict Windmill, Hedgerow, Woods and good old fashioned eaves around the house.

Great Crested Grebes courting
The Great Crested Grebes at Singleton

Since my last entry…

Singleton Lakes

Yesterday I’d heard there were two Great Crested Grebes going through their courtship procedure so popped along in the hope of getting the classic poses.
They almost gave me the classic but I think she had a headache! As soon as things seemed set, they parted not to be seen again in the hour I spent there waiting.
Maybe I’ll try again during the week.

Brent Geese at Seasalter
Brent Geese flying past at Seasalter

Whitstable and Seasalter

Last Friday I ventured over to Whitstable for an Eye Clinic Appointment and having never been to Whitstable Town (shame on me – I’m a thoroughbred Kentish Man) took a stroll around.
After that I called in to Seasalter. The tide was out and when I say out, it was a long long way out. Plenty of Waders about including Curlews, 100’s of Golden Plover, Oyster Catchers and four lots of Brent Geese flying past.

Male Chaffinch in February    Greenfinch on Feeder
Male Chaffinch and Greenfinch on Feeder at RSPB Dungeness

March will I have no doubt have much going on; the start of bird migration, the start of nest building and some creatures coming out of hibernation. Much to look out for.

Jay on Bird Feeder
Just this morning, the Jay pays a visit

Outside of the immediate areas I have six days in Southampton where I shall visit my favourite spot down there at Warsash / Hamble estuary, a possible day out to Arne or alternatively Titchfield Haven (you have to pay there though!!).
On 2nd April I have a family Party in Selsey Bill, so may take the Camper down there a few days before and explore Pagham.

Action filled !
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Where are the Butterflies

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I don’t know if it’s just me, but I’m sure there aren’t so many Butterflies this time last year.
My fear is that with the warm end to Winter which caused quite a few wildlife species to come out early, some were not strong enough when we had the very cold snap in April?

Speckled Wood Butterfly
Speckled Wood Butterfly

I’ve seen a few Speckled Woods, Small Tortoiseshell, Small Blues and Peacocks, but nowhere near enough I’d say. The edge of the fields here are a wildlife haven?

Rabbit in June    Robin guarding it's nest
An alert Rabbit and right, the Robin still sitting on the same twig guarding it’s nest (2 weeks now!)





This morning I walked up the Lane over the A28 and strolled around the Cricket and Hockey Pitches.
Rabbits do not seem to have a problem with expanding their numbers this year, along a stretch of about 100 meters I saw 32!
Last year and th year before a few ventured to the edge of our Garden. I could never quite work out why they never entered. Maybe I’m talking too soon !

Jay in the Garden
The Jay under the front garden bird feeder

Being such a lovely day I also ventured down across the fields as far as the railway line. The only thing I got was wet! With the heavy rain last night the Corn Field had sagged somewhat and narrow Footpath was a challenge!
Needless to say wildlife wise I came across nothing! But a very pleasant walk in relatively hot sunshine.

Tomorrow I’m off to Dungeness so maybe there will conjure up some goodies for me.

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep

Around the Bird Feeders in early June – Video

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Although there are only 8 species of Birds in this video, around and about there is so much activity, mainly revolving around the Fledglings.

Jay under Bird Feeders

The Woodpeckers appear to have hatched two young one’s and there’s ample families of Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Robins and more – more common Garden Birds that is.

Thus far there is no sign of the annual attendance of Sparrowhawks, last year they certainly culled the Pigeon population, ripped carcases were all over the edge of the fields around here.
There are Buzzards and Kestrels seen every day and as you may have read, a Red Kite appeared two miles away on Wye Downs a couple of weeks ago.




Around the edges of the Gardne, Bumble and Honey Bees are now busy, a few Ladyirds have turned up (wish there were more to stem Black Fly on the Runner and Broad Beans). What is worrying is I haven’t seen any Common Lizards yet and wondering if something took them through Winter.
I’m unsure about this as they’re in four separate parts of the Garden and would have thought at least one hibernating nest would have survived.

I continue with frequent grass cutting to a low height, this should attract more Bees. I leave the edges pretty wild and only cut back bushes like Hawthorn when absolutely necessary, this being a good food and perching source for the smaller birds during the Winter months.

But, it’s getting warmer, so hoping for some busy times ahead

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep

A day in Hamble

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17th.May

With the weather quite good I managed a few hours to have a walk around the shoreline and venture along the footpath toward where the Estuary meets Southampton Water.
Many of the Waders have now dispersed, just a few Terns, Mallards and Teal about.

Jay
The Jay

On to the Woods then! It was nice to see a Jay resting in the branches of a tree, We have one or two visit the front garden here but all too often when you see them elsewhere, one little noise and they’re gone. All the more reason to try and get your photo right on the first attempt, usually even the click of the Camera is enough to send them flying and you end up with some pretty decent shots of a branch!

Nice to see was a Cettis Warbler. I’m forever confused by them against the Chiffchaff and Willow Warbler, the answer being mainly in the colour of their legs. Luckily this one showed it’s legs and paler patterns under the head so I’m pretty certain I have to right this time.

Cettis Warbler
Cettis Warbler

Beside that, there were a few Greenfinches around. They’re very much the first you see them then you don’t bird. You can go for days, even weeks, looking out for them, then suddenly they’re like a London Bus and come one after the other for a day or two.

But it’s not all about Birds and to see the flora around and about in that in between the Spring and Summer mode is of great wonderment.

Over 60 pages of Garden Wildlife on the main Web Site here Nature on our Doorstep