28 Jan Monty has really been delivering the wildlife goods in recent days and today was no exception with two BRAMBLINGS in the park at around midday. They were feeding in the large horse chestnut behind the childrens play area, calling, before flying towards the station (where there was a report of one a few weeks back). These are rather uncommon winter visitors from northern Europe. There was also a JAY and a lively COAL TIT in the park. At the station a male BLACKCAP gave brief snatches of sub-song and fleeting views, also a singing GREENFINCH at the station. In the garden the female Blackcap paid a visit along with the usual BLACKBIRDS (two males), a couple of COLLARED DOVES, BLUE and GREAT TITS and a WOODPIGEON or two. |
27 Jan I spent a a productive hour on the patch from 11 am to midday, most of the time the sun shone and in sheltered areas it was lovely and warm. The big highlight was a GREATER SPOTTED WOODPECKER in a tree near at the top of St Andrews Road - it called then flew over my head down the road in the direction of the park. This is such a good bird to see, and I wonder if it will nest? Nearby the CHIFFCHAFF called briefly. At the station a BLACKCAP was heard sub-singing and nearby the feeders attracted about eight CHAFFINCHES, two GREENFINCHES and a BLUE TIT. Near the tunnel there was a 'flock' of seven BLACKBIRDS. At Fairlawn Road was a group of LONG-TAILED TITS and a CREEPING BUTTERCUP was in flower plus a surviving WOOD AVENS flower from last summer. More CELANDINE flowers were found at the top of St Andrews Road in the community garden area behind the trailers. |
26 Jan Fungi are a bit like buses - you go ages without seeing any then two come along at once! in the park just behind the children's play area there is a group of what I assume to be VELVET SHANK, a winter species which likes growing on decayed wood - in this case a tree-stump. Meanwhile, at the top of the railway path there is a very large troop of (again what I assume to be) GLISTENING INK CAP. Now seasoned readers of this blog will know I'm hopeless at fungi, so if you can correct my provisional identification I will give you a free bar of fair trade chocolate but hurry or I'll eat it myself! |
25 Jan A quick circuit round the park revealed a couple of GREY SQUIRRELS chasing each other - presumably courtship behaviour? Also a SISKIN flew over and a JAY gave good views. Three CELANDINES are now in flower plus one plant of WHITE DEADNETTLE. |
25 Jan A quick circuit round the park revealed a couple of GREY SQUIRRELS chasing each other - presumably courtship behaviour? Also a SISKIN flew over and a JAY gave good views. Three CELANDINES are now in flower plus one plant of WHITE DEADNETTLE. |
22 Jan A pathetic sight in the park this morning was a dead FOX looking very mangy. I emailed Dr Stephen Harris at the university in case the carcass was of interest in light of the ongoing study of urban foxes. Two JACKDAWS flew high overhead and there were about half a dozen CHAFFINCHES in the park, mainly females but also a smart male looking splendid in the sunshine. A GOLDFINCH flew over the allotment gardens near the station. |
21 Jan I was delighted to see both a male and a female BLACKCAP in the garden this morning at around 9.30am, the female appeared to be chasing the male! Also a LONG-TAILED TIT, BLUE TIT, WOODPIGEON and BLACKBIRD noted. Nothing much around outside the garden, the blustery weather no doubt discouraging much bird activity. |
20 Jan It actually stopped raining for an hour or so today shock horror! At about 2.00 pm I ventured out and found that the CHIFF CHAFF was still in the garden of the house in St Andrews Road, calling constantly and flitting around an evergreen shrub. Further down the road a JACKDAW flew high overhead, calling. At the station a GREY SQUIRREL was near the feeding station, spending several seconds dangling upside-down from a branch and lunging at one of the seedfeeders! Meanwhile the male BLACKBIRD in the garden is still a bit frisky - he was running around after the female again but she was having none of it. There are now no less than four Blackbirds in the garden and the males are having noisy stand-offs, presumably they are becoming more territorial with spring not far off? Finally today the female BLACKCAP made an appearance in the garden at dusk. |
14 Jan Highlight this morning at around 10 O'Clock was a CHIFF CHAFF calling and showing briefly in a garden at the top of St Andrews Road (a magnificent garden may I say!) along with a GREAT TIT and a SISKIN was heard calling nearby. At the railway path were a few LONG-TAILED TITS and a very smart JAY. Earlier I watched a pair of BLACKBIRDS on a neighbour's lawn - the female was feeding but the male looked like he had other things on his mind, following the female closely but failing to catch up with her! |
13 Jan A blustery morning so many birds were keeping a low profile. At around 9.45 am two RAVENS flew over Ashley Hill from the direction of Narroways. They seemed to enjoy riding the wind like aerial surfers lifted by breezy waves. Otherwise the usual birds were in evidence; GREAT and BLUE TITS calling near Fairlawn Road, a GREENFINCH over St Andrews Road and a PIED WAGTAIL over the park. |
12 Jan In the park this morning at 10am there was an impressive flock of eight MAGPIES, some were in the pine tree at the back of the park and the rest in the pine near the lower entrance to the park. Three JACKDAWS flew over as did a PIED WAGTAIL, and eight or nine CHAFFINCHES, mainly females, were feeding in the bare branches of various trees and were joined by a BLUE TIT. Not much at the station except for a singing DUNNOCK. At Fairlawn Road this afternoon there was a West African kora player - he was (I think) being filmed, so I didn't want to interfere, but it was great to hear the sound of one of my favourite musical instruments on a sunny January day! |
11 Jan Due to the appalling weather I didn't make much of an effort today BUT the garden BLACKBIRD was in song at dawn for the first time, so despite the conditions it was another sign of spring! |
8 Jan A quintessential sign of spring in the park this morning - no, not the FA Cup Final or the Eurovision Song Contest but a CELANDINE in flower. This buttercup-like bloom is always a delight to see and I normally do not see it this early - lovely stuff. Also in the park were a couple of JAYS, two MAGPIES, a female CHAFFINCH and three BLUE TITS. |
7 Jan A blustery day kept bird activity to a minimum, although at 12.00 noon the feeders at the station attracted several CHAFFINCHES as usual. In the park there was very little to report except for a COLLARED DOVE and a BLUE TIT. A GOLDFINCH flew over the railway path and a GREENFINCH over Fairlawn Road. A pair of PIED WAGTAILS were chasing each other along the pavement at Bath Buildings at 4.00pm. |
5 Jan Fergus tells me that the female BLACKCAP I've seen in the garden in recent weeks has been visiting his as well - he saw her this morning. He also reports the predation of at least a couple of Blue Tits by a local cat. Meanwhile there were seven WOODPIGEONS in my garden this morning - will there be double figures one of these days I wonder? At the station I could only see a few CHAFFINCHES and GREENFINCHES but no Brambling. A PIED WAGTAIL flew over Station Road. |
3 Jan The big news today is of a BRAMBLING seen by someone called Rob near the station this morning. Bramblings are finches from northern Europe which visit Britain in winter in varying numbers - never common - so I'll definitely be trying to look for it tomorrow morning! Rob also had good views of a SPARROWHAWK nearby. In the park at around 9.00 am there were two COAL TITS and a GOLDCREST, and six FIELDFARES (large thrushes from Scandinavia) flew overhead. A GOLDFINCH flew over Picton Street. |
1 Jan 2008 A happy new year to all our readers! In the garden this morning at 9.30 the female BLACKCAP re-appeared after an absence of a week or two along with a BLACKBIRD and four BLUE TITS, and at 3.00 pm no less than six WOODPIGEONS were munching Ivy berries. In Belvoir Road shortly afterwards a Blackbird was sub-singing (tuning up for the spring!) |
