Spadgers

We have lived in our present house for some 24 years and during most of that time House Sparrows have been absent, we used to have a flock up to 1992 but since then just the occasional visitor. Yesterday, when I was in the garden, I could hear them calling from the next door neighbour's garden but was unable to sight them. Today- great news - a mini flock of just six birds - but sat close to the window and calling like mad. I really hope they become regulars.

House Sparrow

House Sparrow

  

House Sparrow

  

The Dunnocks are hyper active too, not sure where they build their nest but it must be close by. I suspect the Robins are now a pair as they tolerate really close company, having dug some of the flower border late yesterday afternoon, they were both feeding within 3 feet of each other. The same can't be said of the Blackcaps, the male constantly drives away the female, mind you he drives away everything at the moment.

Dunnock

 

Blackcap



When I top up the feeders I have been scattering peanuts on the lawn, we have 2 Jays and I wanted to get some photos but they are very nervous. Anyway they have now dipped out as the local Carrion Crows have twigged and as soon as I approach the feeders they settle on the roof anticipating the free feed, when I come indoors they descend, polishing off the peanuts in a few minutes.



Carrion Crow



More grey skies - but with some Black, Red and White

Another day of overcast but dry conditions which meant a day in the garden, with general tidying up needed and a few plants to put in. Delight as some of the Snakeshead Fritillary seed that I had sown last year has finally germinated. The frogs have departed from the pond leaving at least a bucketful of frog spawn. So having done my chores I was sitting on the sofa reading the spring edition of the Sussex Ornithological Society newsletter when Liz pointed out our 32nd species in the garden this year - a male Great Spotted Woodpecker in fine trim.

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Great Spotted Woodpecker

Garden Raider

We take great delight in feeding and watching birds within our garden and we have a wide range of feeders dispensing all the available feeds from nyjer seed to the plain old peanut. Bird numbers have increased over the years and we now have a wonderful "charm" of Goldfinches and a tit flock that is often over 30 strong. All this activity in an urban garden is bound to attract those predators who regard a Blue Tit as a tasty snack. We have occasional visits from Sparrowhawks which, whether it is the male or female, have the same characteristics. Normally the attack is made in a long, rapid but shallow glide over the garden, if no kill results then it is a sharp bank round the Christmas tree and over the shed into next door's more dense shrubbery.  Today was different, it was obvious that the garden was devoid of birds, not a tweet and nothing on the feeders. Then we became aware of a pair of eyes peering over the fence just three feet from the main feeder stand, this bird was fooling no-one, thinking itself invisible was a delusion, every small bird had beat a hasty retreat. Nor were the local Carrion Crows going to put up with it, they mobbed her until she decided to depart for quieter hunting grounds.

Redpolls and Siskins

A really nice day at Warnham LNR near Horsham, plenty of sunshine albeit with a cold North West wind coming through. Right from the off the feeders at the Woodpecker hide were well populated with a host of finches and tits. The list included Goldfinches, Greenfinches, Chaffinch, Redpoll, Siskin and a gorgeous looking female Reed Bunting. Tits included Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed plus a full supporting cast of Pheasant, Moorhen, Mallard, Robins, Wrens, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatches and even a Water Rail who flashed through so quickly I only managed to photograph his backside. The added bonus is that these are all up close and personal.





Lesser Redpoll



Lesser Redpoll



Lesser Redpoll



Lesser Redpoll

Lesser Redpoll



Lesser Redpoll

Siskin



Siskin



Siskin



Siskin



Siskin



Siskin



Reed Bunting

Having sat on the wooden benches for too long I took a short stroll to the Heron hide to have a quick look at the lake. Here I found Tufted Ducks, Pochard, Greylag Geese, Canada Geese, Coots, Little Egret and at least 8 Grey Herons.  I searched the reeds for a Bittern but no luck. There was only one Great-crested Grebe about so I am still waiting to capture "the dance"




Greylag Goose



Greylag Goose



Tufted Duck



Pochard

Warm sunshine - at last.

A really bright, sunny and warm day - very springlike. After the morning rush hour I made my way to West Rise Marsh in Eastbourne, I had never been there before and although it is easy to find parking is not in abundance. However, with the help of a kindly dog walker I parked up and found the footpath leading to the lake. The Black-necked Grebe that I had come to see was immediately spotted - talk about obvious. Other occupants of the lake included a host of Black-headed Gulls, Tufted Ducks, Pochard and all the usual water birds. There was a pair of Great-crested Grebes obviously "sparking" with lots of synchronised preening and I kept the camera focused on them for a long time but they failed to do "the dance", something that I have never captured on pixels. A short visit by a Peregrine created havoc but it didn't kill and moved off towards Shinewater Lake.

Black-necked Grebe

Would you like to dance?    Not today thankyou.

I had intended to visit Splash Point at Seaford but decided to visit Arlington reservoir. That was a mistake, the car park was full - it looked like some form of mass ramble was on the go. So a swift turn round and off to Glynde in search of the Great Grey Shrike. I spent a pleasant half hour at the bridge over Glynde Reach but no show.

On to Pulborough Brooks - just a quick visit to see if I could snap some Crossbills having a drink - lots of birds present but concentrating on cracking those cones - I wonder if they ever run out? The area around the mound was littered with thousands of cones, mostly stripped by squirrels.  Just one fleeting glimpse of a Woodlark and then away to Waltham Brooks on the way home avoiding the interminable road works on the A24 - not that Arundel is ever easy in travel terms.

The Short-eared Owls are still on the brooks, I counted four but they were reluctant to fly, preferring  to sit on trees and posts - on the opposite side to where I was stood.

Deer in the middle of the brooks

Birds and the Bees

Having been stuck indoors for the last week I was itching to get out, but not for too long, So when Liz said that she wanted to visit Waitrose  I cadged a lift to see if I could catch the Yellow-browed Warbler that has been reported in the centre of Worthing.  As I arrived a really friendly birder name Mike informed me that "you've just missed it" but reasured me that it would show again soon and that I would probably hear it first. Spot on!  It was calling loudly from a dense bush in Parexel's car park. Then a fleeting glimpse and finally a really good show, even the light picked up but the little chap wasn't going to sit still long enough for even a record shot. Then I met Leigh who had discovered the bird in the first place and broadcast on SOS - many thanks Leigh.

So on home and with the weather improving all the time I decided to do a tad of light gardening, risking yet another week indoors.  Over the weekend I had left the greenhouse door open and had inadvertently trapped several Bumble bees inside when closing down for the night. One of them was decidedly worse for wear, just managing a feeble crawl and for all the world was on the way out. I had read recently that you could revive an exhausted bee by feeding it with honey. So I duly mixed up a blob of Mr, Seggiano's finest chestnut honey with some rainwater and fed the bee using a cocktail stick. Well blow me - it works. After a couple of minutes I could see the bee taking up the honey and then searching for more. This went on for at least half an hour and following a crawl around the bush that I had perched him on, he spread his wings and flew off strongly.

The warm weather is also encouraging the amphibians resident in the garden pond. There are now three large blobs of frog spawn amongst the plants and several smooth newts getting very active. When we refurbished the pond last year I rehoused a total of 17 newts, I hope that they all return as they are fascinating to watch.

Singing Skylarks

A quick trip around the local patch this morning, first a look at the old fort at Shoreham and then a stroll along the harbour arm in search of exotic gulls. The reality was that there were very few gulls to be seen at all. At the end of the arm 5 Razorbills were constantly diving but there was precious little else to be seen. On the return to the car I found 5 Purple Sandpipers on the wooden piles out in the harbour entrance. A further scan of the rooftops of the warehouses in the port revealed only the commoner species of gull so it was off to Widewater for a quick check.  Very quiet here too, though a very fine Pintail drake was a welcome sight.



Purple Sandpipers

 So home via the gull roost at Ferring, and you guessed it - very quiet - though there were both Black-headed Gulls and Common Gulls showing the early signs of their plumage change.



Black-headed Gull



Black-headed Gull



Common Gull

Having arrived home for an early lunch and with the sun still shining it was off to The Burgh. As soon as I parked at the triangle the Rough-legged Buzzard showed along with about 8 Common Buzzards and 4 Red Kites. There were plenty of small birds about but it was the Skylarks that were stealing the show, lots of them singing their heads off. A very cool westerly breeze sprang up and everything went rather quiet. Just the odd raptor flying at distance. Oddly enough there was plenty of ploughing being done and the air was filled with Gulls!

Skylark

Skylark