Category Archives: ornithology

Today, from my garden …

30 Tuesday Jun 2015

Posted by in birds, flowers, gardens, nature, ornithology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

, , ,

It’s been such a beautiful day. It started with the bluest sky and brightest sun and the air was filled with the whistles and screams of the Swifts, as they wheeled and dived high above my head.

As I looked around the garden the colours seemed so bright they almost seemed to shimmer and the blooms appeared to bow their heads, as if in greeting.

It was a day for sitting, for watching and for immersing yourself into the landscape and as I sat I could hear the birdsong as a soundtrack all around me.

The scalding trill of the Robin and the shrill cry of the Blackbird alerting everyone to the stranger in their midst.

The chatter and gossip of the Sparrows, which suddenly got louder and more urgent, as squabbling broke out and several of the males vied for their rightful place within their social circles.

The lawn had been cut. The Blackbird and Chaffinch took full advantage as they foraged in the short grass and probed down deep into the soil.

The water from the hose had dislodged many of the bugs from their hiding places under leaves, the  Sparrows and Robin feasted on them in the borders.

The Goldfinches and Greenfinches lined up in the bushes, noisily waiting their turn for access to the newly filled feeders of Sunflower and Niger seeds. And the Blue Tits, Coal Tits and Great Tits surreptitiously flitted to and fro, their beaks full from the fat balls and suet cakes hanging from the arch half way down the garden.

Beyond the arch, the mini meadow. Sown with wild flowers to draw in the bees and the butterflies. It appears to be working! The Bees hummed loudly as they went about their task of collecting pollen and taking advantage of the supply of free nectar. The butterflies, however, arrived as silent as thistledown on the wind. They, too, fed on the abundant supply of nectar, as they arrived to meet and mate.  Then the females headed off to lay their eggs, thus leaving us their gift of beauty and wonder in the year yet to come.

In the meadow the pink of the Campion, which has been flowering continually since the spring, has been joined by  the pink of the Corm Cockles, which have taken over from the pinks and purples of the Aqualiegia.  The blue of the Corn Flowers and the Nigella (also given the title of Love In The Mist, – which I think is almost as beautiful as the flower itself), now mixing with the pinks, the whites and the stripes of the Cosmos.

My Chrysanthemums – Polar Star – . their tiny, pale white, petals surrounding their black centers, ringed with yellow,  shine like eyes watching the world from the country cottage border. In the company of the osteospermum – Serenity – with its’  luminous yellow petals around a white ringed, black center, appear to glow in the half light of dusk and in the pale light of the moon.  As do the white Allysum which line the sides of the paving slabs,  and thus illuminate the edges of the path in the darkness.

The Foxgloves and Lupins are going over now. Their petals. on their tall spires, are giving way to the little pods which hold their seeds, and the hope for next years colours, safely sealed inside.

As I had stood, in the early morning, dousing the borders with water from the hose, the scent of lavender had risen up to greet my senses. Now, in the evening,  as the light is fading and the sun sinks below the horizon,  I am standing by the back door surrounded by the fragrance of the Honeysuckle. It envelopes me like a blanket, airy and comforting. Soothing my senses and smothering the worries of the day,  as if to clear them from my mind.

… it really was a most beautiful day.

Through the window on a cold, grey day.

12 Sunday Apr 2015

Posted by in nature, ornithology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

It was a cold, grey day but the birds didn’t seem to mind and whilst I didn’t manage to get out for much of a walk, I was at least able to sit a while and watch them through the window.

Back Garden Blackbird 3Piebald(the leucistic Blackbird), of course, was there. the garden wouldn’t be quite the same without him.

Then there were the two magpies who appear to have set up home in my neighbours large leylandii trees. I used to get frustrated by the way they block the sunlight toward the end of summer. At this time of year the sun is lower in the sky, so it is less of a problem. But this year, the promise of the Magpies nesting, and also the recent arrival of a couple of crows has endeared them to me and I am glad they are still there.

They also offer space for the pigeons, Even though many people aren’t too keen on them, I find even they have their charm. The Collard Doves are elegant, whilst the Wood piegeons amble around in a strange combination of strutting and bumbling, which can make them rather endearing.

The Greenfinches dropped by frequently to take advantage of the feeders stocked with sunflower seeds, whilst the Chaffinches waited below for tidbits that drop down. The ever present sparrow chattered noisily from the hedgerow, flitting across regularly to both the feeders and the fat balls.

The blue tits are currently feeding on bugs which seem to be plaguing the the willow buds. Whilst the great tits seem to prefer the easier meal from the fat balls, which they share with the sparrows.

Birds in the rain…

11 Wednesday Mar 2015

Posted by in birds, nature, ornithology

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

,

March this year started with ‘changeable’ weather. The morning started with blue skies and bright sunshine, but by the end of the afternoon lightening flashed and thunder roared and hail battered on my back door.

But this did not impede the wonderful array of birds that flitted in and out of my garden during the day.

The Sallow half way down the garden flexed and strained in the wind. The primroses pale yellow petals stood out from the dark brown of the bare soil beneath it. Tiny green leaf peaks from the bulbs pushed up from under the covering of last years leaves next to the path, heralding in the spring. Blue tits and Great tits scoured the branches for any tasty morsel that might be hidden under the bark or in the buds. Supplimenting this with the peanuts and fat cakes from the feeders.

A charm of goldfinches dropped in to take advantage of the niger seeds in the feeder at the upper end of the garden, by the hedge. Distinctive with their red face masks, their black hoods and their gold wing bars. Whilst the Greenfinches headed for the sunflower hearts in the feeders hanging from the side of the arch which divides the garden between the fruit and flower borders and the wild flower meadow and wildlife area. There were Dunnocks and a Chaffinch feeding beneath, picking up the crumbs that dropped from above.

There were also two home made feeders made from old flower pots hanging in the Elder tree by the house The female black cap had discovered them and had been making regular visits through the winter and more recently a pair of coal tits have also been visiting them.

The tree also hosted the parliament of sparrows which congregated noisily in the early morning and then again in the late afternoon. They made use of the feeding station in front of my dinning room window, using the seed dispenser and searching the ground and the plant pots for any stray seeds that might have drifted down or come in on the wind. They were joined by the two resident Robins and the leucistic Blackbird which was also a regular visitor. The latter were more interested in the mealworms which I have been putting out over the winter – and they all take advantage of the fat cakes which are hung, in cages, on the low wooden fence.

The leucistic BlackbirdSpring In Shropshire 004t

Back Garden Treasures 004And one of the resident Robins

An introduction, cut short by the weather

20 Tuesday Jan 2015

Posted by in nature, ornithology

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

,

I sat looking through the window. The dog curled up beside me looked sideways in my direction as if to remind me that I had to venture out sometime today. I sipped my tea trying to decide how cold it might be. Was it time for the thick winter warmth or could I still managed with just enough to keep off the rain. The bulkiness of winter clothes makes it difficult to take pictures or make notes whilst out, but sometimes the seeping cold was itself enough to prevent my fingers from negotiating even those simplest of tasks. I looked again. The sky was blue with some clouds, mainly white but with just enough grey to suggest a promise of a winter shower or two. A typical winter sun, there were no shafts of sunlight, but it gave off a brightness that seemed to reflect off the sky in all directions.

I pulled on my boots and the dog instantly became animated, Jumping off the couch she let out a long howl, as if calling to all in the neighbourhood to let them know we were on our way. Pacing between me, as I laced my boots, and the front door next to which her lead hung, she whined excitedly. Finally we were ready. I opted for just a waterproof storm coat and,  stuffing my notebook into my pocket, we headed out the door.

The cold air slapped my face as a reminder that winter was well underway, although thankfully there was no wind. I could hear the notes of  birdsong ricocheting in all directions making it difficult to pin down any single refrain or put a name to any individual author.

The path between the hedgerows adjacent to the road had been swept clean. Sadly there was still the ever present littering of beer cans and fast food wrappings. But it was not as bad as I had seen it in the past. Keeping my eyes on the branches of the trees I watched the birds.

Passing by the cheekiest sparrow who simply watched as we walked by, my head almost level with where he sat within the tangle of the branches. He didn’t budge, just remained completely still, all fluffed up against the winter chill.
In the bleak mid winter
A robin sang from the upper branches. The melodious notes tumbled like water droplets cascading over a waterfall, down to my ears, before being carried away on the breeze. I stood for several minutes listening with delight to the sound.

Carrying on down the path and on into the park a different set of characters appeared. Within the park the trees were much higher and there the flocks of tits playing among the branches. The Great tit who wouldn’t stick to just a single refrain. With this deliberate ploy, he made an  effort to confuse and disarm his competitors, trying to give the impression that there were more birds present then there really were. Thus encouraging them to search elsewhere for a suitable site to build this years nest. I watched him, in his bright colours of yellow and black, he cut a dashing figure as he flitted from tree to tree calling out his ruse.

The smaller Blue tits were still in their flocks. They gave rise to a constant chatter as they twisted around the branches and chased each other from tree to tree and down into the underlying shrubs. The Blackbirds, too, were still in their winter gatherings. Although it became obvious that even within the group some, at least, were already paired up. They scattered through the shrubs and vocalised their shrill warning of intruders as we approached.

The dog ran through the undergrowth, sniffing and snuffling through the carpet of last years leaves. Every so often she would lift her head and look round, checking that I was still in view. We appeared to be the only ones venturing out today for we passed not one other soul as strolled slowly through the park.

Just as we got to the furthest point the sky changed. The blue was overtaken with dark, slate coloured cloud, the breeze picked up and an ominous cold suddenly descended like a blanket. I shivered and waited for the inevitable.

Slowly, at first, the tiny white frozen balls hit the ground. As more fell a wind picked up,  gusting and propelling the hail like natures bullets, stinging where it made contact with bare skin. Pulling my hood up over my head I turned my back to the wind and started back towards home, the pumelling at my back and the gusting wind helped to increase my pace.