MAY 2009 - Potteric Carr NR....KINGFISHER!

I have now added the video camera footage of this intriging bird! Above are 4 stills taken from the video camera footage that I shot when the Kingfisher came back at 7:30pm to fish.

Saturday 30th, today was a warm and sunny day, time for a trip out to my local patch. As it was warm, I decided that to keep cool, I would wear a pair of shorts. Big mistake! Walking through woods dotted with small ponds inhabited by flying beasties called mosquitoes, I may as well have held a sign up proclaiming... "lunch is here!" Aside from that, it was an enjoyable afternoon walking in the Sun! The usual birds were seen...nothing out of the ordinary. In fact I thought that it was fairly quiet has birds go.

BUT, at teatime, (these things always happen at teatime) I decided to wander back to the car and called-in at Willow Pool Hide on the way. This hide is where you are more or less guaranteed to get good close-up views of birds as there are a couple of bird tables staked-out. I entered quietly as I always do and there were a couple already ensconced. The chap motioned to me "Kingfisher!" The bird was perched on a small sapling just 20 feet away....FANTASTIC! I snapped away! As I slowly got my video cam out, it flew off! But not to worry as it turned out. It was still in the area flying about and skimming the water. The couple left the hide and I decided that I was happy with what I had got and seen and would leave too. BUT, it then came back and perched on a sapling closer still,...just 10 feet away! My video camera was out and I grabbed good quality footage at close quarters!!!! WOW...AMAZING!!

May 2009 - Of Linnets, Damselflies and Starlings!

Sunday 24th, two Damselflies visited our garden pond at lunchtime today. The weather was sunny and warm and this is the first occurrence of these summer beasties this year, that we are witnessed in the garden. The photos show a Common Blue (male Damselfly and a Large Red (male) Damselfly.

Later in the afternoon, I visited Wroot to see what bird life could be seen in the wide-open spaces of the countryside. Some glorious views of Reed Buntings and lots of Swallows were seen. But one particular showing of a Reed Warbler seen in full song through my scope was outstanding! Unfortunately I have no photos of this .

Going onto Hatfield Moor, I was treated to fantastic views of a pair of Linnets! Both male and female showed very well, being very accommodating on a nearby Birch. The birds stand-out very nicely against the blue sky. On the video, you may just hear the call of a distant Cuckoo. That bird was continually calling over a 30 minute period but too far away from me to go and search. Maybe next time.

It's that time of year when the newly-fledged Starlings descend onto all the feeders. This year there doesn't seem to be as many as in previous years but there are still quite a few that have made our garden their feeding station. The species is on the RED LIST OF CONSERVATION CONCERN and all efforts, even in a small way such as providing food should be made.

MAY 2009 - House Sparrows in the Study!!

Tuesday 19th, Well...it had to happen! Two brave House Sparrows, in their quest for live food, flew into the kitchen, through the hall and up the stairs into the Study. As the photo shows, both are perched side-by-side on the chair looking for all the world as if this is a normal thing to do. It doesn't matter what bird it is...they always find their was to the Study. Both are females and we have found that it is the females that seem to be the bravest when it comes to obtaining food for their chicks! This photo is a "reaction-photo" as Melanie was caught totally by surprise!

MAY 2009 - Robin chicks fledge the nest!

Friday 15th, well...it's all happening today with the Robins! This morning, all 6...yes we can confirm that there are 6 Robin chicks, were still in the nest. How they could all stay in without any falling out is beyond me! The nest is quite small, too small for 6 medium chicks and wedged up against the fence, amongst the ivy. By this afternoon, Melanie had reported that they had flown the nest. Both adult Robins were on hand to oversee the event and tempted the chicks out with beaks full of live mealworms.

This evening I managed to see one of the newly fledged Robins as it sat in the conifers waiting for food. Feeding the adults, I could see that they were flying to all areas of the garden and beyond to pass on the mealworms. But best of all, during a rain-free window, the two adults were possibly inspecting another site for a nest. But the manner in which they did this was something I've never seen before. Both were hovering...yes hovering in a manner similar to Humming Birds, very rapid wing-beats and both birds side by side, inspecting the ivy against the fence together. To see two adult Robins hovering side by side, three foot from the ground and in almost perfect synchronization is truly amazing! Unfortunately I have no photos of this fascinating happening.

The Blackbirds are still resident in the garden. Family 'Set-B' (male, female and two fledglings)with their second brood. Also around is an older female fledgling from the first brood. Yesterday I did see what I think is the male from the first brood eating berries in the front garden.

House Sparrow fledglings are out and about now in the garden. Some of the adults are collecting live mealworms from us and seem to be quicker at grabbing the worms than the Robins, which get bullied out! This is a surprise to me as I had always assumed that Robins can be very aggressive.

Another bird that is a very regular visitor to the garden are Jackdaws. There seems to be a group of 4 adults that attend the bird table where there is always a selection of dry food...weather permitting! An intelligent bird, sleek and very tidy-looking and can be skittish, though immune to the dive-bombing of the male Blackbird! Like other Corvids, Jackdaws mate for life and both adults take great care in rearing their offspring. Last year during late May and June/July, we had a couple of Jackdaw fledglings accompanying the adults to the bird table.

May 2009 - Robin feeding chicks!

Sunday 10th, the Robin was out and about in the garden today gathering food for the chicks that hatched earlier in the week. Robin has now started visiting the kitchen again to get mealworms a these images show. Melanie has looked at the nest and there could be as many as 5 (confirmed) or maybe 6 chicks, that's one more than reported last Wednesday.



The Blackbird family 'Set-B', as we call them has finally fledged her second brood! Last night I saw one of the fledglings very well hidden in the conifers. The constant chirp-chirping was the giveaway! Both the male and female adults have been taking live mealworms to three different points in the garden. Presumably this is where the fledglings are located.

The Blackbird fledglings, now classed as immatures (we have only seen two recently and they are developing very well) from the first brood are around but not a much as had been, due to the instance of being chased off by the adults. But they will fight back if they are hungry and want mealworms. The male adult from 'Set-A' still puts in an appearance from time-to-time.

MAY 2009 - Robin hatches 4 chicks & Blackbird hatches a second Brood!

Wednesday 6th, and the Robin that we recently found nesting at the bottom of the garden, has revealed 4 chicks to us (see photo above)! At the moment the chicks are still too underdeveloped to fledge which leads us to suspect that they only hatched maybe two or three days ago. The adult Robin herself still spends a lot of her time sitting on them to keep them warm. The adult male pays regular visits to feed the female, perched on the line that is close by. I managed to get a "not very good" photo of the chicks in the nest while the female was off stretching her legs somewhere.

Talking of chicks; the Blackbird family that we call 'Set-B' has now hatched her second brood. We can hear them but as yet have not seen them. The female still comes to the back door for mealworms to feed the chicks. Today I managed to get a short video of her coming into the kitchen to help herself to a beak-full!



One of our regular Wood Pigeon visitors has started to eat from the feeders normally only suitable for smaller birds! Not content with mastering the art of balancing while eating from the lantern feeder (see earlier post from April)...he...or she...has taken to eating the crushed peanuts from the wire feeder. Not normally a problem if you are a bird small enough to hang onto the feeder while eating...but if you are a big plump bird, you have to learn the art of balance and timing to rock to and fro to get a tasty morsel!

May 2009 - Potteric Carr & Hatfield Moor

Sunday 3rd, I went over to Potteric Carr hoping to see a veritable smorgasboard of bird life! Though it was a rasonably sunny and warm day, ther was a very blustary wind. Well, for only the second time of visiting the nature reserve, There were very few birds! The usual Black-Headed Gulls were out colonising Huxter Well but there was a very distinct lack of waders on the Well. Ringed Plover, Avocets and Redshank with Sand Martins and Swifts were there and usual suspects...but all-in-all, not much. Speaking to another Birder there and he reckoned that the strong winds would be a factor. But I did get a good showing of a Kingfisher (2 minute video will follow) and a Jay. Other than that....nothing!

So I dashed over to Hatfiled Moors to take-in the last 3 hours. Not much there either as it was still quite breezy! Though ther were alot of Swallows and Sand Martins buzzing about! On the water there was virtually nothing except for a solitary Oystercatcher and lapwing along with half-a-dozen Coots!