Saturday 27th: A lunchtime walk around my local wood and after an unusually long Winter, Spring is slowly starting to breakout. The buds on the trees are still wrapped tightly but given a few more days and some warm weather, they will flourish. It's been a while since I've been birding in this wood and though small and dilapidated in some parts, it supports a wide variety of wildlife. A couple of Chiffchaffs, presumably, recently arrived from their 3,500 mile flight from West Africa have already taken up residence, one at either end of the wood, their familiar calls ringing out in response to the other. It's incredible that those Chiffchaffs that migrate, (some tend to stay), make this journey across the Sahara, mountains and seas to get here. The two images here are of the same bird as it was very obliging for me. Below is a short movie with sound of the Chiffchaffs song.
Long-tailed Tits are in abundance. I've noticed that there seems to be one flock that works its way up and down the wood, moving from tree to tree.
No Bluebells yet, still too early but there are sporadic island of Daffodils that have bloomed. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Wood Pigeons Goldfinches, Wrens and Robins were seen around the wood. As I write this today (Sunday 28th), I can report that I also saw a Treecreeper, female Chaffinch and astoundingly two male Goldcrests resplendent with their red display skull caps quarreling with each other in an attempt to entice the attention of a female Goldcrest a short distance away. Unfortunately I could get a photo of these two birds. I must admit that I have never ever seen male Goldcrests with red display plumage.
Friday 26th: The female Blackbird that we have called "Nice Misses" has laid two eggs in the same nest she used to rear her 3rd brood last year. This is amongst the pyhracantha attached to the wall of the House. She still comes into the kitchen on a regular basis to feed on mealworms. There is another Blackbird pairing nesting in the conifers at the bottom of the garden. During the Winter, there were at least seven Blackbirds in the garden but the others have now dispersed to find their own territories.
Thursday 25th: The majority of Frogs that return each year to our pond, have now left after spawning, leaving only about half a dozen resident Frogs. Both male and female Frogs came back to the pond on or about the 20th, paired up and spawned before disappearing to wherever they stay for the remainder of the year. This year due to the harsh Winter they returned late, usually its been late February or early March. During the time they were here, Mel counted 100+ and the females have deposited approximately 50+ clumps of spawn. Now the majority of this spawn will not survive as the Goldfish are partial to it as are Blackbirds and maybe small pond beasties and some will just not mature to tadpoles. Some that do mature to tadpoles and froglets will succumb to any resident much larger frogs. Unfortunately the mature females that come back do not always survive the mating process as they get either drowned or suffocated by the competing males. This year we have found 4 dead females.
Friday 26th: The female Blackbird that we have called "Nice Misses" has laid two eggs in the same nest she used to rear her 3rd brood last year. This is amongst the pyhracantha attached to the wall of the House. She still comes into the kitchen on a regular basis to feed on mealworms. There is another Blackbird pairing nesting in the conifers at the bottom of the garden. During the Winter, there were at least seven Blackbirds in the garden but the others have now dispersed to find their own territories.
Thursday 25th: The majority of Frogs that return each year to our pond, have now left after spawning, leaving only about half a dozen resident Frogs. Both male and female Frogs came back to the pond on or about the 20th, paired up and spawned before disappearing to wherever they stay for the remainder of the year. This year due to the harsh Winter they returned late, usually its been late February or early March. During the time they were here, Mel counted 100+ and the females have deposited approximately 50+ clumps of spawn. Now the majority of this spawn will not survive as the Goldfish are partial to it as are Blackbirds and maybe small pond beasties and some will just not mature to tadpoles. Some that do mature to tadpoles and froglets will succumb to any resident much larger frogs. Unfortunately the mature females that come back do not always survive the mating process as they get either drowned or suffocated by the competing males. This year we have found 4 dead females.
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