Catch-up 2016 & 2017 (part 1)

February 2018 - Catch-up review of 2016 & 2017

Apologies to you all out there. I have neglected this blog over the past two years or so. Since my last update in March 2016, I have taken a few snaps of critters, both small and not so small. So let's begin!

"Waggy", the Grey Wagtail that has been spending the Winters since 2010 in our garden, vacated the garden for her breeding grounds by mid-April 2016. The male Wagtail that had appeared the previous two Winters, failed to arrive for whatever reason. Will "Waggy" return for a sixth Winter? Who knows? But as this author blogs (February 2018), "Waggy" has not yet returned. I would suspect that the Wagtail had reached the end of her life-cycle. It was fun when she returned each winter and spent the days on our pond, coming to the door to be fed live meal worms. Having duels with the resident Robin and tussles with the female Blackbird. I find it very intriguing that this small bird would return to our garden each year, at more or less the same month and depart each April.

Where did she go? Did she raise offspring each year? We know that she hooked-up with a male for two consecutive seasons. This was the definitely the same bird returning each year. My wife or myself would call "waggy" and she would appear at the door to be fed. She wasn't scared at all by us. A different bird would be wary of coming to the door to be fed. Goodbye Waggy.

Siskins arrived arrived in the garden during January and February 2016. They regularly stopped-off at the feeders on they're way to somewhere else.

On and off throughout 2016 and 2017, we have been getting the odd visit from Goldfinches. These colourful birds always add colour to the garden. They tend to spend time on the feeders eating sunflower hearts. Normally we only get flocks of House Sparrows and Starlings together with Wood Pigeons. speaking of which, the numbers of House Sparrows and Starlings that we used to get in the garden have dropped dramatically. This I would say reflects the national decline of these once common birds.

In March 2016, I got to talking with a work-colleague. Simon told me that  he would  go to Hatfield Moor to photograph Adders in the Spring and Summer. Well, in all the visits I had made, I never saw one. So, we agreed one Sunday to go early in the morning.  Unfortunately, this trip we didn't see any but Simon spotted a "reddish duck" sailing on the still water. I only managed to get one shot! A Mandarin Duck and a male at that! The image below shows the bright colour of a Mandarin Duck, classified by the Birding Authorities as an "Escapee". That is, not native to this country.

May, and we went again. A warm sunny morning. This time we glimpsed a Lizard, a juvenile adder and around lunchtime on our way back to the cars I saw an adult Adder coiled as a circular-pyramid! It was large snake of at least a metre with a thick girth! I called to Simon who was further down the path. Turning to take a photo, I just got the rear of it as it quietly slide into the hedgerow!

The photos below show the Lizard and an Owl Pellet (the excreted remains of a meal).

And while there, we stepped into a bird hide to get some close views of the Mandarin Duck.

Also while there I snapped this shot of a Speckled-Wood Butterfly.

Meanwhile back in the garden, the familiar sight of a Sparrowhawk  had arrived. This was to be the first of many visits made by the raptor in the coming weeks. The Sparrowhawk has been a regular visitor to the garden these past years due to the feeder tables and abundance of Starlings and House Sparrows in past years.

A creature that looks like something from another world was also found in our garden... a so-called May Bug or Common Cockchafer (Melolontha melolontha). This one is a male, he has seven 'leaves' on his antennae. They spend 3 to 5 years buried in the ground as grubs. When they pupate and emerge as an adult beetle, they will only live for another 6 weeks.

March 2015: Catch-up

Much has happened since last I updated this blog. Let me try to bring you guys up to speed!
The Grey Wagtail that has been visiting our garden pond since she was a juvenile way back in 2011 is still here. "Waggy", as we have affectionately called her, still arrives in the garden each autumn/winter until the following spring when she moves away to find a mate and raise a brood.

Over the successive seasons, she has matured into an adult Grey Wagtail, capable of evading threats from aggressively territorial Robins and hunting Sparrowhawks. She continues to spend the winter months on the garden pond, coming to the back door to accept live mealworms and spending the daylight hours in our garden.

Forward to 22nd March 2014, out of the blue sky, a male Grey Wagtail appeared on the garden lawn. Larger and with bolder colouring, the male departed and returned each day with the female over successive days until April 17th, which turned-out to be the last day that they spent time here. After that we have to assume that they flew to the summer breeding grounds to raise a brood.

December 3rd 2014 saw the female Grey Wagtail return to our garden pond and to be fed a regular intake of live mealworms. As of writing this account (Sunday 8th March 2015), "Waggy" is still here, but last Wednesday 4th, a male Grey Wagtail landed in the garden.

It too accepts live mealworms and will walk right up to the back door to accept a meaty morsel. As the male has arrived early, you will notice that his black bib has not fully developed compared to last year.

Now there are two Grey Wagtails in residence, this has given the resident male Robin much to think about. Whereas before, both the Robins (there is a resident pair) would continually chase the female Wagtail, now both species are evenly matched! The male Robin will still vent his spleen at any and all House Sparrows but particularly hates the resident Dunnock!

While all this is going on around us, the daily comings and goings of the Wren, Blue Tits, Blackbirds, and occasionally the Sparrowhawk, makes for intriguing observations.

Last Summer, our garden hosted the regular visits from two Hedgehogs. Each night both Hogs would spend time in the garden and share a bowl of live mealworms. Through May to October, the two Hedgehogs would eat and spend their nights in our garden. We purchased a couple of Hog-Houses, Mel fitted them out with hay and dried leaves. Both Hogs, for a few weeks, spent the days in the houses. This year we're hoping that one of them will return.

October 2012 - Grey Wagtail returns while Sparrowhawk kills Starling in the garden.

Saturday 27th: Yesterday, the Grey Wagtail returned to our garden on the first cold day of this autumn. Last night or very early this morning, we had a light dusting of snow. Though it was here a couple of weeks ago for one day, it had not stayed.

Today, it is back for a second day on and around the pond. The Wagtail will still come to the back door for live mealworms, still being harassed by the local Robin. After extensive research, Mel and I think that this Wagtail is a second-year bird. Last autumn from the photos we took at the time, it is quite clearly a juvenile bird.

But now, it has moulted and has more distinctive yellow feathers on its underparts. A male, it does not have the distinctive black bib until next spring and the breeding season. That's of course, if it makes it to Spring! Though it has gained more experience of the dangers in the natural world (it now freezes when an alarm call goes out by the Blackbirds or Sparrows) the Wagtail still has to contend with the daily danger from the local Sparrowhawk!

And this was readily apparent this morning. The Wagtail was on the pond wall when the Sparrowhawk grabbed a Starling from within the conifers. The photos and especially the movie below show the graphic detail of a Sparrowhawk kill. The original commentary by us (as it happened and the sound of the distressed Starling has been replaced by classical music so as not to offend or upset anyone. If you think the video would disturb you, don't watch it!

As I write this at 11:30am, the Sparrowhawk is still here in the back garden, on the arch (its favourite plucking post) still plucking and eating the Starling. We did hear the Grey Wagtail flyover some minutes ago but I shouldn't think it will return until the danger has gone. Apart from the Sparrowhawk, the garden is, as you would expect, deserted of wildlife.

Footnote:The Grey Wagtail, I should say, like other birds, vacated the area and didn't return for the rest of the day. Though on Sunday 28th, the Wagtail spent most of the day here!

October 2012 - Grey Wagtail returns

Thursday 4th: This morning at 10am, I received  a call from home; "guess who's returned to the garden...The Grey Wagtail!" Mels enthusiastic tones called. Wow! This is the first day (that we know of), that a Grey Wagtail has been in our garden since last February 25th. However, this bird is not just any Grey Wagtail, but the very same bird that spent last winter in our garden. We know this because when Mel called to it from the back door, it flew over to her from the pond to take some live mealworms that Mel had thrown onto the patio! Now a new bird would not be so trusting or acquainted to this procedure. Last Winter, the Grey Wagtail had gotten trusting of Mels call and by February last, it was stepping onto the door step to eat mealworms. Now, the resident Robin, Blackbird and Starlings have noticed the brightly coloured interloper (who we hope will frequent our garden this autumn and winter) and try to scare it off when it gets some mealworms. The Robin in particular seems a bit "miffed" at the appearance of a rival and we have some video of the  Robin flying at the Grey Wagtail in an effort to chase it off. Let's hope the Wagtail frequents the garden for this autumn and winter.

 

 House Sparrows as always are numerous in the garden.

 

The "miffed" Robin.

 

Amongst the birds visiting the garden today were a pair of Coal Tits. Above is a snap of a fast moving Coal Tit.

 

 

And finally...in true "Autumn-watch" tradition...Hedgehog poo! We know that Hedgehogs have been visiting the garden on and off for the past few months. We have even seen a couple. Now they are leaving poo, so must be spending a good while in the garden when they visit. We have two dishes of water always out for the birds and we have seen a Cat drink water too so it is logical to assume that Hedgehogs drink water as well. This must be what attracts them to our garden.

 

 Never leave milk for Hedgehogs!

 

If you can stand it, examine the photo of the poo closely and you will see Beetle cases, bird seed and other bits that Hedgehogs will eat. Hedgehogs are increasingly becoming scarce, so please if you can, make your gardens "Hedgehog Friendly" and if you live close to the countryside or indeed in the countryside, you are sure to attract a Hedgehog or two.

 

Please drive responsibly along countryside lanes and town roads at night.

February 2012 - Last visit by the Grey Wagtail

Saturday 25th: With the snow now gone, Spring is breaking-out and temperatures have risen. Today the Grey Wagtail was in the garden for much of the time, just as she was yesterday and most every day before that going back to the beginning of this month. Melanie had recently gained the confidence of the Wagtail and actually had her coming into the kitchen for live mealworms, as the photo below shows! But though we didn't know it at the time (I'm writing this in April), Saturday 25th was to be the last we we saw the Grey Wagtail.

Having been here, feeding on live mealworms and learning from other birds in the garden, danger calls and jostling with Blackbirds and House Sparrows for mealworms for much of the winter; late November, most of December and just about all of February, she has (it seems) migrated away to an area where she will mate and raise a brood of chicks. It's too much to hope that she comes back next winter, but the Wren has kept coming back each winter and the going off in the Spring for three seasons now. But here's hoping...we wish you well Young Grey Wagtail!

February 2012 - Grey Wagtail still here!

Saturday 16th: This morning, the Grey Wagtail arrived at 9:30am. Now that it getting lighter earlier, she is probably around earlier but as I don't tend to rise from bed until later at the weekends, of course I don't see her! Though not in the garden all the time every day, the Grey Wagtail is still around and visits the garden/back door for live mealworms two or three times a day, every day,spreading her wings and long tail in an effort to make herself bigger to deter her rivals when collecting mealworms. She has been a constant visitor since February 2nd. Now that the snow has gone and the pond is ice-free, she spends her time, while she is here, in and around the pond on the waterfall, in the water chute looking for marine life such as shrimps or on the house roof. We suspect that in the periods when she is away from the garden, she is scouting new territories in preparation for Spring.

The Wren is still a regular visitor each day also for live mealworms. This morning, it was giving that familiar high-pitched call that is usually heard in woodland. As usual a Robin is around and also visits the back door for live mealworms as do the House Sparrows and male Blackbird.

A Grey Squirrel got into the loft this week and couldn't find it's way out. For three days it was wandering around the loft chewing rafters and insulation. Mel got a rat trap and eventually managed to entice it in and trap it. Yesterday, she left the loft hatch open and the ladder down with the trap at the hatch and food at the base of the ladders. Believe it or not the squirrel actually climbed down the ladders into the study to eat food. Mel got to within a foot of it but the squirrel was too quick and jumped over her out-stretched hand racing up the ladder and back into the loft. Mel stood guard and 30 minutes later, the squirrel was heard again. With food in the trap, the squirrel entered and seemed relieved to be eating. Gently, Mel carried the trap from the loft. The squirrel calmly ate and drank lots of water. It was very thin with parts of its skeleton starting to show. For 15 minutes it stayed calmly in the trap eating and drinking. Mel carried the trap downstairs to the garden where she released it to familiar surroundings. This squirrel is a regular visitor to our garden and will always take monkey nuts from the back door when "SQUIRREL" is called!

Smaller creatures seen recently are the Varied Carpet Beetle (Anthenus verbasci), a very small rounded beetle approx 2 - 10mm in size as seen in these enlarged images below.

And the Silverfish (Lepisma saccharina) 0.5 - 2cm, is a creature that lived during the era of the Dinosaurs! Judging from this image, it  does look prehistoric!