January 2011 - RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch

Saturday 29th: This was an hour of watching the birds in our back garden. Both Melanie and I recorded the different types of birds that would spend time in the garden. The usual suspects were about; House Sparrows (32), Starlings (11), Wood Pigeons (3) & Collard Doves (12). By far, House Sparrows and Starlings are the most numerous of birds in our garden. Though we shouldn't complain, we do yearn for more of a variety of garden birds, both House Sparrows and Starlings are on the RSPBs RED list of conservation concern. Luckily some interlopers visited within the hour; two Great Tits! Now I'm not sure if they were a pair but they are infrequent visitors to our garden. Also the Wren (who currently stays most of the day every day to feast on live mealworms), along with the Robin and another pair of Blackbirds were included in the count. I also briefly saw a male Greenfinch fly-off from the garden. I guess he got lost on his way to that other place! So well down on numbers this year!

The Government has announced plans to sell-off the 18% of England's woodlands and forests currently run by the Forestry Commission. There is a public consultation in progress until the 21st April after which, the Government will review and then make known it's decision. You can read all about it at the link above. Read what the National Trust has to say on the proposals. If you wish, sign the petition at the campaign group 38 Degrees website.

June 2010 - Drama in the garden!

Friday 4th: A usual working-day morning - came down to breakfast at 7:15am, put the kettle on, but no sooner had I made and was about to take a bite of toast, topped with strawberry jam, I was stopped in mid bite. A rapid wing beat from a large bird startled me. Grabbing my camera, I rushed outside expecting that the local Sparrowhawk had caught something! Imagine my suprise when I was presented with the scene as shown in this photo; a Wood Pigeon hanging upside down, wings splayed and motionless. All the other birds; Sparrows, Starlings and the Feral Pigeons just ignored it and calmly went about their business.

The unfortunate Wood Pigeon was trapped by it's leg and would never have freed itself from this predicament! The bird was surprisingly calm and motionless, it was not even struggling to free itself! Having a look, it was just a matter of gently folding the birds' wings, holding it with both hands and lifting the bird free and in an instant...it had flown. Shaken by it's ordeal, it nethertheless was in one piece and with no breakages, flew off to eat somewhere else.

Usually, this bird and other Wood Pigeons tend to perch on the fatball holder as it's just the right height from the sunflower feeder and they can eat fairly comfortably. On this occasion, the Wood Pigeon must have slipped and put it's leg through the gap between the two metal rods that hold the fatball feeder to the pole. As it's leg went through the gap, the bird went over the side, immobilising it! Fortunately the leg did not appear to be damaged in any way. One lucky Pigeon!

May 2010 - Kirkmoor Planation Wood & news from the Garden

May 2nd: Strolling around my local wood, I can see that the Summer migrants have now arrived. I saw 3 male Blackcaps singing in different territories though no females. So, do the males return before the females and stake-out territories before the females arrive later? Answers would be appreciated. Of course, the early arrivals, the Chiffchaffs have laid claim to territories as long ago as late March and are in full voice! Willow Warblers are also back and their familiar song can also be heard. At least two have taken-up residence in the wood. Another question that intrigues me: do these migrants such as Blackcaps, Chiffchaffs and Willow Warblers return to the same site after flying 3,500 miles from Africa year after year? Or is it just chance that brings them to this little wood on the outskirts of Doncaster?

Bluebells now carpet the wood and for two weeks or so will provide a vivid blue colour to the wood. The local residents such as Chaffinch, Wren, Robin, Blackbird and Wood Pigeon are as usual, fairly abundant. For such as small wood, it certainly contains a large variety of wildlife.

Meanwhile, in our garden, the birds are in full flow. The pair of Wood Pigeons that nested in the conifers, produced one fledgling. But after making its maiden appearance, was frightened by a local Squirrel and has not been seen since!

The Blackbirds - specifically the females - are constantly visiting the kitchen for mealworms, so much so that Melanie has now rationed them as we don't expect another delivery until Wednesday 5th! Once we open the back door then it becomes a constant procession of female Blackbirds (3 different individuals), 1 male Blackbird and a small group of House Sparrows!

Over this Bank Holiday weekend, Melanie could easily spend the entire day supervising the birds! She has to limit each bird to a reasonable number of mealworms as they tend to empty the bowl and leave none for the next visitor.

The female House Sparrows seem to be more forward than the males (who wait outside by the doorstep) and will fly in and hover waiting for the moment when they can seize the odd mealworm from under a Blackbirds beak! There has already been one Blackbird fledgling, that Mel photographed last Friday, but alas, this morning (Monday) she discovered its remains in the flower bed. Just the beak, a poo-pellet and some feathers are all that was one a Blackbird. It looks like the neighbourhood Sparrowhawk is back on the scene!

August 2009 - Peacock butterflies in the garden.

Saturday 8th: Being a sunny and warm day, the flowers attracted the Butterflies and other insects into the garden. Two Peacock Butterflies were spending a lot of time fluttering over the Buddleia. This type of Butterfly must be one of the prettiest of all Butterflies. They seem to be fairly common as I myself have seen several at various locations this Summer! Another type is a common visitor to the garden, the Large White. Hoverflies are also attracted by the Lily and there are quite a few of them.


Until the 5th of this month, a couple of Fledgling Wood Pigeons had been visiting the garden on a regular basis. We think they were both related in that they came from the same nest. Whenever we saw one, the other was close at hand. So it was with sadness that we found the remains of one of them in the garden. We suspect that a Sparrowhawk was the culprit. The other young Wood Pigeon visited the garden a few times afterwards (I'm writing this on the 30th) but has not been seen for a few days now.

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APRIL 2009 - Intelligent Wood Pigeon?

Thursday 30th, one of the local Wood Pidgeons that regulary visits the garden has over the past few days developed a taste for sunflower hearts. He...or she...will perch on the side of a small wire tray and lean forwardtowards the lantern feeder where the sunflower hearts are held. But each time the Pigeon samples the food from the latern, it will start to swing. Well the Pigeon has his...or her work cut out and will frantically try to keep balance by flapping its left wing whilst meeting the incoming swing of the lantern. This is the third occasion we have observed this phenomimen and the bird has adapted by using its right wing/shoulder joint to steady itself to the pole of the feeder! Just watch the short video.