28th December - Loves Horses And Her Boyfriend Too

Much calmer weather again this morning and there was even a frost early on the required car windows to be scrapped.  As the sun came up the garden was once again full of Goldfinches, and then Starlings.  As the sun crept slowly above the distant trees the birds began to sing, Great Tits were calling "teach-er" from the bushes, Robins could be heard in full song, while the Starlings were providing plenty of different sounds from the mew of a Buzzard to what sounded like "wake up"!

Around mid morning I put on the wellingtons and headed off along Brislands to go and inspect Old Down Wood.  I was interested to see if the opening up, and thinning out of the trees had allowed more storm damage.

As I came past the development land I noticed a large bird gliding towards me.  It was a Buzzard, and it came close over me in what was lovely light.

As it came over me it turned, banked and the feet dropped and it appeared to look at me, and I got the sense of what it's prey must see just before the talons strike.

It is not usual to see a Buzzard this close to the houses, and it must have been attracted by the earth movement here, that has probably turned over some earthworms, and easy meal for a Buzzard.

I carried on along the lane, and just before the lane opens up into the fields I could hear a Nuthatch above me, looking up it was quite close and stayed in the light to allow me to photograph it.

The sides of the lane have been cleared of all the dead bracken, and the hedges trimmed.  This gives the feel of a more open walk, and you can see into both fields.  The water that was present on Boxing Day has receded a little, but the lane is still flooded at the entrance to the wood.  The path leading into the wood is also very wet and muddy.  There are still stacks of tree trunks waiting to be taken away.

I made my way through the mud, and felt carefully for the depth of some of the water in the ruts.  These ruts cut across the footpaths, and as a result alternative path and tracks are being created as walkers look for ways to walk through the devastation.  

There was bird song in the trees, mainly Tits and Goldcrests with the occasional chipping from a Nuthatch.  If you stand still and watch you will see the movement, and I quickly located a pair of Goldcrests and a small group of Long-tailed Tits.

Movement on the bark of a tree caught my eye, and a Treecreeper came into view, if for only a brief moment.

I wanted to check the Owl tree,but had to walk well out of my way to find a place with which I could cross yet another huge rut caused by the vehicles that are ploughing through the wood.  I eventually found the tree, and there was a bird in it, but not the owl.

Now on the official footpath heading towards the Kitwood entrance, the area to my left has been cleared of many Larch.  There are still some left, but they are very tall with leaves and branches at the top.

Subsequently, the storm just before Christmas has had a devastating effect, and looking across I counted as many as twelve Larch that had been Free Fallin'.

Up close you can see the sandy nature of the soil, and the short roots that were probably the reason these were blown down.  They were all laying in the same direction, the direction the winds were blowing in.

I picked my way through the broken and fallen branches, and followed some of the tracks to the main footpath.  A pair of Marsh Tits called above me, and this one came out on to a branch to give a better view.

Just as I was leaving the wood a Robin burst into song close to me, and continued to do so while bobbing as if concerned by me being so close.  I just love the way it seems to be looking at me intently.

I left the wood, and then crossed from Gradwell to the footpath that leads to Lymington Bottom.  As is usual here there were plenty of Magpies in the field.  I do not know what the attraction is, but regularly there are at least six birds if not more.  A Bullfinch piped at me as I made my way through the mud, and then along the road to home.

Back home we waited as the clouds built up to see if it would rain.  The intention was for both of us to go out.  In the garden a Coal Tit was a visitor to the feeders, my fifth tit of the day

There has been a single Redwing hanging around the garden for a few days.  I have seen it at the top of the trees and flying over.  It is as if it knows there is food in the garden, but is unsure whether to come in, and just watches from afar.  I saw it in the conifers two gardens away, just looking.  It may need some cold weather to tempt it to make a move, as they are timid, and the Blackbirds would definitely not be happy with its presence.

The cloud moved away to the east, and the sun came out so we set off, heading towards Telegraph Lane, along  the footpath behind the A31.  A Bullfinch again piped away as we walked along the ally, and I managed to find the male as it climbed the branches of an apple tree, always a special sight.

We made our way to Weathermore Lane, which was a little sticky, but for once very quiet with very few calls or sightings of birds.  We turned up the road rather than attempt Lord's Wood, and then turned at the crossroads walking past the golf course.  Looking away to the west it was possible to see Old Down Wood, and to the left you can see the impact of the forestry "management". 

We turned off the road and headed towards Newtown Farm.  The wind picked up around here and it felt a little colder.  The Maryanne plantation was quiet, and it wasn't until we came to the open fields that we saw any birds.  These Starlings sitting at the top of the dead tree in the sunshine.

There had been Woodpigeon flocks flying past and above the trees, but as we walked around towards the Kitwood footpath a huge flock came off the ground on the edge of the field.

There have been many around this winter, and it appears that they have been gorging on the vast number of acorns.  Now the acorn shell is poisonous to some animals, and narcotic to others.  It seems that the Woodpigeon has been affected by the the amount available, and the many dead pigeons or piles of feathers I have seen are as a result of them being doped up, and out of it on the ground, and easy prey for buzzards and other carnivores such as foxes and stoats.  We even had one fly into the dining room window yesterday, and although it seemed to recover there was a dead bird on the patio this morning.

We headed down the path, and in front of us was another free fallin' tree!

We negotiated our way around the tree, and cross ed the road onto the bridleway.  We then came across yet another victim of the storm, this time though it was an already dead birch tree.

This was in fact the dead birch that last summer had a Great Spotted Woodpecker nest in it, and before that I have photographed the adults going in and out.  We went to have a close look, and found the nest hole opened up.

I was expecting it to be quite messy, but in fact it looked quite clean, and roomy, amazing to think the woodpecker hollowed all this out.

We walked up to Kitwood Lane, then walked along the road past the farm.  There was little bird song, and the only sound you could hear was that of the chain saw, as people cut up the many fallen trees.  At Kitwood Farm there was a huge beech tree that was probably going to keep a log burner going for some time.

As we walked down towards the school a flock of Linnet flew up from the field, and flew around with their bouncing flight.

We turned up Gradwell, and again there were five Magpies at the gate to the footpath, and Rooks feeding in the field.  It was very quiet after that, and with the sun now covered buy cloud  it was beginning to get quite gloomy.  As we made our way home along Brislands the only bit of interest was this Squirrel in the tree by the entrance to the recreation ground.

It is quiet, and its as if the land has gone to sleep now, waiting for the regeneration that the new year will bring.  With all the changes we are going through right now it promises to be an interesting one.

26th December - The Sound Of The Trains In The Distance

Another storm went through last night, not with the intensity of Monday, but more rain has made the ground very wet.  The morning dawned quite foggy, but you could see the sun and parts of blue sky through it.  I managed to get out by the middle of the morning, by which the mist had lifted, and the garden was bathed in winter sunshine.  A cock House Sparrow sat in the branches of the tree in the garden enjoying the weak sunshine.

As I walked down Lymington Rise bird were singing around me, I could hear Great Tits, Greenfinches and Robins in full song, the sun having woken them up and reminded them that we are now into the season where the days get longer.  Woodpigeons sat high in the trees taking advantage of the sunshine.

The overnight rain was still evident in the the trees and on the hedges, they shone like jewels or maybe Christmas lights as the low sun picked out the water drops

Along Brislands there were Blackbirds and Song Thrushes feeding amongst the damp leaves and mud on the side of the road,  This Song Thrush was so involved in feeding it allowed me to get quite close.

It was still clear as I passed the playing field, but once I came past the houses it as clear (or not) that there was mist still down the hill towards Ropley, once again Four Marks had cleared before the area around us.  The trees were still surrounded in mist and I could not see Old Down Wood.

I needed to decide what to do, was it going to be fogy all the ay down Brislands, was it too muddy in the wood to get through the paths?  I decided to walk on down Brislands and avoid the wood.  As I walked past the entrance I could see a Robin feeding in the mud by the path.  In the mist the shape and movement was unmistakeable.

There were birds calling above me, and I could see them moving from branch to branch.  I could make out a Jay, and I could hear Chaffinch but it was very murky, and looking up into the tree tops, the mist produced a strange image.

I walked on down the hill, hearing only a Wren calling from around the barns.  Looking across the fields it was still very misty.  In the distance I could hear the trains on the Watercress Line, the mist bring their sounds closer.

Turning up the lane towards Ropley I could hear crows, and found this pair sitting at the top of a tree that was just emerging from the mist

Once again the low sun was picking out the water drops on the branches of the hedges, with the added mist it looked very dramatic.

A little further on  heard the familiar piping call of a Bullfinch, I called back and very soon I could see three birds in the hedge.  In the end there were five birds and I saw two reddish pink males, but it was this female that showed the best as it crawled to the top of the hedge to see who the stranger was calling.

By now the mist was almost lifted and I could see across the fields.  I stopped to look at a small group of Common Gulls, as I stood watching I heard the call of a Great Spotted Woodpecker, and turned to find this female at the top of a pole.  I watched it pull something out, so the effort was worthwhile.

Here are the Common Gulls that were feeding in the field.

One of the reasons for walking this way was to see how the Beech trees had faired in the cut along Swelling Hill.  As I started the climb there were Nuthatches calling in the trees and both Blue and Great Tits would flit around calling every so often.  Some of the smaller trees close to the edge of the cut had fallen, and there had been a major clear up of what was more than likely a mess just before Christmas.

The other worry here is the overhead power lines, but it would seem these had been spared this time.

I made my way to the pond, it was very full, and walking around the path was very wet and muddy.  In one tree there was a series of spider webs highlighted by water droplets.

I checked all the edges of the pond for snipe, but as usual found nothing.  But just as I was making my way to the road I saw a bird soaring over the distant trees.  As it came closer it was clear it was a raptor, and a little closer it revealed itself to be a Sparrowhawk.  It circled above and allowed me the chance to get some photographs in the lovely light.

I left the pond and walked along the road.  The horse paddock on the righ had some flooded patches, and around the edge of one a Pied Wagtail pecked at possible food by the water's edge.

Robins sang in the sunshine, and Blue Tits and Nuthatches called from the branches over hanging the road.  I decided again not to go through the wood, and walked towards the school.  Looking across the field there were still signs that the fog was lingering away to the north despite the sunshine here in Four Marks.

I turned up Gradwell, and flushed several Robins, and this Dunnock that decided to sit in the ivy, and for once posed nicely and I managed to get a good picture of avery over looked bird.

I looked across the field with the sheep and noticed something sitting on a post.  It was a Buzzard sitting in the sun.

AS I watched it flew off and headed across the field.

It passed me, and went across the road and then up into the hedge on the other side looking out into the fallow field towards Ol d Down Wood.

I took the footpath towards Lymington Bottom, I could hear Bullfinches again and several Redwing.  This one sat in the tree for me.

I made my way home in the sunshine, but couldn't help wondering how long it would last.  There are more storms coming, I just hope they are not as severe as those just before Christmas.

24th December - And So Here It Is....

After the savagery of yesterday today dawned quiet, as if nothing had happened, unfortunately one of my roof ridge tiles was not so lucky, and we found it on the front lawn, where a huge chunk in the turf was testament to how lucky it had not landed on the patio, or worse a car.

Even before it was light Blackbirds could be seen busying themselves around the hedge and on the lawn, with a little more light the Robin was chipping away.  As it became light there were huge flocks or charms of Goldfinches around the garden.  There would be birds in the feeders, and birds waiting in the surrounding trees.  At one time I counted an incredible 42 in the area.

They were feeding yesterday, but were being thrown around on the feeders in the wind, today must have seemed like a complete pleasure.  They are very active and vocal birds when feeding, and there are constant little battles and squabbles going on as they jostle for space on the feeders.  The birds in the trees also seem to know when the others have had enough, or they decide when they have had enough, and as they drop down those on the feeders fly off.

As well as the Goldfinches there have been up to six Greenfinch at one time, which is very pleasing considering the disease which seems to be reducing there numbers in many places.  The males are really quite splendid birds.

At times the Greenfinches happily share the feeders with the Goldfinches, but if there is any trouble it is usually started by the Goldfinches

The starlings also drop down in small groups, they fly into the tree and wait.

 Then when there are sufficient numbers they make for the fat balls or feeders, and hang from them with unseemly agility.  They have also learnt to get food out of one of the bowl feeders designed mainly for tits.

The Blue Tits were much calmer, gradually making there way through the branches, and trying everything that is on offer, apples, sunflower hearts, the nibbles and the fat balls.  They have an uncanny knack of being able to find the fresh apples that go out, heading for them straight away for a sugar fix.

The Robin remains a real character, and this morning as I filled the feeders even flew at me to ward me off.  It allows me to get close, and watches me carefully as I hold out my hand, but as yet has no ventured close enough to feed from my hand.  Of course when this is going on I never have a camera, and I am yet to catch it chasing off the Starlings which is very amusing to watch.

After a while the flock of Goldfinches would fly off, with the Starlings for company.  There would be a whirr of yellow wing flashes and the tinkling of their calls, and they would head off towards the far trees with that bouncy flight that suits perfectly the jingle of the calls.

They never leave for long though, and soon they are back, and all over the feeders once again.  The sunflower seeds they eat mean they have to drink to aid digestion, and some would peel off the feeders and drop to the bird bath.

I then noticed a group on the house opposite drinking from the gutter, something I had not seen before, but then I do not recall having this many Goldfinches in the garden before.

Supporting this main event were two Chaffinches and a waddling Woodpigeon.  They were extremely grateful as the squabbles on the feeders was throwing seed to the ground which made it easy to pick up.

Very soon another squally shower came through, and the birds took shelter and the garden returned to peace.  I hope for all of you out there that you have a very Merry, Peaceful, and Safe Christmas.

Storm Update:  There is one of the huge oak trees that make up the rookery at the garden centre in Alton Lane down.  The trunk has snapped, showing it to be hollow on the inside.  Other trees are down around the area, a Eucalyptus in Telegraph Lane being the largest.  On Lymington Rise one of the bushes that is always an attraction to late butterflies has also been blown down.  It remains to be seen what has happened in the woods