10th March - Can't You See That You're Leading Me On?

After yesterday's spring like conditions this morning we were greeted to mist and heavy cloud.  The temperatures though seem to have been retained, but without the sun it doesn't feel the same.

The highlights yesterday were not possible to photograph, but this morning was a different subject.  I am used to seeing the small Siskins on the feeders along with the Goldfinches, and as I looked out this morning I thought I was watching two females.  Then they turned and showed a bright red forehead.  I immediately rushed for the camera, there were Lesser Redpolls in the garden.  Not a first ever but the first for some time, the last was in February 2012.
 

The Lesser Redpoll is the smallest, brownest, and most streaked of the redpolls. It is sometimes classified as a subspecies of the Common Redpoll but has recently was split from that species by the British Ornithologists' Union (BOU).

But in January this year the BOU announced that it is to adopt the International Ornithological Congress (IOC) World Bird List taxonomy for its British list, from 1 January 2018.  The impact for the Lesser Redpoll is that it will lose its species status, and revert back to a subspecies of Common Redpoll.

But for now it remains a Lesser Redpoll, and there were four males in the garden this morning which was very welcome.  Interestingly while the Redpolls were present there was no sign of the Siskins.

I have not seen Lesser Redpolls in the area for at least two years, with the last sighting being of a calling bird in Old Down Wood.  The less milder temperatures, and the fact that there has been no work in the woods recently probably contributing to the return.

As soon as they arrived they were gone, and then another red topped bird appeared, this time a female Blackcap, not seen since the middle of February it was nice to have her back.

The garden continues to be the place to see the local wildlife, but not for too much longer I hope

9th March - Word On The Street, You've Got Something To Show Me

This will be one of those rare posts that come without photographs to back up the sightings, but I felt it necessary to capture the record.  After the gloom and drizzle of last night the skies cleared in the morning today and the temperatures soared, well soared by March standards, reaching 16 degrees this afternoon.

As a result, and not surprising there was a rush of butterflies.  First off was a rapid male Brimstone that went all around the garden, and away over the hedge.  Next as I looked out at lunch time a Small Tortoiseshell did very much the same, then later on I found a Peacock sitting on the patio in the sun, but was then gone when I came back with the camera.

The Brimstone was the second earliest I have seen in Four Marks, the earliest being on the 7th March in 2014.  But for the Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock, these are the earliest sighting.

With it being so spring like there was bird song everywhere.  The most dominant being the Song Thrush, but there was also Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch and Great Tits very much in full voice.

It is not far off now.

6th March - He'll Say Hallelujah, You're Home

One in a million, never forgotten

X

2nd March - Thoughts Of You and Me Again

A day of sunshine, a rarity in between the heavy overcast days that have dominated the weather throughout February.  I had the chance to leave work early, and Helen and I set off for a walk from home.  

As we walked down Lymington Bottom, the blossom was in flower on the Cherry tree outside the village Hall.  This is always a good spot for early blossom and a good indicator that better days are just around the corner

As it was approaching the end of the day there was plenty of bird song all around.  In the distance at least two Song Thrushes could be heard, and several Robins and a lone Blackbird were also heard above the traffic that continues to speed down the road despite the many signs advising the speed.

Then I heard a familiar song above those of the early singers, the nasal wheeze of a Greenfinch and found two in one of the trees close to the village Hall.
 

We walked to the bottom of the road, crossed and made our way up past the school towards Kitwood.  Another songster appeared, this time the male Chaffinch with thesong that ends with a flourish.

We walked past the pond, pausing to look for frogs spawn, but could not find any in the usual spots.  At the back of the pond the pair of Mallard were still present and dabbling close to the edge of the water.  Maybe this year they will nest close by.

As we left the pond I was taken by a small clump of Daffodils just coming into flower, and contrasting with the inky black darkness of the water.
 

Walking away from the pond several alrm calls rang out and I picked up a male Sparrowhawk flying just above the top of the hedge.  It flew past us, w watched it all the way, and headed into the trees at the back of the pond.  A few more calls went off, then everything returned to song.

We walked down Swellinghill, with the calls of Redwings above us, and again more Robins in full song.  A little further on several Pied Wagtails called above us.  Probably heading to the fields where there were grazing Sheep.

The sun was now setting, and it was becoming a little dark.  A single Blackbird could be seen sitting at the top of a bush, silhouetted against the grey sky.

A little further on a Redwing was found at the top of a tree taking in what little there was left of the sunshine.

We turned up Court Lane, and away to the west the sun was setting sending a golden colour across the sky and clouds and contrasting with the bare blackness of the trees in the middle of the field.

The last time we had walked along here there had been a buzzard in the garden of the new house, then it had been too dark to get an acceptable picture, but this evening we could easily make it out sitting amongst the branches.

As we had walked past the footpath leading to the Desmond Paddocks there had been at least two singing Yellowhammers, and as we walked down Court Lane towards Brislands there were at least six Yellowhammers on the overhead wires, and from the hedge you could hear their calls.

Away to the west once again the moon was heading west towards setting around midnight.  It is in its waxing phase, which is the first phase after a new moon.  This is a great time to be able to appreciate the craters and features on the surface.

At about five o'clock from the moon was the planet Venus, one of the brightest objects in the sky.

The walk up Brislands delivered some more Yellowhammers and a Buzzard that drifted across the road towards Old Down.  As we came up through the trees and past the entrance top Old Down looking back the sun had set, and the sky was a fiery red and orange with the dark grey clouds.
 

Not a lot about this evening, but it was very nice to get out and actually take in some of the countryside, something we haven't done for quite some time.  There was no real signs of spring apart from the daffodils.  What I would be hoping for in the next few weeks will be some celandines, and maybe a singing Chiffchaff.  Who knows maybe next week we can get another late in the day walk.

24th February - Though I Have Prayed For a Lifetime

The day after Doris struck, and it was all calm with sunshine, blue skies and a little colder.  We are yet to see the impact of Storm Doris bird wise, but I doubt there will be much change to the conditions here in Four Marks.  Once again the weather has kept me away from the patch, and the focus has been on the garden.

As I went out to feed the birds this morning above me I heard the familiar call of the Canada Goose and looked up into the vapour trail covered sky to see a pair of Canada Geese coming from the west and heading towards Alton.  A good start.

Working through the week away from home, you don't get to appreciate the garden, and to see the changes that have just recently occurred.  At the bottom of the garden the Daffodils have just suddenly burst into flower, the sunshine now high enough in the sky to light them up, bringing to life the wild area we have created at the bottom of the garden.

As well as the Daffodils there are a few Snowdrops still flowering and some small patches of Primroses.  Hopefully to come will be the Snake's Head Fritillaries and some Bluebells

The sunshine was very welcome, and it was too highlighting the Siskins superbly.  

 We now have at least four regular visitors to the feeders and they have also started to take a liking to the buds appearing on the trees.

Pretty and dainty little birds, the sun highlighting the lemon yellow breast.

The House Sparrows too have started to take a liking to the newly emerging buds, this female was merrily stripping the buds off.

 The Starlings are the last birds to appear in the garden, they seem to prefer to be in the sunshine early on.  This male, you can tell by the pale blue flush on the lower mandible, sat chattering away in the sunshine.  It highlights the petrol like blue and green colours in the plumage.

As always there was the continual comings and goings of the Goldfinches.  The numbers do not seem to have changed, they are now the dominant bird on the feeders.  They are lovely to watch, and you have also to take the time to appreciate the plumage too.

 We are still feeding mealworms and this has now extended beyond feeding the Blackbird.  The two Robins present through the winter now have paired up, so we see the two from the shed side arrive to meet the two from the hedge.  It is the Shed birds that are the more dominant and the Hedge pair wait until they have had their fill.  This is is one of the Hedge pair, through the approach I would say this was the male.

The other regular visitor is the Long-tailed Tit, two to be accurate, they also seem to be a committed pair, always arriving together.

They are much bolder than both the Blackbird and Robin, heading straight for the tray, and then back to the tree to hang from a branch by on leg while holding the mealworm and eating it with the other.  I have tried to photograph this on many occasions but this time I think you can see exactly what they do.

Once a regular and frequent visitor to the garden in good numbers, the appearance now of a Greenfinch seems to be something to celebrate.  This male turning up in amongst the Siskins that are far more common.

With the warm weather last week, and the passing of Storm Doris giving way to warm sunshine the House Sparrows have started to prospect for nest sites.  The House Martin nest opposite is always the first site they go to, taking over residency before the House Martins return.  This female was making a cautious approach clinging to the bricks.

The Blackbird is still with us, you can tell him by the fact when everyone else flies off when the door opens he sticks about to see what will happen.

He makes for a lovely subject at the bottom of the garden.

All the hustle and bustle first thing in the morning starts to give way around the middle of the morning.  While the females are searching for potential nest sites, the cock sparrows are quite content to sit in the sun, and quietly at this stage of the year chirp.

The weather will continue to go up and down over the next few weeks but hopefully soon we will start to see more signs of spring, and I can venture out into the woods and fields.  But for now the garden continues to deliver some lovely scenes.

Will be going away this weekend

14th February - Is It The Sound Of The Leaves

Following the gloom and cold of the weekend, yesterday was clear and bright with sunshine and an acceptable temperature, almost as if the worst was over and spring was just around the corner.  As I came home last night the Starlings were singing from the nest spots on the gutters, and away in the distance a Song Thrush was ploughing its trade from the top of a Silver Birch tree.

When I woke up this morning it was to the grey and dampness that we had endured last week, but with one difference it was definitely milder.  Once again the garden was busy, the pair of Long-tailed Tits beat the Blackbird to the mealworms, and the three Robins continued their arguments over who actually does own which part of the garden.  On the Robins, it is interesting to watch the interactions.  Despite the fact that the hedge Robins seem now to be a pair, there does seem to be some recognition problems, with what I assume is the male looking to chase the female away, only for her to stand her ground until the male realises and then allows her to feed.  The Shed Robin though is mercilessly chased away by both birds, and it skulks off to sing from the tree to gardens down.

A notable return to the garden today was the female Blackcap, the first time she has been around for a few weeks.  A poor shot of her hiding in amongst the branches.

Even more notable was that she was then joined by not one, but two males, with them squabbling over the feeders along with the goldfinches.

Just as I thought to myself that the Siskins were becoming more common garden birds than the Greenfinch, a male Greenfinch appeared.  Over the last few years the numbers visiting the garden has definitely declined, and what was once an overlooked bird is now something special for all the wrong reasons.

We still have plenty of Woodpigeons about and at one stage I watched a Woodpigeon chased violently around the garden bu a Blackbird, I was not sure why, but the Blackbird was clearly annoyed by the pigeon, and wanted it gone.

A much more gentler alternative to the Woodpigeon appeared, a pair of Collared Doves that proceeded to feed on the rooftop of a neighbour's house.

At one stage through the morning the cloud lifted and we were treated to the slightest hint of blue sky and some sunshine.  It  didn't last though and the cloud became both thicker and darker through the afternoon.

Drifting over the trees at the back of the house, I was alerted to a Red Kite by the calls and grouping of jackdaws and Rooks.

It seems that the gardens must be a good source of scraps, as it would drop swiftly down and out of view as if checking out any possible item, then appear again to be mobbed by the Rooks.

these aren't the best shots, the gloom meaning that they were quite grainy and not well defined.  But they capture the jizz and grace of this supreme glider that controls everything with the twisting angles of the lovely red forked tail.

 Then slowly it drifted away as if grazing the tree tops as it passed.

hard to appreciate that when I started this blog in 2012 a sighting of a Red Kite was still a major event, through the years since then the sightings have been come more regular, and the behaviour of the Kites has changed, they are less wary, and more prepared to visit the gardens as a source of food.  This is the closest this one came though.

 Boycie and Louise arrived late afternoon so we went out for a walk.  It was quite dark though even accounting for the time, the cloud by now quite thick. As we walked along Lymington Bottom a Song Thrush sang again from the tree tops, hidden away in amongst the branches I could not find it, all I could hear was the repetitive notes that echo around on February days like this.

On the school playing fields there was a small group of Redwing feeding in amongst the turned over grass, probably left over from an impromptu football match.

At the top of Kitwood the bare branches reveal a monolith of a nest belonging to the magpie.  A pair have nested here every year.  The nest consists of a bowl in the traditional way but also with what looks like a bower above it to provide protection.  This one still looks to be in good condition, the lack of strong winter storms meaning that it has not been damaged.  The owners should be able to move back in quite quickly when the urge to breed arrives.

As we headed towards Swelling Hill more Song Thrushes were singing, and in the bare branches of the trees lining the side of the field more Redwing were sat before heading off to roost with the whispery calls.
 

A pair of Mallard could just be seen at the back of the pond, the light there much too dark for acceptable photography.

As we headed down Swelling Hill Lane the Snowdrops now in bloom, brightened the scene.

More Song Thrushes  sang as we walked on, and above us you could hear the calls of the Redwings as they headed into the bushes and trees to roost.  We turned up Court Lane, and passed by a single Buzzard sitting on a branch in the trees.

Out in the fields were at least five Red-legged Partridges.  any movement would blur the picture in this light, so I was fortunate to capture this one individual as it paused in its bid to get away from us.

On the roof of the cow sheds at the bottom of Brislands was a Kestrel, peering down on to the ground in the hope that stray mouse or vole would come out of the barn.  As we headed own towards Lymington Bottom I could hear the first Blackbird in song for the year, maybe there is hope that spring is just around the corner.  The walk though did reinforce my belief that away from the gardens there is little to really see as everything strives to survive at this time of year.

Last post I promised some photographs from my travels away from the patch, go here to see the bird that I have been hoping for all winter.

12th February - Angels Have No Thought

February so far has been cold, dull and gloomy, with mists, drizzle, snow, sleet and frost.  Not the kind of weather that is conducive to long walks around Four Marks.  Once again the wildlife goes into itself, silence falls on the woods and fields, this week even the Song Thrush has curtailed its singing, while the robins bravely sing under the street lights in the morning.

It is too the gardens once again the attention falls, as the feeders provide a source of easy food.  The Goldfinches continue to swarm through out the garden, their tinkling calls continually heard as they fly down from the surrounding trees, and they back again after consuming the sunflower hearts as well as depositing many on the ground below.  This though suits the Blackbirds, Chaffinches and Woodpigeons who regularly patrol underneath the feeders to pick up the spent seed.

Today saw a smart male Bullfinch appear, the first for awhile, and of course at the time when I didn't have the camera ready.  I did though have access to the camera when another missing visitor returned, a male Blackcap.  I had only just said I hadn't seen the red headed female for awhile when this smart male appeared on the feeders.

It joined the male Siskin on the feeders, and unlike the female, was quite aggressive to the Goldfinches when they tried to move in.

Most of the time though it sat it the middle of the tree, and as I watched it seemed like it was trying to sing.

Our Blackbird still comes to the mealworm tray, although he is a lot more wary than he has been, which is probably due to the many other male Blackbirds that have arrived in the garden.  He, though is the only one that comes to the tray, the others keep back.  The Robins too come to the tray.  There are now three birds, the Hedge Robin now has a mate, and they both come to the tree together, and take it in turns to go to the tray.  The Robin on the shed side will look to feed from the tray, running the gauntlet of the other two.  If they see it it immediately is chased away.

This is I think the hedge female waiting her turn.

At this time of year the Robins start to pair up, and they will tolerate each other in the territory.  The male will still sing, but not as frequently or profusely as it has been doing prior to pairing.  Typically if you hear a Robin in full song at this time of year it is because it is still trying to attract a mate while still proclaiming its territory.

The Siskins are still regular visitors with at least two males and a female coming to the feeders.  Despite their smaller size they are still prepared to fight off the Goldfinches, the tactic being to lunge at them as they sit on the feeder perches, from the branches close to the feeders.
 

The one big surprise has been the behaviour of a pair of long-tailed Tits.  At this time of year, when its cold, they would normally still be in large flocks, but we now have regular visits from a pair of Long-tailed Tits, and what is more they appear to know when the mealworms are about.

Today I watched as Helen went out to top the tray up.  While all the other birds flew off, the Long-tailed Tits stayed close in the tree.

Once she had left they made their way through the branches, and almost imediately to the tray.

They both did this one after the other and went straight back into the safety of the branches with their prize.

A mealworm must be quite a substantial meal for a little bird, especially at this time of year when food is in short supply.  I also wonder if this pair are soon to start nest building, if so it would probably be near by, because they have quickly come to recognise that this is an excellent source of food.

Once in the tree they then hang from the branch on one leg, while clutching the mealworm by the other like a Sub to eat.  This isn't the best of photographs but you can see what is going on, and also you can see how tiny their legs are, like a piece of black cotton hanging from the branch.

Another bird missed was a Red Kite that drifted over, but it was an interesting hour watching the goings on.

Elsewhere in the county there was some good birding down on the shore around Keyhaven, further details can be found on the other "Away" blog later, and also earlier today I finally caught up with that enigmatic winter visitor, check the "Away" blog later in the week to see the results, absolutely stunning!