Garden Birds and Waxwings

The cold snowy weather is resulting in more birds visiting the feeders. A Goldcrest has been feeding on fat balls for the last couple of days.

A dreadful photo (too far away and too tiny and very heavily cropped!) but if you click on it to enlarge you will just be able to see its a Goldcrest - I hope :)

The lone Fieldfare is still defending its little patch of apples having skirmishes with Mistle and Song Thrush (new garden species for this year). This afternoon he/she must have been feeling rather harrassed as it was surrounded by nine Wood Pigeons feeding and refusing to let the Fieldfare frighten them off. Also pleased to see Coal Tit and Greenfinch returning to the feeders for the first time this year.

Tonight six Wrens tried to roost in the hanging basket but the last one had a problem squeezing in so the last two to arrive flew off closely followed by two others. The latter two later returned so I think there are just the four roosting again. We have put up some roosting pouches round the garden so I hope the other two Wrens or the Goldcrest have found these.

I finally caught up with Waxwings two days ago near my mother's Nursing Home. I spotted a flock of 10 birds in a tree and I just knew they weren't starlings. Did a rapid roundabout turn and spotted the crests on the birds. Managed to park very close (on a bus stop!) and get good views as they flew into a nearby hedge feeding on berries. I hadn't got the camera with me so I've "cheated" a bit here and this is a photo I took when I found some locally two years ago. I have been back since with the camera but no sign of the Waxwings - they appear to have been displaced by a huge flock of Fieldfares.

Fieldfare and a Snowy Garden

Heavy snowfall often brings more unusual species to the garden and early this morning I spotted a lone Fieldfare feeding on apples on the lawn. Its been around all day vigorously defending its "larder" from Blackbirds and Wood Pigeons or anything that ventures too close!

A few photos from our snowy garden

Snow Bear built by Brian and David

Sorry for lack of posts recently. I just haven't been anywhere to take any photos. I have been for a few drives and short walks round local lanes but seen nothing worth taking a photo of. Several trips have been made to Hams Hall Distribution Centre where Waxwings are now being seen fairly regularly but needless to say they have all kept well hidden whenever I visit :)

Eighteen species have been added to the Garden Bird 2013 Year list - highlights being Goldcrest and Stock Dove. Worrying absentees are Greenfinch and Coal Tit.

Regular visitors to my blog may recall that for several winters we have had a Wren roosting (and nesting in summer!) in a hanging basket on the patio. During the weekend I saw a Wren entering the basket at dusk closely followed by 3 others. Watched for half an hour the following evening and the four both turned up at the same time within seconds of each other. I shall continue to watch at dusk in the hope that numbers might increase.

To finish a few more shots of the Fieldfare.

St Giles on a Winter's Afternoon

Regular visitors to my Blog may recall that I first discovered this beautiful church and churchyard when I went searching for Snowdrops last February "following in the Footsteps of an Edwardian Lady." The churchyard is a haven for wildflowers and I made several visits last year.

I had an appointment in Knowle late this afternoon so on the way I stopped off to see if any Snowdrops were yet in flower in the churchyard.

As you can see from the photos the light was already going as it was mid-afternoon. The church is over 800 years old.

I couldn't find any Snowdrops in flower or bud but I did find one clump of primroses.

Many parts of the churchyard are "neglected" to encourage wildlife.

Flower display in the church porch

The Church Tower is known as The Tower of Atonement and was added in the late fifteenth century by Nicholas Brome, Lord of nearby Baddesley Clinton, as an act of atonement for murdering a local priest who he found in his parlour "chockings his wife under ye chinne". (Ferrars). I think I mentioned the blood stain in the library at Baddesley when I did a post on visiting Baddesley Clinton in December.

I spotted Moorhen and Mallard on the moat which surrounds nearby Packwood Hall and a kestrel in nearby fields.

I drove past Packwood House in the hope of finding some snowdrops there but no sign yet. The House and Gardens are shut until the 1st May as the National Trust is doing extensive work developing a new car park, cafe and Visitor Centre and I believe the house is being rewired too.

Happy New Year!

Wishing Everyone a Happy Healthy and Prosperous New Year with lots of magical wildlife moments.

Highlights of the Year - Part 8

I think next year I will think of a more concise way to write about "highlights"! Anyway the final post in this series.

A few images from my visits to Castle Bromwich Hall Gardens in October and November. For some reason I never found time to visit in December.

The Gardens grow a huge variety of apples and pears and displays remained from Apple Day.

Clouded Funnel by the Stumpery

Upper Wilderness

Turkeytail

David was on holiday for a week in November and we had a day out at the Rollright Stones - Pre-historic Megalithic monuments on the Oxfordshire/Warwickshire border.

The King's Men Stone Circle with an uncountable number of stones built between 2500 and 2000 BC

Lichens growing on the stones are believed to be between 400 and 800 years old.

The Whispering Knights - remains of a Portal Dolmen burial chamber about 5000 years old.

The King's Stone - a large single Standing Stone built in the Middle Bronze Age 1800 - 1500 BC

I found it a very atmospheric place and if you want to read more about the history and myths and legends connected to the stones just click on Rollright Stones under labels to the right of the blog.

For our Wedding Anniversary in October we made a trip to see Red Kites at Watlington where you can get superb close views of these lovely birds. Sadly, not close enough for the 70-300mm lens! but a few record shots heavily cropped.

A surprise visitor to the pond in October - a Grey Wagtail. Only the third time this species has visited the garden. Another record shot - too far away again!

A few shots of leaves, cobwebs and flowers in the garden in Autumn.

Finally, I made a couple of visits to Baddesley Clinton to walk around the grounds and see the House decorated for Christmas.

Finally, I can't not mention badgers - the proposed trial cull being a real low of my wildlife year. Everyone who visits this blog regularly is no doubt aware of my feelings concerning the proposed badger cull so I won't say too much this time but I was totally devastated when the Government announced plans to go ahead with the proposed pilot culls. Science has proved through the RBCT that culling badgers will not work and the proposed cull is totally unselective meaning around 85% of badgers slaughtered will be healthy and disease free. Furthermore, the suggested method of free shooting has never been tried before. It was a huge relief when the proposed trials were called off but sadly this is just a postponement until next year not a permanent end. I did discover the usefulness of Twitter at this time to make my feelings known to DEFRA and Natural England.

I just hope that this ill-conceived, unscientific, inhumane, uneconomic scheme will be called off next year. The main cause of bTB is cattle to cattle transmission. The way forward would seem to be vaccination of badgers, pushing the EU to allow cattle vaccination, more research into the DIVA test, increased biosecurity, increased bTB testing in cattle and improvements in cattle husbandry.

I was already a member of the Badger Trust but decided to join my local Badger Group and I really enjoyed attending one of their meetings in November to see a really interesting presentation on badger vaccination. I am really looking forward to attending their meetings again next year.



Best wishes to all my readers for a Very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous 2013.