Early Signs of Spring

Today in Brighton we experienced wall to wall sunshine with cloudless blue skies. Mind you, it was very cold with temperature not getting above 6ºC. It is a hard time for our wildlife particularly the birds that visit my garden, but there are definite signs that Spring is on its way.

I first recorded a male Blackcap in the garden on 26th January, since when it has been in the garden everyday, on the feeders.

He is a particularly aggressive so-and-so, attacking the Goldfinches that are regular visitors to the sunflower seed feeders.

Blackbirds both male and female have been in evidence for more than a week, feeding mostly on the ground. Yesterday, for the first time this year, I spotted a ChiffChaff flitting around the garden.

Like the Blackcap, more and more ChiffChaffs are now over-wintering in the UK, particularly in the South.

Yesterday also produced the first Dunnock sighting this year in the garden.

And the birds all appear to be very busy. A sign of the approaching Spring. I just hope that we can arrive at periods of more clement weather without any further spells of Winter!

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

No, it doesn't mean that you have to have a big garden to participate. 'Big' refers to the extraordinary number of people across the UK who do take part over this weekend. All you need to do is set aside one hour, either today or tomorrow, and record which birds and in what numbers, you see in your garden. Then send your record to the RSPB. This approach requires discipline. So, you start at 10:00am; that means you stop recording at 11:00am. You can almost guarantee that a bird you do not have on your list, suddenly appears at 11:10am. No, you mustn't!

So, I started at 9:00am this morning and almost inevitably birds I have been seeing all week decide to disappear or visit someone else's garden during my nominated hour! So, for what it's worth, here is my record for this morning:

10 x Goldfinch
8 x House Sparrow
2 x Blue tit
2 x Woodpigeon
8 x Starling
1 x Dunnock
2 x Feral Pigeon
1 x White Dove

And I haven't seen a Robin or a Blackbird or a Chaffinch or a Greenfinch or a Thrush - all day!

Weather - Forecast or Fantasy

I should not have taken notice of the local weather forecast this morning: 80% chance of rain all day. So, I postponed my visit to Warnham Nature Reserve and busied myself preparing all the garden bird feeders in readiness for the Big Garden Birdwatch that occurs this weekend. And I did all this in the dry - no sign of rain and it is now 12:30pm. I should have stuck to my original plan. Oh well...

I was watched closely by a Robin as I topped up the feeders - the first Robin I have seen this year. And a juvenile Dunnock showed keen interest in the food that finished up on the ground.

And the Goldfinches got stuck into the sunflower seeds as soon as I disappeared indoors.

Meanwhile I shall have lunch and then continue reading the book about Bletchley Park and the wartime code-breakers......

Inclement Weather for Garden Birds

I worry about the fate of my garden birds during this period of inclement weather: gale-force winds and torrential rain that has seen many households in Sussex, Surrey and Kent without power since 24th December. Another section of my garden fence has been destroyed and feeders have been ripped from their locations in my garden trees.

I replaced everything this morning and topped up the feeders. The weather had subsided somewhat and to my relief my garden birds were back. Goldfinches, House Sparrows, Blue-tits, Starlings, Blackbirds, Dunnocks, a Robin, Jackdaws, Collared Doves, Woodpigeons and Feral Pigeons all availed themselves of the bounty of food available and the water in the two birdbaths. My garden might look a mess but at least the birds are surviving this dreadful weather, although some, I am sure, have perished.

Still have not seen any sight of the Blackcaps though. I keep hoping... 

Late Autumn Garden Birds

Sunrise was at 7:42am today. It will set again at 3:57pm. A daytime of little more than 8 hours. The temperature hovers around 8℃ with a humidity level of 81% and a gentle Northeasterly of 6mph. Not much of a day to be out and about. The garden birds however are very active. Their need for food increases exponentially during these cold, short days.

The local Robin becomes more aggressive, chasing every Dunnock in sight. He is a feisty little so-and-so, determined to keep other birds out of 'his' garden. The Goldfinches devour feeders full of sunflower seeds and drink copiously. Water is just as important for survival. The Starlings are back in force and love the fruit suet pellets. Their antics as they hang onto the feeder is amusing to watch. Last week a small flock of Long-tailed Tits dropped into the lilac tree. These gorgeous humbugs are a joy to see, although an all too infrequent occurrence in my garden.

Over the weekend I dug over some ground at the bottom of the garden which resulted in a considerable number of earthworms coming to the surface. The Blackbirds thought that Christmas had come early.

The bird-table attracts the larger birds including Woodpigeons, Collared Doves, Jackdaws and Feral Pigeons resplendent in iridescent plumage colours. Blue-tits make foraging visits to feeders and the bird-table.

They all brighten up a dull, late Autumn day.

Starling

Jackdaw

Goldfinches

 

Autumn Wildlife to Watch Out For

I am already seeing an increase in the variety of wild birds visiting my garden as Autumn deepens and those foggy, damp days of November will soon be with us. The most numerous bird to the feeders is still the Goldfinch; the Dunnock is now back after several months' absence along with the Robin, several Starlings and Woodpigeons and an occasional pair of Collared Doves.

I am now anticipating the arrival of Blackcaps, those wintering warblers that are fans of high-energy fatballs and suet pellets. In winter, increasing numbers of blackcaps now make the journey here from Germany, while most of our breeding birds head off to Africa. I also love to see flocks of Long-tailed tits. These beautiful humbug-striped tits can often be seen clinging to hanging feeders as they forage in flocks of six or more. One winter I counted fifteen in my garden, albeit briefly.

Visits to deep freshwater sites around Sussex should result in sightings of the delightful Pochard, a duck that arrives here from eastern Europe. The flocks are mainly comprised of males because most females migrate to southern Europe.

Ros and I will be travelling down to Bristol soon for a long weekend and I hope to get some time birding on the Somerset Levels and, if time allows, along Severn Beach.

male Pochard

 

October Garden Birds

It is still pleasantly mild in Brighton for early October. The temperature today is 20℃ and the garden is bathed in sunshine with a light breeze.

Since hanging out feeders containing sunflower seeds at the back end of last year the number of Goldfinches Carduelis carduelis has grown from 2 or 3 in January to a squabbling number of 14 or more today, the 'charm' containing first and second brood juveniles. A delight to watch.

Yesterday we had a solitary Chiffchaff Phylloscopus collybita flitting around in the lilac tree and the Dunnocks Prunella modularis are back after an absence of several months. A pair of Blue-tits Cyanistes caeruleus are daily visitors and a single Great-tit Parus major makes the occasional brief visit. Starlings Sturnus vulgaris have reappeared over the past few days. They certainly enjoy the fruit flavoured red suet pellets. A number of Woodpigeons Columba polumbus raid the feeders every day and since the beginning of the month a Eurasian Collared Dove Streptopelia decaocto has returned. Herring Gulls Larus argentatus and Jackdaws Corvus monedula are always about although they seldom land in the garden. The Jackdaws though do attack the fat-balls with relish.

Noticeable by their absence at the moment are Blackbird Turdus merula and Robin Erithacus rubecula.