Saturday 23 March 2013

Spring is currently on hold!

Hi

With the on-going severe winter weather locally, today was spent feeding birds at a variety of locations.  A windswept and very cold Harrington Airfield was full of Woodpigeons and corvids desperately trying to find food in the snow.  After scraping away the top layer of snow/ice and revealing some of yesterday's food, a variety of passerines flocked around me at the usual feeding spot, with even more arriving as the fresh food was dispensed.

Sunderland Wood was like a scene from Narnia with an inch of snow covering even the lightest of branches and twigs.  Occasional loud snaps in the wood indicated that some of the branches couldn't always take the strain.  A Woodcock flushed up from the crystallised undergrowth and vocal Nuthatches seemed to celebrate the arrival of some more food.

Similar conditions at Scotland Wood ensured I had escorting Robins and a couple of Pheasants while topping up the feeders, and two Woodcock flushed up from the base of the same bush.

The birds here at Hanging Houghton were equally food-crazed and more interesting species included 7 Stock Doves feeding with over 50 Woodpigeons crammed in to our little garden, together with at least 7 Yellowhammers, 5 Reed Buntings, a Tree Sparrow, a Brambling, a couple of Lesser Redpoll and Siskin and a new Pied Wagtail.

A walk in the Scaldwell Bay at Pitsford Res this afternoon didn't provide any birds of interest.

Regards

Eleanor and Neil

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