Thursday 9 April 2020

Happy and Safe Easter!

Hello

Another day of fabulous weather, a cool air, gentle breeze and plenty of sunshine. Despite spending plenty of time gazing out at and over the garden I'm afraid the birds were business as usual. Small numbers of Meadow Pipits continue to filter over in small flocks and a single Yellow Wagtail did likewise. 

We have recently signed up for the BTO Garden Watch which is free for a year with the intention of recording the number of species and the number of individual birds using the garden. The idea is that you should only record the maximum numbers of each species that you see at any one time, with an opportunity of recording other disciplines of wildlife such as butterflies, mammals etc.

During March and April we have been enjoying reasonable numbers of Reed Buntings and Yellowhammers coming for food but I've probably not seen any more than nine Reed Buntings and perhaps a similar number of Yellowhammers at any one time. However I suspect we have potentially been servicing as many as thirty Reed Buntings during the period, best evidenced by the fact that fifteen have been ringed in the garden since 30th March.

Chris Payne continues to watch over his garden Robin nest, the eggs have hatched and the adults are busy feeding the young and removing the faecal sacs (images below).

A  couple of hundred Fieldfares were again present in the Brampton Valley below Hanging Houghton this morning and a fishing Osprey and a Yellow-legged Gull were at Pitsford Reservoir this afternoon.

Regards and enjoy a Happy and Safe Easter!

Neil M

Male Reed Bunting.

Robin nestlings.


Attentive Robins!

All Robin images
courtesy of Chris Payne.

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