Fledgling Green Woodpeckers calling from the trees around the church this morning.
Debbie and Nigel Colgate, 30th June 2024
Author: P
We had a female Blackbird in the garden this week collecting worms for what must be a 3rd brood and fledgling Starlings this morning being fed which is a 2nd brood.
Debbie and Nigel Colgate, 28th June 2024
Angela and I did the Area 10 survey yesterday, making an early start at 7.00 before the hot weather kicked in. I was very grateful for Angela’s support and for her hearing – her ears are much keener than mine. A godsend at this time of year especially.
We recorded 34 species across the area. No raptors at all unfortunately, which was a surprise to me. (Other notable absences were swifts and swallows.) However, we did see Yellowhammers in hedges near to Brookside Farm who appeared to be visiting a probable nest site. A Grey Heron flew into this area at the same time while a Reed Bunting sand from the top of some reeds. A Jay flew towards us while we were walking by the Mill Stream and then retreated rapidly back to the trees. There were four juvenile Mallards on the pond close to Barrowhill Farm. Also we caught a glimpse of a Treecreeper on the path leading up to Lipride Farm. (Met a dogwalker there who said he was regularly seeing a Barn Owl in the evenings from his house close by.) Lots of Chiffchaff and Wrens blasting away, and a Chaffinch on the Downslink. Finished on two Robins approaching a probable nest on the last stretch of the walk.
Thanks again to Angela. I must remember not to wear walking sandals next time – its still very wet at Springhill!
Tony Fitzgerald 27th June 2024
Just been watching a Jay eating fatsnax from the feeder next to our quince tree. Don’t think I’ve ever seen one doing that before. Very pleased, anyway.
Wendy Jago, 27th June 2024
Just counted 21 Swifts circling above the cemetery.
Hazel Haylock, 25th June
Yesterday there were nine Pied Wagtails on the cricket ground on the common. Today there was a very lazy Red Kite circling over the Wantley Fields, and also a very large group of around 50 Starlings, enjoying the fact that the long grass has just been cut for silage.
Liz Taylor, 23rd June 2023
Just to say there are Skylarks in the fields at the back of Swains. Really hope they survive, and dogs and everything else don’t disturb them.
Alex Hills, 24th June 2024
We heard a Chaffinch singing for about 9 days in April/May. He is now singing again – hope a 2nd brood is on its way, we haven’t seen any fledglings.
Greenfinch singing for the last 2 days. We have 2 pairs of Blackbirds feeding 3/4 fledglings – definitely 2nd broods. Pauline and Hugh Colgate had an adult Pied Wagtail feeding 2 fledglings on 26th May.
Debbie Colgate, 18th June 2024
Walked down to the heronry this morning and there were at least 10 Little Egrets, mostly youngsters, still around the heronry striking some nice poses. Very fluffy and without the very dark legs and beaks of the adults. Greylag Goose goslings getting bigger too! No sign of anything else out on the fields, but plenty of song coming from the hedgerows.
Val Bentley, 18th June 2024
Just thought I’d share a couple of amusements on our bird feeder close to our quince tree in Small Dole. The feeder is filled with fatsnax, and on a couple of mornings I saw four young Jackdaws struggling to stand/sit/wrap themselves around it. I mentally called them Flapper (tried being a hoverfly within vague range), Bumper (landed heavily on the top and mostly fell through to the ground) and Swinger (sat on an adjacent branch and reached out to poke the feeder so that it swung back and offered its contents on the return swing).
Having identified Swinger as the brightest, I looked away, saw another movement, and down below on the grass were even more youngsters, having noticed that bits of the fatsnax descended onto the lawn and they didn’t have anything to do other than grab…
This morning there were about eight Blue Tits, looking just fledged as they were hardly in charge of their flying… Too many to count but they kept the branches waving about for quite a while.
Wendy Jago, 18th June 2024