The First Two Weeks of January, 2024

Header image while this post is current - Yellow-browed Warbler - Oakthorpe

Well, my prediction in my last post that my output, and attendance at other blogs, might be a bit limited at the start of the year came true, and will probably stay that way for the next couple of months or so. The reasons are mainly concerned with Lindsay's condition, for which steps are now in hand to rectify, but also due to some issues with my own health which have been under investigation since mid October, with answers not expected to be forthcoming until late February. In the meantime, please bear with me if I am slow to visit your blogs, or to reply to your kind and much-appreciated comments on my blog.

For my own sanity, I am trying to get out with the camera on an approximately weekly basis, if only for a couple of hours. I am however very busy with extra household duties, but still finding time to occssionally look out of the window to observe and photograph birds and, maybe occasionally, other wildlife.

Here are a few of my observations. 

Monday, 1st January          Garden

The year started a bit slowly with bird observations in the garden, with just 13 species of bird seen putting a foot down in the garden. A female Pied Wagtail was amongst the visitors. Here she is, sitting on the garden bench - note the cob nut shell left by a squirrel.

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) (female) - our garden

Tuesday, 2nd January          Garden

We were down to 12 species on this day, and I only photographed a common Blackbird. At one time, I could have been complacent about visits from this species as it used to be a daily visitor and one memorable day we counted 24 together (a pie's worth - as in 'sing a song of sixpence'). Nowadays, we can sometimes go for weeks without one

Blackbird (Turdus merula) (male) - our garden

Friday, 5th December           Garden  :  Oakthorpe

We had 7 Long-tailed Tits visit the garden on this day. We do not see these delightful birds very often in the garden, although they are quite common in the surrounding countryside. I only managed a poor shot of one of them at lunch time on this dull day.

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) - our garden

Drawn by reports of a Yellow-browed Warbler at Oakthorpe, which is less than five minutes from our home, I decided to try and see it. I have only seen this species twice before - once in Northumberland, when I failed to get any photos, and once on the Isles of Scilly, when I got a distant record shot.

I arrived to find two people in attendance and was soon put onto the bird. It was not easy to photograph as it was constantly on the move in an area that was full of intervening branches. I did, nevertheless, get a few shots which I find acceptable. I'll probably never see this species again, so I'm including several shots

Yellow-browed Warbler (Phylloscopus inornatus) - Oakthorpe

While there, a small group of Long-tailed Tits came through. This is one that afforded me a better view than those in the garden that morning - I wonder if they were the same birds?!

Long-tailed Tit (Aegithalos caudatus) - Oakthorpe

Saturday, 6th January          Garden

At one time, in 2023, Jackdaw was almost a daily visitor to the garden, but in recent months it has been a a bit of a rarity. This day, one stopped off in our Sambucus which, sadly, seems to have died over the past year. This will be a significant loss at it is a main stop-off point for birds visiting our garden.

Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) - our garden

We also had another visitor that had been noticable by its absence. Starlings can congregate in large numbers and be most disruptive in the garden to the extent that we tend to be greatly relieved when they disperse. We were starting to believe that we should be more careful as to what we wish for as we were now missing them. This one was also in the top of the Sambucus.

Starling (Sturnus vulgaris) - our garden

Sunday, 7th January          Garden

I end the week with the female Pied Wagtail, that continued to visit regularly.

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) (female) - our garden

We ended the week with a healthy tally of 20 different species of bird having been seen visiting our garden during the week.

Monday, 8th January          Garden

I had only just finished bemoaning to Lindsay the fact that we'd not seen a winter thrush (Redwing. Fieldfare, Mistle Thrush) visit the garden this winter, when I noticed a bird up in the top of our nut tree - which turned out to be a Redwing! I only managed a record shot before it departed without stopping for a snack

Redwing (Turdus iliacus) - our garden

I had previously noticed a Grey Squirrel in the garden that had unusual white patches behind the ears. It was with us again on this day.

Grey Squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) - our garden

Tuesday, 9th January          Garden

The Pied Wagtails were still visiting regularly, and this time I got some shots of the male.

Pied Wagtail (Motacilla alba yarrellii) (male) - our garden

I was also quite pleased to get this shot of a Blackbird with the light allowing some feather detail.

Blackbird (Turdus merula) (male) - our garden

Wednesday, 10th January          Oakthorpe

The news came through on the county Rare Bird Alert WhatsApp Group that there were now two Yellow-browed Warblers at Oakthorpe, and that just a few hundred metres away, a Waxwing was feeding at a crab-apple tree. I was in need of a trip out, so went to investigate, taking the shortest driving route, but by far the longest walking route, to get there.

On my way there, along the course of a long-disused railway line, on the far side of one of the flashes to the west of the track was a tree with Black-headed Gulls roosting. While I was taking some shots of this, some of the gulls took to the air.

Black-headed Gull (Chroicocephalus ridibundus)  - near Oakthorpe

I never found the Waxwing, and I only had two very brief views (no photos) of one of the Yellow-browed Warblers at the original site. I did, however, get my first photos of this winter of Fieldfare, although the light and locations were not good. These two shots at one location were the best that I could manage.

Fieldfare (Turdus pilaris) - Oakthorpe

At the Yellow-browed Warbler location, I only managed shots of a Robin that seemed very interested in what I was doing, keeping close to me for much of the time. Perhaps it thought that I was going to offer some tasty titbits.

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - Oakthorpe

Thursday, 11th January          Garden

This was a joyful day as we had our first Siskin of the winter. This was a female - although the male Siskin is very brightly coloured, I favour the subtle beauty of the female. Here she is, in the company of a somewhat less subtly plumed male Bullfinch.

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (female) + Bullfinch (Pyrrhula pyrrhula) (male) - our garden

The Stock Doves, which used to visit us several times a day, have also become somewhat sparse with their visits. This one was observed from my study window.

Stock Dove (Columba oenas) - our garden

Friday, 12th January          Garden

Although Lindsay reckons that the Wrens live behind the brick wall at the end of our garden, I'm not convinced. We don't often see Wren, but when we do, it tends to be omnipresent for a few hours. This is one of several shots I took this day.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) - our garden

Saturday, 13th January          Peggs Green  :  Garden

I'd been hoping for reports of a Waxwing sighting closer to home than those that were currently being reported in the county. I then saw that four Waxwings were at a location that is just 10 minutes from our home, so off I went on a bright sunny morning. 

The birds were all present when I arrived. In spite of the fine weather, there were limited positions to view them from, all of which were less than ideal for the direction of the sun, and the birds were either up in a tree almost above the viewing locations, but largely behind intervenig branches, or down in a 'Pink Pagoda' Sorbus that was against the house, the drive to which we were at the entrance of, about 15 metres away. I did manage some photos before, after about 40 minutes, something spooked them and the birds departed.

The first image, below, is a poor one, but I find it interesting because it shows the markings on an outstretched wing.

Waxwing (Bombycilla garrulus) - Peggs Green

In December, 2010, we had Waxwings on our short cul-de-sac, just 60 metres from our home. These were feeding on Sorbus 'Pink Pagoda'. I was so taken by this sight that I was determined to source this tree to plant in our own front garden. I eventually found one. It has been very slow-growing and has not fruited very proficiently - until this year. This year it has been so laden with fruit to the extent that we feared it would break. Fortunately, it has not done so, but it seems that it is still too small to attract the birds.

Anyway - back to this day! The female Siskin had become a regular visitor to the garden, and this day I managed some slightly better shots.

Siskin (Spinus spinus) (female) - our garden

A Coal Tit also put in an appearance.

Coal Tit (Periparus ater) - our garden

Sunday, 14th January          Garden

Wren was with us again this day. This time, it was rummaging around in the leaf litter outside my study window.

Wren (Troglodytes troglodytes) - our garden

That brings me to the end of the second week in January, when the tally of birds observed setting foot in our garden came in at 21 species for the week. 

I suspect that my next blog post will not be much before about two weeks away as there's a lot going on in our lives at the moment, but time will tell. In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard

Local Observations - 14th to 23rd September, 2023

Header image (while this post is current) - Snipe - Kelham Bridge on 15th September, 2023 

This post, mostly prepared before our departure to the Isles of Scilly, takes my account of my local obesrvations up to the day we departed. It will be a relatively short one when compared to my previous two posts.

Thursday, 14th September          Garden

The male Sparrowhawk was making increasingly frequent visits to the garden. The overall effect was that the number of birds visiting the garden was dropping significantly - through their avoidance of the predator, rather than actual predation. Here was one of its visits on this day

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (male) - our garden

Friday, 15th September          Kelham Bridge Nature Reserve  :  Garden

An on-line friend had seen and photographed a Grass Snake at Kelham Bridge NR. I am rather fond of snakes so decided that this day, which was quite bright and sunny after some very wet weather,  would be a good time to visit and see if I had any luck.

I arrived at the parking area and nearly gave up there and then as there were already eight cars parked there. I usually find somewhere between zero and two cars when I get there. I decided to risk it anyway, thinking the cars might belong to dog-walkers or to members of a work-party.

Just through the gate,  I stopped to photograph a Common Darter.

Common Darter (Sympetrum striolatum) (female) - Kelham Bridge NR

Half way along the path to the first hide, I met a camera-porting fellow who advised me that the second hide was rammed full with people hoping to photograph Kingfisher and Grass Snake, but that they were seeing nothing and were unlikely to because of all the noise and vibration coming from the hide. He advised me to go to the first hide where there was some action, albeit at a distance, and that there was only a lady photographer there. This proved to be sound advice.

I arrived at the hide to find it just as he'd said, and parked myself on the left-hand side, where I had a good view of the right-hand edge of the pool in front of the hide.

A Moorhen was dabbling in front of the hide.

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Kelham Bridge NR

 A Snipe was showing well in the same area.

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - Kelham Bridge NR

Two Green Sandpipers were in front of the hide too. They were soon joined by another Snipe. I have often wondered how the 'green' aspect of the name originated, but can find no reference to this.

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) - Kelham Bridge NR

A Snipe had a preening session which resulted in a wonderful spray of water. I tried to video this after taking these stills, but the action was not repeated.

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - Kelham Bridge NR

A Heron came into view from behind the island.

Grey Heron (Ardea cinerea) - Kelham Bridge NR

I now realise that I have a fascination with Snipe, as I cannot resist photographing them, so here is another shot.

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - Kelham Bridge NR

I also got some better shots of Green Sandpiper, although they remained a little too distant for good results.

Green Sandpiper (Tringa ochropus) - Kelham Bridge NR

I'd been in the hide for about an hour and the person that had been in the hide when I arrived had departed about half an hour previously and gone to try her luck in the second hide. I thought that it was time that I did likewise, hoping to see some dragonflies on the trail between the two hides. In the event, I only found a few more Common Darters. 

The second hide was absolutely full, with people standing and waiting for a turn at the windows. There was a lot of conversation going on too. It seems that there was nothing on view except a couple of Mute Swans. I didn't bother trying to enter but exchanged a few pleasantries with people I knew there before departing after a couple of minutes.

Back at the first hide, I found it deserted and settled in for another session. Little happened, but I did get some more shots of Snipe, with two of them in the frame and then a record shot with four of them in frame.

Common Snipe (Gallinago gallinago) - Kelham Bridge NR

I took some shots of two Moorhen.

Moorhen (Gallinula chloropus) - Kelham Bridge NR

For some reason, I decided to take some video. I was glad that I did as I find this clip quite amusing, as it seems to show a male attempting to mate with a female and then trying to look nonchalant having been rejected.

After a while, a group from the second hide arrived. Shortly after their arrival, Paul Burton (a thoroughly good guy that I have known for years) alerted us to a Water Rail starting to show at the end of the island. I just managed to raise my camera as it flew, and was lucky enough to get a shot.

Water Rail (Rallus aquaticus) - Kelham Bridge NR

With the second hide now starting to fill, It was time for me to go.

A relaxed late-afternoon meal in our conservatory gave me the opportunity to photograph a Dunnock which was causing us some concern as it looked a little puffed up. It was also not very alert to human presence. It was not seen again after a few days later.

Dunnock (Prunella modularis) - our garden

Magpies are daily visitors as I write this, and have been observed seeing off the male Sparrowhawk!

Magpie (Pica pica) - our garden

Wednesday, 20th September          Garden

 

The male Sparrowhawk was continuing to be a threat to our avian visitors.

Sparrowhawk (Accipiter nisus) (male) - our garden

Thursday, 21st September          Garden

Jackdaws are usually quite timid visitors to our garden, departing at high speed as soon as they detect movement from the house. I was, therefore, extremely surprised when a Jackdaw landed on the outside windowsill of my study and peared at me from less than a metre away. It stayed there for some time, walking along the windowsill and looking in.

 

Jackdaw (Corvus monedula) - our garden

Saturday, 23rd September          Garden

 

Lindsay can always ID a Robin, even if it is only showing in silhouette or facing away from us. She says it's the legs that give it away. In the second image, below, taken from my study window, I can see what she means!

 

Robin (Erithacus rubecula) - our garden

 

All things being equal, my next blog post, probably in about a week's time, will feature the first part of my account of our recent adventures on the Isles of Scilly.

In the meantime, please take good care of yourselves and Nature. Thank you for dropping by - - - Richard