Nature around Watlington
This is what you get when you feed birds. A flock of collared doves.
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Photo taken in my garden. Female sparrowhawk overlooking a bird feeder. Behind is a great tit keeping very quiet.
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Greater spotted woodpecker Clever vole living under bird feeder,
Sculthorpe Moor Hawk and Owl trust
Sculthorpe Moor Hawk and Owl trust
Nature Notes with Chris Dyson February 2021
I think the main observation since the last Gossip is how wet it has been. The ground is absolutely saturated and cannot absorb any more water. So with each new shower of rain, fields are becoming flooded, gardens and allotments squelch when walked on and even the Angel Field/Millennium Green has had small streams running alongside the paths. We have had some frosts though none of them have been very severe so far. However, the winter still has a way togo so we may expect an assortment of weather conditionsbefore it is spring.
Although spring is some way off some of the birds arealready preparing for its arrival. On 6th January, a Blue Tit was checking out the nest boxes in our garden. The birds have been very active on our bird table and feeders. They were especially so on the morning of the 16th January when we had a covering of snow.
The main visitors to our feeder are flocks of House Sparrows, along with Starlings, which usually arrive as a flock, clear up most of the food and then depart. We have a residentRobin, 2 Dunnocks, at least 7 Blackbirds, some very fat Wood Pigeons and at least 14 Collared Doves. We have a Wren who visits us on a regular basis as do Blue Tits.
Occasional visitors to our feeders have been Goldfinches, Long- tailed Tits and Great Tits.
During early December for several nights a Tawny Owl was very vocal. Whilst, on more than one occasion Pink-footed Geese could be heard flying over the village in the darkness. I have also heard and seen Whooper Swans flying over and on 27th December there was a single bird on one of the fields next to St Peter’s Road.
Again on the 27th December a single Hare was observed ona field next to St Peter’s Road. Also along St Peter’s Road I observed a small number of Fieldfares feeding on the Hawthorn berries. They could also be seen on the
Hawthorns on the side of the relief channel at Magdalen.
On 10th December ‘Bert’ the Buzzard was perched on his usual pole on St Peter’s Road and there was a Little Egret in the dyke near the level crossing. On the 11th December, ‘Bert’ was joined by a second Buzzard, both perched on
telegraph poles on the side of the road.
On the 16th December the esteemed editor of the Gossip informed me that he had seen a flock of about 400 Lapwing by the river in Lynn. He also informed me that he had seen a Peregrine Falcon fly past his window the previous week.
On 17th December Keith Leedell sent me a lovelyphotograph that he had taken of a Sparrowhawk perched in a tree in his garden. On the 20th December, before the present lockdown came into force, I observed 2 Red Kites flying over fields near Shouldham.
By the time the next Gossip is issued nature should be in full swing. Birds should be nesting, flowers should be blooming, trees should be in full leaf and some will have had theirblossom or will be in flower. Hopefully, the weather will have improved along with the Covid 19 situation. Which should mean we are all able to move about more freely and observe nature at its best.
I think the main observation since the last Gossip is how wet it has been. The ground is absolutely saturated and cannot absorb any more water. So with each new shower of rain, fields are becoming flooded, gardens and allotments squelch when walked on and even the Angel Field/Millennium Green has had small streams running alongside the paths. We have had some frosts though none of them have been very severe so far. However, the winter still has a way togo so we may expect an assortment of weather conditionsbefore it is spring.
Although spring is some way off some of the birds arealready preparing for its arrival. On 6th January, a Blue Tit was checking out the nest boxes in our garden. The birds have been very active on our bird table and feeders. They were especially so on the morning of the 16th January when we had a covering of snow.
The main visitors to our feeder are flocks of House Sparrows, along with Starlings, which usually arrive as a flock, clear up most of the food and then depart. We have a residentRobin, 2 Dunnocks, at least 7 Blackbirds, some very fat Wood Pigeons and at least 14 Collared Doves. We have a Wren who visits us on a regular basis as do Blue Tits.
Occasional visitors to our feeders have been Goldfinches, Long- tailed Tits and Great Tits.
During early December for several nights a Tawny Owl was very vocal. Whilst, on more than one occasion Pink-footed Geese could be heard flying over the village in the darkness. I have also heard and seen Whooper Swans flying over and on 27th December there was a single bird on one of the fields next to St Peter’s Road.
Again on the 27th December a single Hare was observed ona field next to St Peter’s Road. Also along St Peter’s Road I observed a small number of Fieldfares feeding on the Hawthorn berries. They could also be seen on the
Hawthorns on the side of the relief channel at Magdalen.
On 10th December ‘Bert’ the Buzzard was perched on his usual pole on St Peter’s Road and there was a Little Egret in the dyke near the level crossing. On the 11th December, ‘Bert’ was joined by a second Buzzard, both perched on
telegraph poles on the side of the road.
On the 16th December the esteemed editor of the Gossip informed me that he had seen a flock of about 400 Lapwing by the river in Lynn. He also informed me that he had seen a Peregrine Falcon fly past his window the previous week.
On 17th December Keith Leedell sent me a lovelyphotograph that he had taken of a Sparrowhawk perched in a tree in his garden. On the 20th December, before the present lockdown came into force, I observed 2 Red Kites flying over fields near Shouldham.
By the time the next Gossip is issued nature should be in full swing. Birds should be nesting, flowers should be blooming, trees should be in full leaf and some will have had theirblossom or will be in flower. Hopefully, the weather will have improved along with the Covid 19 situation. Which should mean we are all able to move about more freely and observe nature at its best.