I have been watching out for any Long-tailed Tits to visit the feeders, so far no luck.
I have however got both the Siskins and Lesser Redpolls back full time.
Three photos showing the mixture of birds feeding on the Sunflower Chips.
(via Helen Griffiths) Lovely flock of c60 lapwing (with one starling!) over wet fields just south of St Harmon yesterday early pm.
Later yesterday pm in the Elan Valley, crossbills at Gwaelod y Rhos car park and several (20+) fieldfares in fields at Hirnant.
(via Barry) A male and female reed bunting arrived back in our garden in Woodlands today after an absence of a couple of days; 2 wrens also visited together one smaller than the other and a male and female bullfinch. Lots of blackbirds, blue tits (one less unfortunately due to a regular visiting sparrow hawk), chaffinches and goldfinches.
A rather optimistic bat was pointed out to us by Annette Leafe re 1500hrs today as it flickered across the road by the Muscovy ducks-hope it caught something! Redwings up golf course with Fieldfares just past 1st junction ; Bullfinch in snow yest at Cefnllys ; plus Wren and Treecreeper pretending to be a Wallcreeper, after his spell searching the floor!
At last! My first of the winter:up golf course and down towards Carregwibber, in fields by the last junction, a mixed flock ( re 150-200) mainly Fieldfares and Starlings with 20+ Redwings and the odd Mistle Thrush,despite ridiculous weather. Yesterday a Water Rail in the open -reed bed oppo Lakeside.
A pair of bullfinches turned up at Gorse Farm and a single marsh tit too. One jay regularly comes very close to the house, unusual as they are normally so wary. Does anybody know why the rookery near the council buildings has virtually disappeared? I was always enjoying the lively hubbub of “parliament sitting” in early spring!
For those surviving with a roof still on! The Long T Tit shown is exhibiting normal, one- legged behaviour with a large morsel of food- EXCEPT-not only hanging by a leg , but resting his head on a convenient twig! Wot next?
Margot (Seymour) reports 5 Lapwings on Pentrosfa mire yest. Blimey! Good to see we have a few left! Well spotted Margot.Further a healthy Greenfinch at Cefnllys.
Finally , for the sharp eyed : this a.m. as they reported the vile weather from Aberystwyth, 2 Purple Sandpipers fluttered up from their roost on the sea wall , oppo the Crazy golf site-sadly the reporter was more concerned with avoiding being drowned!
Following Carlton’s spots yest, I tried early and Shovs vanished , but m. Gadwall still, plus courting ( guess that dates me!!!!) Grebes. Frosty Heron on platform-wonder how many folk ever see him?
Great Crested Grebe are now a pair, Gadwall 1m, Shoveler 2m, Water Rail 1 heard, Goosander not counted but 20 yesterday, B H Gull 2, L B B Gull 1 (2 yesterday, cormorant 2,
Also Llyn-heilyn on the 2nd, Wigeon 48, Teal 14, Tufted Duck 1m, Kestrel 1.
Must be a record! Male Great Crested growling his “song” out this a.m. as he solicits for a mate.Guess the mild spell has foxed him! Daffodils out by the lake cafe too.
A single redpoll turned up today and also a single longtailed tit – they must’ve lost their buddies! Also spotted one or two rarities, for me anyway… a couple of house sparrows, wahey! Some chaffinches are getting more colourful now. The song thrush is belting it out every day. Two jays also hung around nearby for a while yesterday, must have been a pair. Two robins getting close & friendly – another pair. Ah well no wonder, Valentines Day is not that far off.
Well, nowt dramatic as weather takes a milder (and of course WET) turn, but our Blackcap is absent for the first time today, Goldcrest likewise, doubtless upset by BREXIT!!! and a male Siskin has turned up, and a Song Thrush has mistaken the milder weather for Spring and is singing valiantly and beautifully,nonstop!Guess he’ll stop at 23:00!!!
This splendid creature strolled through the garden yesterday at dinner time-sadly he was limping slightly-probably escaped from a hunt scene. Further our first Cowslip, now a week old-first time I’ve seen one with the Snowdrops!
Well, the foul Jan weather has produced! Our long lost Redpolls return ( sadly just a male and fem) ;the LTTs pop in; the Sprawk does his best (no posing!) ;the Floor /Tree creeper is regular, as is the Goldcrest who refuses to pose; and the Blackcap continues to sample all we offer : apples , fat balls , sunflowerhearts and peanut particles! Down the lake and the Kingfisher pops up in the reeds -by the lagoon today , but frustrating is not the word! Miles away , even with Nikon’s magic, I can’t produce, so I’ll pop in one from Aber t’other day-by the pier guys , on the rocks, so look out if you visit as we do reguarly.She is scoffing a big Blenny from the rock pools.
A surprise visit on the 3 frosty days from a male Blackap-presumably a guest from abroad, as ours tend to nip over the channel and most of those we see here in Winter are not resident as we once thought,but visitors from Europe ,but who knows!
(via Robert Tushingham) Seen Friday at 12.10. Male low over fields near to campsite just off Clyro to Hay road, about 1km into Radnor and half km N.of Hay bridge.
No wonder Brits discuss weather so much! Suddenly we have glorious sunshine! Hence we popped off to Aber ( as all good Doddies do), yesterday and were treated to a lovely fem Kingfisher on the front (pics on Cardi site) catching a Blenny; back home and a pair of Gadwall on the lake, which was only 50% frozen, plus the Goosanders-I’m trying to avoid the Muscovies tho all keep asking re them-no doubt cus they approach every passing human for food! Plus the Heron dropped in-not obliging mind , hence the distant pic (RUBBISH).
