Robin

I think I might have some Robins nesting very close-by, woo hoo. I had assumed since none nested near us last year that this year would be the same…

Watching the station earlier and they were visiting very regularly, and I even caught a glimpse of one feeding the other before flying away. They always leave in the same direction but due to the hedges I lose sight of them, but assume they are nesting somewhere in it.

I look forward to seeing baby Robins soon!

Some photos I took a couple of weeks ago:

Notice the ring on the Goldfinches leg?

Nice Surprise

Very exciting, I had another new visitor!

At first I thought it was a Sparrow and then could make out some stripes on its side so thought perhaps it was a Juvenile Greenfinch, but it was fairly small and I thought it was rather early for a Juvenile yet.

I took some photos so I could zoom in and confirm what bird it was.

Well, you’ll never guess!

A Lesser Redpoll!

I had seen some on Sunday on my ‘Local Patch’ when having a guided tour with another local Birder. I never expected to actually have one visiting.

Honestly, I cannot believe the species I’ve been getting. They just continue to surprise me, and yet the species I long for the most – Nuthatch is still evading me :(

The Pigeon

I did plan on writing a totally different blog, but it’ll have to wait.

Pete accidentally disturbed a Sprawk from killing its prey – a Feral Pigeon. As its injuries seemed to look minimal I decided to put it in a box where it could recover from shock - if it was in shock, obviously.

I decided to post on a forum asking for help, expecting someone to tell me if I should release it again rather than keeping it.

From what I could see there was a small amount of blood, only on its back. The breast seemed fine, but there did appear to be a large amount of feathers around.

It has some raspberries and some crumbed up bun, I’ll check tomorrow morning and hopefully it will have eaten something.

The plan is to try releasing it in the summer house to see if it’s able to fly, earlier when I checked on it, one wing was being held slightly lower than the other – but not dragged on the ground. I will check the wing before I allow it to try flying. If it is able to fly then I can leave the doors open to allow it to fly out as it wishes.

If it can’t fly…Well, I have no idea, we’ll have to try dealing with that if it happens.

Garden Update

Time for some flower photos, I’m afraid!

I’ve been lazy recently, ok so I’ve been taking photos just not had the inclination to crop and sort them yet, but here goes:

Dicentra

Osmanthus

Foxglove

Forget-Me-Not

Shasta Daisy (I think, my neighbour gave it me so I’m not 100% sure)

Meadow Rue

Daffodil – silver chimes

Echinacea

Oxalis

Osmanthus

Daffodil

Fritilleria

Anenome - I think?? Some bulbs I planted, never had before.

Willow blossom

New Visitor

I’ve suspected for a while that my garden is actually a Spring/Summer garden and my theory has now been confirmed. My bird numbers have improved, and on Sunday morning I had been thinking back to last year when we had quite a few Greenfinch, and that they hadn’t yet returned.

Well, Sunday evening, there they were. I guess at around 5/6, as there were also some on the ground around the feeders. It wasn’t so easy to count with Goldies flying back and forth and lots of arguing :)

Also, something else exciting – for me at least.

Today I saw my first ever Siskin! Woo hoo. Just the lone male, and I hope he tells his friends about my garden :)

Another observation, I seem to have lost my Coal tits, however last year we didn’t get them until later in the summer, so I’m not particularly worried yet. At least the LTT’s, Blue and Great tits are still visiting regularly, all of which arrived at a similar time to the Coal tits.

I’ve had Starlings gathering nest material in the form of debris from the Montbretia leaves I ripped out a few weeks ago. I’ve never had Starlings on the lawn, although they are in the area, they never seem to come onto my lawn. Strange.

Now I just need a new and interesting species, like Lesser Redpoll to visit me! :D

Of course, I would never turn down a Nuthatch or Goldcrest! *dreams*

Flock of Greenies with more on the ground hovering up the dropped seeds (and a rogue Goldie and Bullfinch)

Siskin!

Something scared him, so he watched from a neighbour’s tree ( a long distance away)

Collared Dove, Siskin, Bullfinch and Wren in the background

Goldie, Bullie, Siskin, Collared Dove