Rain

What a day today, torrential rain and strong winds. We were going to pay a visit to Adel Dam today but decided against going anywhere! The rain has brought out many garden birds though and the garden has been non stop all morning.

There are 9 Collared Doves sat in the tree right now looking very bedraggled. We have had about a dozen Goldfinch too. House Sparrows, Starlings, Blackbirds, Blue Tits and a Dunnock have been around too. A lone Magpie has been sat in the tree but can't quite bring itself to come down for the bread. They often perch in the trees but i've rarely seen them in the garden.

Earlier in the week we went over to Blackpool - purely a touristy visit but I did manage to get a couple of pictures of the large flocks of Starlings flying about over the pier.

Garden

As we haven't been out much recently due to various other commitments (like the kids having a better social life than me - even the 3yr old!) I thought i'd give a bit of a garden update.

It had been very quiet here until the past couple of weeks. The Goldfinch have been constant visitors without a day going by when there is a least one on the feeders. We had one day 15 - including several on the floor picking up the dropped seed. That was quite something watch.

The Coal Tit has also become a bit more of a regular and sometimes brings along another two with him. I've never seen that many together before. Blue Tits and Great Tits are in and out most days. Plus we are finally getting Blackbirds back in the garden after not seeing a single one in a month or more.

House Sparrows, Starlings, Collared Doves and Dunnocks are in the garden often and just this morning I had my second sighting of a Wren in the garden this year when it came and sat on the fence near the window.

Last week we had a bit of excitement when a Sparrowhawk settled in the tree next door scaring off the birds on the feeders. They left very quickly altogether about a minute before it appeared. I don't know how they knew it was coming. It's only the second time i've seen one here since we moved in two years ago. I have mixed feelings about this bird, they are stunning to see and we saw one in action a few times at our previous house. I could live without that kind of bird activity in my garden again though.

Finally a few pictures from the garden in the rain, which after a long dry spell seems here to stay at the moment.

The best picture I could get before the rain destroyed it.

A walk in the park

Finally got out for a short walk at the weekend, it felt good to be out despite the cold! It was only to the local park and we weren't out long but I love being out in the autumn. The colours of the leaves are beautiful and there are so many different ones as the leaves change and fall.



My little one is trying to catch the leaves as it was windy and quite a few were falling. She missed them all!


It was pretty deserted too, we saw a few Blackbirds and that was it, not a squirrel in sight or even a Blue Tit, which are usually quite common around here.

Leaf carpets!

Quick Update

Well we are still plagued with illnesses here unfortunately. My stepson had a nasty cold and my little one has had ear infections and throat infections, finally she is on the mend and we are all fairly healthy - fingers crossed!

So I am determined to get us out for some fresh air at the weekend, even if it's just to the local park!

I had a very entertaining trip into work today watching the many squirrels in the gardens. Including one that was 'playing' with a Magpie. I've often seen them chasing each other but this pair actually seemed to be quite enjoying antagonising each other. Lot's of fun to watch and a shame more people on the bus don't notice what is going on right under their noses!

Hopefully I'll have something of substance to post over the weekend.

Update

Due to a nasty cold which has pretty much wiped me out the past week or so we haven't really been out anywhere apart from work! The commute to work takes me into Headingley where there are lots of very big gardens I can see right into from the bus! The squirrels have been out everywhere I look foraging in the leaves. I even spotted a Jay on one lawn pecking at something in the leaves. I had a great view of it, the best one i've ever had - they are usually flying away from me. There are lots of Wood Pigeons and Crows too.

Going through Woodhouse Moor there are often large flocks of Herring Gulls, Magpies (i've counted up to 30 Magpies at times) and Thrush. Unfortunately I can't tell what type of Thrush they are as I fly past but they are always around over the autumn and winter months so it may be worth a stop there one weekend. Might even spot the elusive Redwing, which everyone apart me seems to see on a regular basis!

It's darker in a morning too these days so the birds are barely awake before I leave for work. The first birds at the feeder are the Robin and Dunnocks. Yesterday was my day off and the garden was quite busy most of the day. There were Goldfinch, Blue Tits, Collared Doves, House Sparrows, Starlings and a Coal Tit. The Coal Tit is not a regular visitor and it hung around for an hour or so and was very nice to watch.

Hopefully we'll get out somewhere over the weekend and see what changes Autumn is bringing.

Oakwell Again!

We headed out for a walk around Oakwell this morning to make the most of the sunshine. It was beautiful in the trees with the sun shining through.


We saw plenty of birds Magpies, Blackbirds, Wood Pigeons, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Robins and a couple of Dunnocks. The trees were full of birdsong though you couldn't always spot the birds they were lovely to listen to. There were a couple of Squirrels running about too.

There were plenty of berries about to tempt the birds including these, which I think after checking a guide is a Rowan Whitebeam hybrid, I could be wrong so let me know if I am.


Of course the leaves are changing now and here was no exception with beautiful yellows, oranges and reds.

We then came across this tree, i'm not sure what it is but it had enormous leaves, i've not seen anything quite like it before?


We walked around the garden beside the house today for the first time and found plenty of butterflies including my first Painted Lady (I don't know how i've missed them till now!).


A Comma


Red Admiral


Speckled Wood


Another good day at Oakwell.

Autumn

Well, I've noticed this week with the chill in the air that autumn is on its way. A lot of the leaves are turning to wonderful reds and yellows already. It's a beautiful time of year, great for walking and for my little one to be collecting the leaves as they drop from the trees.

I found a small tree this morning where nearly all its leaves had turned red, it looked very colourful. Unfortunately I only had the camera on my mobile so it's not the best picture.


In my garden I still have plenty of Sweet Peas flowering, along with poppies and Begonias. There are Fuscias that are still to open too.


The birds have been fairly quiet recently apart from the Goldfinch, which still come in groups of up to 10 at a time. Still have a couple of Dunnocks, Blue Tits, a Robin, Collared Doves and the odd Starling too. The House Sparrows seem to prefer the neighbours seed feeder at the moment, means I can still watch without the expense though, they are really going through some at the moment!

I'm looking forward to seeing the changes autumn brings and capturing some of the wonderful colours it produces.