Around the Patch

I haven't been out much recently with one thing or another so mostly it's birding around the patch which usually means on the way to work or a quick foray into the woods before work. I barely see the garden in daylight hours at the moment, just a little in a morning and then as I get home the Sparrows are already heading into the trees to roost. The wind at the weekend seemed to have most of the garden birds hiding out with the Squirrels the only ones making regular visits so even then garden watch didn't bring much.

The Goldcrest are still around, there are three now, chasing each other around the trees first thing in a morning and last thing at night and you can hear them on and off all day. Other birds in the garden include the usual Blue/Great and Coal Tits, Wren, Collared Dove, Blackbird and Sparrows. My husband saw the GS Woodpecker at the feeder briefly last week but i've yet to see it again.

I could watch the Sparrows splashing in the bird bath all day long!

The woods have been a bit hit and miss, one day there was barely a bird in sight and the next full of birds. It's a good walk regardless and I still marvel this is hidden away in the middle of a housing estate!

We spotted this wasp (I think) walking across the path

"If I stay really still they won't see me"

Wren 

This Robin was hiding in the tree singing on top of it's voice

After mentioning the fruit in the garden in my last post there have been suggestions of apples or quince. Well I cut a couple of them open tonight and I think from what's inside i'm going with apple? I've tried to search for the variety but no luck so far. It's odd if they're apples that not a single bird eats them?

Out and About

Autumn has definitely arrived, the leaves are falling especially with winds over the past few days, though it's been oddly warm. 

The sun at the weekend brought out a few Red Admirals, they made the most of the sun.......on my washing!

The sun caught the cobwebs in the park.

This spider has made it's web on our patio door, I haven't been able to open it properly for a couple of weeks because I didn't want to destroy it!

My daughter spotted this ladybird whilst we were out on a walk

In the park we spotted these mushrooms and was hoping for a Redwing or two but instead we saw a few Mistle and Song Thrush.

In the garden a poppy made a sudden appearance from behind one of my Lavender plants and my fuchsia is still blooming.The Blackbirds are picking at the berries in the surrounding trees. I tidied up the plants in the pond a little and it's full of tiny snails.

If anyone knows what these apple like fruit are, they've been growing in my hedge for years and i've never figured out what they are?

The soundtrack to the past weekend has been Goldcrest, constantly chirping in the trees in the garden, making fleeting appearances as they flit about, i've counted two and they were the first birds up this morning, the noise a lovely start to the day. 

Walking up our street on Sunday morning a Sparrowhawk landed in the tree in front of us briefly before flying after a flock of Starlings, pouncing on a straggler and snatching it right out of the sky, before flying off behind a building. Very cool to see. 

Morecambe

A few photos from a quick stop off in Morecambe after Leighton Moss the other week.

Oystercatchers

Black-headed Gull

Pied Wagtail

Herring Gull

Finally............

Saturday morning we were up early and off to Fairburn Ings, I was hoping for Bearded Tits (again!) after reading that  24 had been counted in the reeds on the Coal Trips Trail over the past week or so and a few people had been seeing them.

A quick look out the pick up hide when we got there proved fairly quiet with a Little Egret in the distance and off to the side by the feeders Moorhen, Pheasant and Great Tits.

At the Big Hole there were a lot of Black Headed Gulls, Lapwing and Crows.

Grazing on the hillside next to Big Hole

As we headed up the path a few Magpie flew up onto the fence along with a Green Woodpecker! We saw it a couple more times too, quite far off but you could see the red on the top of the head.

A flock of birds kept popping up over the crest of the hill and as we got closer we realised they were the Bearded Tits - actually there right in front of us putting on a show, flying up and then dipping down into the reeds, climbing up them and then repeating!

We watched them for about 15 minutes or so and they followed backwards and forwards alongside us as we walked down the path, amazing to watch and hear!

Walking along the trail we saw quite a lot of fungi in the grass and kept getting rained on then the sun would shine briefly.

Back to the visitors centre for a cup of tea and we picked up some duck food too, my daughter wanted to feed the ducks - some things you never grow out of (even when you're trying to be a cool high schooler)!

Tufted Duck 

Bottoms Up! 

Tufted Duck

Black-headed Gull

Teal

A very good morning and a very happy me!