The best bird so far though has been a Great Spotted Woodpecker which turned up last Saturday, it landed in our Laburnum, hopped around and flew off, it was lucky I was still sat by the window with my cuppa that I happened to see it. It's only the 2nd one i've seen in the garden in the 9 years we've lived here and the other was 8 years ago and landed in the same tree!
The squirrel and foxes are still daily visitors, a couple of weeks back my husband saw 5 of them (foxes) in an empty overgrown yard nearby. The foxes have just figured out if they stand up they can clean out the seed tray on the feeder and by clean I mean clean, not a scrap left in there! Our regular Squirrel looks like she is nursing young at the moment and she tears through the nuts and sunflower hearts two or three times a day!
In Churwell Woods there were a couple of Chiffchaffs about this week, lots of different Tits and Woodpigeons galore. The fields where the fire was have been completely dug over. Makes for good pickings, lots of Woodpigeons and Magpies in the mud and from a pylon a Kestrel sat watching everything one morning, too far away for a decent photograph but we watched it a while.
These oak galls are all over one of the trees.
This nest had fallen out of the trees near the entrance to the woods, you can't quite tell but it was tiny.
A few butterflies are still on the wing, Comma, Speckled Wood and Red Admiral.
The morning walk to work has been full of birds recently too, lots more Gulls around, BH and Herring, Robins have started singing in the park, 4 of them one morning. A Chiffchaff was singing right above my head on Wednesday.
A Sparrowhawk was harassing a flock of pigeons that belong to one of the houses near Morrison, it flew right overhead as I walked through the car park. The farm by work has been ploughed it's fields and they've been covered in Gulls, Crows and Woodpigeons.
The trees are turning colour and the early mornings definitely have that autumn feel now, it makes for a beautiful walk to work!
Lovely post Pam with some super wildlife sightings. We have had quite a few Willow Warblers and Chiffchaffs passing through out garden too ) Do hope your Great Spotted Woodpecker becomes a more regular visitor.
ReplyDeleteThank you :) I hope it does too though nothing so far, it might be another 8yrs!!
DeleteIt's so nice to have the birds back in the garden, look at all those Sparrows. Our Robin was back in the garden yesterday, and we had a squirrel on the shed roof, a very rare siting. Would love them to come in like they do in your garden. Great to have a GSW recording.
ReplyDeleteAmanda xx
Oh lovely to see a Squirrel, do you have nuts out? The Sparrows are really having a ball in the bird bath at the moment! xx
DeleteThe change of season sure brings some exciting sightings. At one time long before I started with Blogger I lived in New York City. I walked to work many times, or at least from the train to work, from home to the train and then from the train back home. I enjoyed those walks more than anything...I just got back to my home and I find my feeder birds have left...I Hope to entice them back with some good seed and lots of fresh water. Congrats on the Great Spotted visit.
ReplyDeleteIt does! Up until about two years ago I had to get two buses to work, then they moved to my home town and the walk is so much better! I'm sure you're birds will be back soon enough :)
DeleteLovely collection of photos. I've seen a lot of red admirals this year but hardly any other butterflies. I love the misty mornings at this time of year :)
ReplyDeleteThanks Louise :) We've had a few Red Admirals but mostly we've had lots of Speckled Woods, more than last year! I do too (and I don't even mind the mess it makes of my hair!).
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