Sunday 31 January 2021

Bits and Pieces

This weekend was the RSPB garden birdwatch, meaning an hour spent watching the garden and counting the birds - definitely not a hardship! I did mine early Saturday morning and managed 11 species after a slow start to the hour 

Blackbird 2

Blue Tit 2

Magpie 1

Robin 2

Dunnock 3

Starling 12

Goldfinch 9

House Sparrow 2

Collared Dove 1

Great Tit 1

Coal Tit 1

Just after the hour was up this Wren spent nearly twenty minutes hopping around the undergrowth.



Long-tailed Tits have been visiting the garden often and not just on the feeders either.


For the first time in a while we walked all the way to the Woods as part of our daily exercise (which I must admit I am struggling to get out and do on a weekend). As always we were up and out early to try and avoid as many people as possible, which worked well as we only saw a few dog walkers. It was good to get back in the woods. It was full of Woodpigeons, Blackbirds, Robins and Squirrels! A Great Spotted Woodpecker put in a brief appearance overhead. We stopped by the viewing screen and watched a couple of Chaffinch drinking in the stream.

It was a pretty frosty morning and we even saw icicles, you don't often see those these days, not like the ones I remember hanging from houses as a child! 

Despite the frost Snowdrops are popping up all over









On the way back home I managed to add a couple of patch ticks for the year, with a Bullfinch and in the same place I saw one last October a Grey Wagtail, hopping about with a Pied Wagtail!


At the moment there is no date for lifting lockdown, with cases and deaths as they are right now it won't be happening anytime soon!

10 comments:

  1. Great total Pam - you saw one more species than me!! Glad you got out for a walk to somewhere lovely and local.

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    1. Local is where it's at, people have never known their local spots so well!!!

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  2. The snowdrops are a really encouraging sign. It happens so early for you over there - everywhere is still deep in snow here, and will be for a while to come. The news we read of the spread of COVID in the UK seems more dire with each report. Stay safe, Pam. Your garden may be the best place to be right now.

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    1. We're still having snow, currently the snowdrops are just peeking through! Covid is still rife, the figures are dreadful and depressing, the end of this is a long way off I think.

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  3. You saw quite a few birds that we didn't both starlings and collard doves stayed away, I haven't seen any of those for a few days now. Lovely to get out and about for a walk, we try to go ealy too whilst there are fewer people around:)

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    1. It's the best way, up and out, there's never many out early here luckily!

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  4. Glad you got out, it can be so easy not to bother when you know there are going to be many people out. I miss the quiet walks through the forests and the park. Lovely set of photos and some lovey birds spotted.

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    1. It is and then at the moment i'm struggling to get motivated and get out early too, it's all getting a bit much!

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  5. I know the UK is having a tough time currently I hope the lock down will open up soon and everyone can enjoy the things they love doing. Your list is very inspiring and I enjoyed seeing the Wren photos. It does seem like the ice is hanging on even tho spring is right around the corner. Have a great week Pam.

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    1. Thanks Sondra. I can't see things changing for some time yet with the way the cases are going, it's a waiting game!

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