Thursday 1 April 2021

An Exciting Tick

We've had a couple of hot sunny days this week, it's meant i've been able to sit out in the garden after work and watch the birds, bees and butterflies. 

Sat on the bench yesterday evening I noticed a bird  flying over and almost dismissed it as a possible juvenile gull (which i'd never be able to identify!) but luckily I grabbed my camera and took a few distant shots and had a closer look. Then got a little bit excited but posted a few of the photos to twitter for confirmation first as I pretty much talked myself out of what I thought it would be - an Osprey!! What a patch tick and what a 'garden' tick too, a first for the patch and only my second sighting of one ever...........and from my garden bench.

Ok the photos aren't the best and are heavily cropped but who cares, it's an Osprey!!





So I have to say I am very happy this week!

There's also been Chiffchaffs in the garden too, the odd Butterfly when it was warm, gutter Starling is trying hard still to attract a mate, the Sparrows are gathering nest materials, i've been down to the woods a couple of times and it's just been a lovely week all round really.

Chiffchaff






Peacock Butterfly


Gutter Starling!


The other Starlings are busy splashing the water out of the bird bath as soon as I fill it.



A pair of Greenfinch briefly visited the feeders



We get Collared Doves, Feral Pigeons and Woodpigeons on a regular basis, one day maybe we'll get a Stock Dove



In the woods we've heard Chiffchaff and saw three Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other around. After thinking that the Jays had disappeared from the woods someone posted a picture of one a few weeks back and another couple found a Meadow Pipit on the Pit Hills, birds to look out for! 










The temperature has dropped down again now, the two days of sun were brief, we're looking a minus 1 and possible snow over Easter weekend. Not ideal for sitting in the garden on Osprey watch........

12 comments:

  1. Great post Pam and wonderful photos, how exciting to have an Osprey fly over your garden. Will have to take more notice of the birds in the sky. Great selection of Spring nature at it's best.
    Shame it's gone back to being freezing!
    Amanda xx

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    1. Thanks Amanda :) I was calm and collected all evening long :D x

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  2. Congrats on the new yard tick...nature never ceases to amaze us.
    Your photos are so good, love all the detail on the Starlings...hope the warm weather returns soon.

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    1. Thanks Sondra, the weather has been good for a week now, it feels very spring like!

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  3. It must have been a magic moment when you spotted the Osprey, how wonderful. You've seen lots of other great birds too in your garden, park and woodlands. I enjoyed the brief spell of warmer weather, let's hope the cold weather on it's way doesn't stay around for long:)

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    1. It was lovely :) Thank goodness the weather is getting warmer now!

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  4. Congratulations on your Osprey sighting, Pam. I know it is a rare species in the UK so your elation was no doubt magnified by that fact. Here Osprey is quite common with many local nest sites. The birds have started to return from the south over the past week, and the nearest nest is about five minutes from my house.

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    1. Thanks David, i'd normally have to travel a fair bit to see an Osprey on a nest - something i've not done so it was definitely one of my happiest spots!

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  5. Congratulations on the osprey Pam - what a garden "tick"!!!!!! So glad you got a photo and were able to get confirmation. What a wonderful surprise :) Loved seeing the rest of your photos and the wildlife you have seen.

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    1. Thank you :) I think it's my top garden tick!

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  6. So beautiful birds.
    Greetings from Denmark

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