A Walk in the Park(s)

We were out by 8.30 in lovely sunshine on Sunday morning to walk up to Dartmouth Park, I hadn't managed to go yet this year. By the time we got there fog had rolled in and then soon rolled out again. In fact the two or so hours we were out another three blankets of fog enveloped us, all were followed by bright sun! A very odd morning.

There were lots of birds out and a lot of birdsong, we saw Magpies, Woodpigeons and a Starling all collecting twigs. Redwings, Mistle and Song Thrush were all foraging on the ground under the trees but were easily spooked - there are a lot of dog walkers here.

You can seen the difference as we walked round the park, the sun and fog pictures were within about 20 minutes of each other.

Mistle Thrush

Crow

Goldfinch

The warm weather has brought flowers into bloom and there are lots of buds on the trees and shrubs

This Robin sang us out of the park

The lure of a bacon sandwich had us walking into the town centre with a detour around Scatcherd Park on the way. 

A Rook (in the fog!)

Crocus a few minutes later in the sun!

I've heard a Woodpecker drumming in the park here a couple of mornings on the way to work recently, i've not managed to see it and there was no sign today unfortunately. I've only heard one once before here so maybe it was just passing through? 

We headed through a churchyard hidden at the back of some shops so my daughter could show me a recently discovered grave belonging to my husbands great great grandparents, we also managed to spot our only Wren of the day singing nearby. My daughter pointed out a Pied Wagtail flying overhead, there is a couple of them around the centre at the moment and they are very vocal!

Back to find a couple Greenfinch in the garden, my husband had seen them on the feeder earlier in the week and they were back again, not for long but a great rare garden spot!

Out and About

This will likely be my last post before the holidays as life seems to have been overtaken by Christmas and crazy work busyness (not to mention the stinking cold that has struck, at the worst possible time as usual!!).

Even though the days are short at the moment i've managed to get in some garden watching and the birds and Squirrels are non stop all day long. We only get one or at the most two Squirrels but recently we've had four. We have an old hanging basket by the patio doors so have been putting nuts in there, it's been popular not just with the Squirrels but Coal Tits have been using it and sneaking in when the Squirrels aren't looking.

Not everyone's favourite but I love watching them

There is a good roost of Sparrows by the garden still and they spend the day by the bird bath and devouring sunflower hearts from the feeders.

There has been an increase in numbers of Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits, they seem to be in the garden from dawn till dusk. We've had the odd Goldcrest, Wren and Dunnock too. Blackbird numbers have increased and they spend a long time picking at the lawn. A Sparrowhawk tried to grab one of the Blue Tits early one morning, it failed but gave some beautiful views as it sat on the fence for a minute.

Some of the Black-headed Gull flock that roost near the house

Down in the woods it's been a bit hit and miss with the birds, we've seen a Kestrel and a Sparrowhawk down by the Pit Hill fields, lots of Woodpigeon, one morning had both Song and Mistle Thrush in the woods

There's been some beautiful foggy mornings

The resident rats

We took a walk in Dartmouth park one morning and noticed one of the trees had lost one of its main branches, it was full of Blackbirds.

There's a tree nearby that is full every year of berries and if you time it right it's full of birds - Blackbirds, Chaffinch, Goldfinch, it's lovely to watch.

The walk to work has also been full of birds, the Gulls that roost near the house spread out and most seems to head to Morrisons spending their time hanging about the lamposts along with Crows, Rooks and Magpies. In the park there's often a large charm of Goldfinch, up to 40 at times. I finally saw my first Redwing back in the park last week though none since. Two more days of commuting and that's it till the New Year!

A couple of the photos taken on my new phone from the walk to work, believe it or not without any filter!

Patch Update

There's been lots of activity around the patch, unfortunately though only bringing me one new bird recently - a Mallard! Not for want of trying, i've spent a fair bit of time walking around the parks and managed to get to the woods a few times before work too.

A Goldfinch successfully fledged 3 chicks from a nest near work and a Woodpigeon has been sat on it's nest for almost two weeks now, so hopefully I might actually get to see a pigeon chick or two shortly.

The park in the town centre that I walk through on the way to work is full of Corvids, Thrush, Finches and all the usual songbirds at the moment. Earlier this week it even had 3 Pied Wagtails, they don't generally hang around the centre at this time of year.

I've signed up to the BTO's Garden Birdwatch recently and will be submitting my first results this weekend. Though there are plenty of birds to see from the window in the neighbouring park boundary area and other gardens, most of the visitors that actually land in my garden at the moment are Starlings, Sparrows and Goldfinch. It'll be interesting to see how it changes over the weeks.

The Red Kite made a pass over the house a couple of weeks back, it pretty much pulled up short to look down at us.

The warm weather (before this week!) brought out butterflies and we've had Whites and Comma's over the garden. There's been a lot of bees and bugs about especially with the cherry blossom in a neighbours garden.

Churwell woods are full of Blackcap and Chiffchaff at the moment, a Song Thrush sings from the same tree and it's there on the dipping pond I saw a female Mallard. I've seen my first Speckled Wood too. Dunnocks are singing by the dipping pond every time I walk by.

I've seen this Robin a few times, it's looking a little scruffy

I love being able to walk around here before work

Sychronised preening

Finally I watched a pair of Rooks carry off a pile of chicken someone had dropped in Morrisons car park.

Fingers crossed next time I have a patch update i'll be able to add Swallows and Swifts to the list!