Sunday, February 08, 2009

Blogging again

Late yesterday p.m.

Please excuse the temporary disruption in service as my work interfered for the last few weeks. Hopefully the usual frequency of reporting will now be restored.

Well it's snowed a bit hasn't it? Looking at North Downs and Beyond it seems to have snowed very considerably "down South" whilst we have escaped relatively lightly, excluding last Monday and yesterday when there was some fairly significant precipitation.

Front garden at midnight, moonlight shadows

Driving home on Friday afternoon / evening a possible Woodcock flew in front of the car on one stretch, some ten minutes later on pulling up to reverse into home a definite Woodcock flew from the small wood by the road and over the house.

Yesterday's snow brought a Stonechat to within feet of the garden but it made neither the "seen from" or "within" lists as I couldn't get back into the garden fast enough to tick it - tetrad tick for me though.

The long absent Yellowhammers returned to the garden last weekend and yesterday and today there have been up to four at a time. Other absentees seen recently have been Tree Sparrow, one and Siskin, four yesterday.

Today Blackbirds have flooded in to the food with 16 at one point.


The local magazine, Valley News, brings to light a body I seem to have been oblivious of somehow; Upper Esk Valley Wildlife Group. Now I must make contact with them as they are publishing some interesting records that I seem to be missing. Anybody have a contact for this group?

5 comments:

Warren Baker said...

Looks like one of them feeders needs topping up Alistair!!

Alastair said...

Nope, left hand one is full of Niger. Although today we did feed twice.

Ghost of Stringer said...

Very nice feeding station..... Give us a call when that pine bunting shows up !!

Alastair said...

There are peanuts and sunflower seeds by the kitchen window and peanuts and Niger around the front as well - see moonlight pic. I'll settle for Little Bunting but Pine, Rustic or 2Bxbill would suit as well. currenty the most classy in the garden bird has been Great Grey Shrike, it wasn't eating seed.

Ghost of Stringer said...

Wow !! I'll never forget the day I woke up and opened the curtains to see a great grey shrike sat on the hedge at the back of the garden.... I can't repeat what came out of my mouth !! That was when I lived up in the hills in Lancashire.... Shrikes are AWESOME !!