Posts that start "we were driving home from shopping" are starting to occur with alarming regularity on this blog. On this occasion we were driving along the A435 half way down Gorcott Hill at dusk when I spotted a Woodcock as it flew across the road.
Lyn missed it in much the same way as I miss half price offers when we are shopping together.
The light was pretty poor but I saw its shape well enough to tell what it was. The tricky part was trying to work out whether we were in Worcestershire or Warwickshire at the time. I have plumped for the former.
This was only the second Woodcock I have seen in the Midlands this year.
Thursday, 22 December 2016
Sunday, 18 December 2016
Sunday December 18
As the year ambles to its conclusion, there is little to see but garden birds.
The highlight was a very brief male Greenfinch on the feeder pole. About eight years ago Greenfinches visited our garden in good numbers, but then suddenly disappeared. I have no doubt that the reason for this change in fortunes was a virus which Greenfinches and Chaffinches can pick up from dirty feeding stations and then pass on to others of their species. I just hope our feeder wasn't the source. Since then Greenfinches are regularly seen in small numbers at the tops of the surrounding trees, but have become extremely rare in the garden. The visit was too brief for a photo.
We are still getting lots of Blackbirds in the back garden, and up to six at a time on the berries in the front. Disappointingly only one Redwing has been seen with the Blackbirds on the rowan.
About six months ago, at great expense, Lyn bought me a stone bird-bath to replace the rusting, grotty, iron ones which littered our back garden. It was almost completely ignored by the local birds. But a few days ago this happened.
I would like to think it will be the first of many visits.
Finally, with insects virtually non-existent I have had to turn to arachnids to have anything to say about mini-beasts. Last night Lyn alerted me, in no uncertain terms, to the presence of a large spider in the bathroom. I duly caught it and identified it as a tegenaria spider. I had hoped that after I had photographed it I would be able to identify it to species, but it seems that is not possible, or at least not advisable, due to the close similarity of related species.
It seems that Tegenaria domestica and Tegenaria duellica can only be separated using a microscope and therefore a specimen. Presumably you have to look at their privates, which I am not about to do.
The highlight was a very brief male Greenfinch on the feeder pole. About eight years ago Greenfinches visited our garden in good numbers, but then suddenly disappeared. I have no doubt that the reason for this change in fortunes was a virus which Greenfinches and Chaffinches can pick up from dirty feeding stations and then pass on to others of their species. I just hope our feeder wasn't the source. Since then Greenfinches are regularly seen in small numbers at the tops of the surrounding trees, but have become extremely rare in the garden. The visit was too brief for a photo.
We are still getting lots of Blackbirds in the back garden, and up to six at a time on the berries in the front. Disappointingly only one Redwing has been seen with the Blackbirds on the rowan.
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| A very uncooperative Redwing |
I would like to think it will be the first of many visits.
Finally, with insects virtually non-existent I have had to turn to arachnids to have anything to say about mini-beasts. Last night Lyn alerted me, in no uncertain terms, to the presence of a large spider in the bathroom. I duly caught it and identified it as a tegenaria spider. I had hoped that after I had photographed it I would be able to identify it to species, but it seems that is not possible, or at least not advisable, due to the close similarity of related species.
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| Either a Common House Spider or a Giant House Spider |
Friday, 9 December 2016
Thursday December 8
After a bit of a wait since I proclaimed our rowan tree to be Waxwing bait, I have at last seen a bird in it...a Blackbird.
So forget Waxwings, our garden is definitely proving a magnet for Blackbirds. Odd ones on the berries and a flock of nine in the apple tree the other day. In fact the apple tree may prove to be the better bet.
As for the Waxwing invasion, it seems to have stalled in Scotland. My theory is that thrushes will eat all the countryside berries in England by the end of December, so once the Waxwings have done the same in Scotland they will be forced to head south at speed as the choicest berries will have been eaten.
So forget Waxwings, our garden is definitely proving a magnet for Blackbirds. Odd ones on the berries and a flock of nine in the apple tree the other day. In fact the apple tree may prove to be the better bet.
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| Male Blackbird |
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