In particular with large numbers of goldfinch on some maturing alder trees - I went in search of Siskin (elusive on my garden list) and/or Redpoll sp. (sighted once - last year on nijer seed feeder). I drew a blank on both. No even mildly exotic finches despite the plethora of feeding stations, biting cold and dozens of finches on site. Of course, we imagine the finches we see this week are the same ones that we saw a week or even a month ago. That's unlikely - so we wait for Redpolls or Siskins to drift our way.
But there have been lots of yellowhammers - some of which are happy enough to approach the feeding station - some stay deep in the garden feasting on corn we put out. The biggest flock I've seen numbered around 30 - half the size of a count in a mixed flock in South Yorkshire recently. They sit as happily at the top of a 60ft Walnut tree as they do a hedge top - they will be with us now through until May/June.
Having said that this weekend has not been without its surprises, not least going round a corner and seeing this female Goosander on the Chesterfield Canal. These sawbills usually found on the River Trent or on large bodies of water - but the canal is full of fish and reasonably clear of ice. Later I saw three birds (2f + m) flying over. The creamy white male Goosander is a beautiful bird at this time of year and I will try to get a picture soon.
I have, since I was a small boy, seen Snipe in the field behind the house, but never one in the garden, but in a quiet corner, under a birch tree, where the snow doesn't settle the grass is damp and presumably provides rich pickings (something to do with the compost bins close by?) Anyway, this most nervous of birds obliged for a minute or so before being bullied back to the field by a Blackbird!
The flocks of Fieldfare are still the predominant species in the fields and hedgerows. They have finished off the Rowan and Hawthorn berries, gobbled up apples (more of that in a mo) and are now roaming eating all sorts. They are normally quite timid but will do anything for a meal so this handsome chap posed below about 10 yards from me in a bush next to our patio.
But unlike previous years and this Autumn, there have been very few Redwings associated with the Fieldfares this winter - I've seen one in four days of bird watching. Blackbirds are dominating the feeding stations and are chivvying us up early in the morning (90 minutes or so before sunrise) with demands for food. Typically there will be 2-20 in the garden - they seem to consume virtually anything.
Our apples feeding station (nails in a plank!) provides for all the needs of these thrushes...
They seem to spend more time guarding their bounty than eating it though. No sign this year of Mistle Thrush, but a Song Thrush does lurk in the hedgerow now and then, not yet brave enough for the food hall.
Thick snow fell on Sunday 20th and a walk on 21st yielded more surprises. Snipe on gardens and on any bit of marsh ground not covered in snow fly with a rustic cackle and jinking flight as though evolution had pre-figured the defence against air to air missiles. But along with them a Woodcock came up out of the trees near the canal bank with its strange "sitting up" flying posture and straight as a die flight path.
Amongst the trees - with branches heavy with snow - there was little bird life. A few finch flocks scour the hedges for food. Above it the Fieldfares and Blackbirds, Stock Doves and Pigeons flit about - never seeming to settle. Except here - down by a field unprotected by the noisy gas gun bird scarers, I found about 800 pigeons settled on wires, fence posts, hedge tops and nestling in the snowy crop.....
There's no wonder then that a chaotic swarm of these birds in the air was a sign of something they all found disturbing. And ten minutes later as I stood taking photos a Peregrine flew around me. With my binoculars I could see the bird checking me out. It did a complete circle and went on its way over a tall hedge. As I walked towards and around the hedge it had gone from view but there were magpies in the field beyond scraping over a bird's corpse: not 30 yards from where I had been stood buggering about with an arty snow scene. The corpse was the Peregrine kill - a Stock Dove I think - and later as I walked past the scene - 7 magpies were feeding. A grim reminder that hunger is all around for animals in winter and yet from one comes food for 8 including the magnificent confident Falcon. The good news is that its the second time I've seen one within half a mile of the house and they bred locally this year (I saw an adult training a youngster to dive in the late summer skies last year). The bad news is that I become transfixed in the presence of these amazing birds so once more photography gives way to memory (one of the reasons for this blog).
Sad to leave the field today - excited that there will be more to discover next time. But it won't include this Stock Dove.
