.... thousands of them. Between last weekend and Saturday the Frogs have been busy and the tiny woodland pond is covered in frog spawn. The frogs are still around as as I approached there was lots of waves and bubbles as they all headed to the bottom. We will see whether the progression from spawn to tadpole to frog is successful without too much attention from the local herons.
Last Sunday and this weekend was spent around home, the light early mornings and later evenings are making a difference. Both last Sunday and Saturday afternoon the weather was excellent and spring-like, whilst today was foul - heavy rain, then sleet and a bit of snow before it eventually stopped around 4am, and today was the only day I had the camera out !
The significant bird news at home was a
Little Owl that I saw last Sunday. The local birds were making a racket, which before has signified they've found a roosting Tawny Owl. I went to investigate in a Holly bush,
Blackbirds, Great, Blue and
Coal Tits, Goldcrests and
Chaffinches, were all going mad - but I couldn't see into the depths of the bush. Eventually a bird flew out into the woods and I only caught sight of the tail - well it wasn't a Tawny Owl, I thought it might just be a Sparrowhawk but it obviously alighted not too far away as it's pursuers were still going mad. This time I saw a small bird bound away , and immediately thought it must be a Little Owl, I found it perched up at the back of the woods, got the scope onto it but before Sal and the girls could get a look it flew again seemingly into an Ivy-clad tree, but no further sign since. It's behaviour and being hunted out by the local birds suggest it isn't a local resident but I'll be keeping an eye out for it as another it's good bird for the house list.
I had 2
Skylarks flyover calling, and another
Crossbill. There are still 4
Bramblings with the
Chaffinch flock around the feeders and up to
10 Redpolls, 6 Siskins, 3 Bullfinches (still only 1 Greenfinch), Great Spotted and
Green Woodpeckers,
Nuthatches a pair of
Treecreepers are often seen and in song near the garden rubbish point. 2
Buzzards were displaying and a male
Sparrowhawk was unsuccessfully raiding the feeders.
Stock Doves seem to be nesting in the nearest Oak to the kitchen and a
Long-tailed Tit spent most of the weekend trying to get in through the kitchen window. and Marvin has a friend ... Bruce ?!? - We've seen a Badger every night but 2 on one occasion.
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| Frog Spawn in the pond |
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| A few Daffs out in the last week |
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| A male Brambling - one of four birds still visiting the garden |
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| Male Sparrowhawk |
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| Sprrowhawk - no visible success on the hunting |
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