Pages

Spring is in the air....

21st January 2006

There has been a distant weather warning about a cold spell possibly approaching as Moscow is suffering it's coldest snap for a long, long time. This morning in St.Ives it was very spring like, the sun was shining, the air was warmer and the birds were singing their heads off!

Coppice Pond
1 pair of Goosander were present as numbers remain low.

Woodlands
Mistle Thrushes are in full voice at the moment. One was sing in a treetop where a Redwing flock, of about 60 birds, were joining in singing among themselves. This is something that we don't get to hear often in the UK. I saw a couple of male Blue Tits grapping as they floated down to terra firma, another sign of spring. The woodland birds were very active in general. I even heard a Bullfinch doing his best to sing. A Great Spotted Woodpecker was drumming in Cuckoo's Nest Wood.

A Little Owl was sat out in the sunshine on the roof of White Cotes Barn

14th January 2006

Coppice Pond
27 Canada Geese appear to be resident. Goosander numbers have dropped with few being seen at the moment.

Woodlands
With today being a mild and sunny day for a time the woodlandbirds were very vocal. At least three mistle Thrushes were in full song mode, many Great Tits were calling. A pair of Treecreepers were keeping close together.

Winter visitors seem to be very hard to come by. No flocks of winter finches have materialised at all this winter. The Thrush numbers are typically sparodic.

Sightings in December 2005

Coppice Pond
Goosander numbers fluctuated greatly with a maximum of 29 being seen late one afternoon mid month. Coot numbers are maintained at about 16 birds present. The Canada Goose flock comes and goes with their maximum being 27.

Two Barns Fields / Blind Lane area
The Redwings disappeared but were replenished when the cold snap brought 159 to the fields adjacent to Blind Lane. Most departed but 60 or so have remained.

Woodlands
Tit flocks containing the usuall 4 species, Coal, Blue, Great and Long-tailed, also attract Treecreepers and Nuthatches. The Crossbill, Siskin and Redpoll flocks just haven't materialised as yet. Hopefully they will between now and March.