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Report for beginning of February 2012 :
The first real winter bird was a Blackcap on Tuesday 10th January followed by a Redwing on the 19th. The Blackcap was spotted for the third time last week and was attacking apples once more. The mild weather has turned to snow now (Sat/Sunday) and there were 50 Fieldfare in the neighbourhood, with at least 30 in the apple tree two doors away. A single Redwing was there too along with 5 Blackbird. A Chaffinch, the first of this winter, came to our seed on the ground and 2 Wren were hunting along the fence where the clematis provides good cover for spiders.
Meanwhile, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Goldfinch and the occasional Greenfinch are visiting the feeders. The House Sparrow numbers are steady, even accounting for those lost to the Sparrowhawk. Starling invade spasmodically and can number in double figures, attacking the fat balls and generally causing chaos throughout the garden. They filled the waterfall during the snowfall yesterday.
A Robin is still on territory and occasionally flits to the feeds for sunflower hearts. It appears to dislike the presence of the Dunnock and chases it out of the garden.
The single Blue Tit that appears to think of the garden as ‘his’, can be seen pursuing not only it’s own species that pass through but others birds that happen to get too near the nesting box.
On the alder tree there were 2 Collared Dove and 2 Woodpigeon that came down to get seed on the ground..
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