Pete's Favourite Things

Strangely after last month’s increase in activity it seems to have been very quiet around the patch in October. There has been no large scale influx of winter birds, most likely due to the continuing warm weather which has meant that even those that have returned are not forced to seek food around gardens. The numbers of Ring-necked Parakeets have been variable and parties in the garden have remained below 8 birds. The Little Grebe and Grey Wagtail continue to be present but there is little evidence for other water birds moving in as the algal bloom continues to persist.

There were 26 species of bird seen on the patch this month. The months highlight was undoubtedly the female House Sparrow which appeared in the garden on the 21st. This was the first patch sighting of this once common species for over 12 years. It hasn’t been seen since but maybe this is a sign that the expansion of this species that I have noticed returning to adjacent areas is continuing and that the bird will become established on my patch in the future. It is ironic that a species which many regarded as a ‘feeder pest’ when I was small should become a rarity that is only just begining to show signs of recovery. It just shows that we can be complacent when looking at trends in bird populations or take for granted even those species which see common

House Sparrow

Photo by Michael Day (https://www.flickr.com/photos/13706945@N00/)

This brings the patch total to 48 species for 2014.

A walk around the patch today revealed that there was not much change with the algal bloom on the Tarn although the flow from the river inlet and the action of the water pump are concentrating the bloom in the middle of the lark so at least some water can aerate.

Despite this it was good to see that the Little Grebe was still present. It has been on the Tarn now since mid-August which I think is probably the longest staying individual that I have recorded here.

Down at the eastern end by the river inlet a Grey Wagtail was actively feeding on the edge. This is the second record for the patch this autumn of this regular migrant species.

Otherwise there were a few Mallard, Coot and Moorhens, but no geese, thess seeming to have been particularly hard hit by the avian botulism outbreak which occurred as a consequence of the algal bloom. A sparrowhawk put in a brief appearance before flying off over the golf course.

Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Little Grebe [sp] (Tachybaptus ruficollis)
Eurasian Sparrowhawk [sp] (Accipiter nisus)
Common Moorhen [sp] (Gallinula chloropus)
Eurasian Coot [sp] (Fulica atra)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Western Jackdaw [sp] (Coloeus monedula)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Common Blackbird [sp] (Turdus merula)
Grey Wagtail [sp] (Motacilla cinerea)
Common Chaffinch [sp] (Fringilla coelebs)

The garden has remained quiet most of the week with a noticeable drop in visits to the feeder station. However there were some highlights today. One interesting thing was these two Ring-necked Parrakeets who were doing some form of courtship which involved nuzzling and preening.

Late in the afternoon a Red Fox reappeared in the garden. This is the third time we have seen one recently and always in the same place. It keeps very much to the hedge only poking its head out to examine what is going on.

Shortly after the Fox left I noticed another of our secretive vistors around the feeder staion. Dunnocks are birds of the hedgerow and we usually see them skulking in the border hedges, but this one was happily out in the open under the feeder station no doubt finding the remains of the meals dropped from the feeders above.

Late Friday night I caught the distant calling of the Tawny Owl. We know we have a pair in the woods behind where we live and for a few years they were a regular sound but we think they must have moved their nest deeper into the woods and nearer the golf course so we don’t get to hear them so often. But it is nice to be reminded every now and again that they are still there.

Mallard [sp] (Anas platyrhynchos)
Common Pigeon [sp] (Columba livia)
Common Wood Pigeon [sp] (Columba palumbus)
Rose-ringed Parakeet [sp] (Psittacula krameri)
Tawny Owl [sp] (Strix aluco)
Eurasian Magpie [sp] (Pica pica)
Carrion Crow [sp] (Corvus corone)
Great Tit [sp] (Parus major)
Eurasian Blue Tit [sp] (Cyanistes caeruleus)
Dunnock [sp] (Prunella modularis)