WHAT'S BUZZING OR FLYING NEAR YOU 2020

Sometimes similar happens around here, some days the feeder is empty by midday, some days they hardly touch it.
I've noticed that they seem to go around in groups and suddenly they will all descend on the feeder in a mass, then suddenly all gone.

Often if they stay away there has been a sparrow hawk around, or the local cats are about a bit more.

 

Our birds are a little quiet but some are sitting on eggs, about 3 weeks ago there was a chick which must has just hatch and died or some magpie took it from nest on the ground, so their nesting quite early

 

A moff or some such critter than invaded my space when I opened the door when a dog was clearly in my garden. Cats went ape... Dog belongs a mile away and was probably chasing my cats. Said dog has at times defecated on my veg patch.. Far too much wild life out here!

 

In day to day casual observation I have been disappointed not to notice any siskins or yellowhammers in or around our garden, but there is plenty else to see and hear. Regular visitors include all the common finches and tits, including two of my favorites, goldfinches and long-tailed tits, in addition to goldcrests. Among the species whose numbers appear to have increased here since I was a boy are bullfinches, tree sparrows and great spotted woodpeckers. I see treecreepers fairly regularly now and saw a nuthatch for the first time last year. Blackcaps are occasional summer visitors. I still long to see a redstart.

I have witnessed some interesting raptor developments. As many people will know, the number of buzzards has exploded and this may well be linked to a decline in kestrels. I wondered if the sight of a hovering kestrel, so common twenty or more years ago, had become a thing of the past, but I am seeing a few of them making a comeback these days. Sparrowhawks, of course, still visit periodically. Most exciting of all though, I saw a barn owl in the area several times last year; a first for me.

In general, there is an increase in songbirds in the vicinity and I think I am justified in saying that some of it is the result of our now more diverse garden. The relationship seems obvious: more trees, fruit bushes and shrubs means more perches, food and cover, with further food being available in areas of exposed soil and manure mulches teeming with worms and grubs. I've found that heathers flowering in winter and early spring are popular with bees. I saw a couple of bees yesterday.

 

After a three day absence the Siskins are back.

 

Lovely siskin pictures. Thank you.

Regarding something else, it is an ambition of mine to see and hear a nightingale, but I have resigned myself to conclude that I would have to travel to somewhere like the Forest of Dean for that. A burning question: what is the furthest north in the UK anyone has seen or heard a nightingale?

One of the reasons I ask is that my copy of the Reader's Digest Birds of Britain is an edition that came out over 30 years ago and it is noticeable that some of the maps showing species distribution are out of date. I thought that nuthatches, for example, were absent from Scotland until I saw one last year. Presumably milder weather is changing distribution.

 

@Bill Brown I have no idea how far north Nightingales are found and I have only seen one once and as far as I know they are not seen in this location anymore as they are declining dramatically.

 

I will fly after I've had my dinner

 

Chiffchaff on my exercise walk this morning.

 

A couple of Woodies 'at it' in my garden



I'll be glad when I can go further afield and take some proper pics. Might have to cycle 4 miles to where the Curlews are nesting for my exercise.

 

Male Blackcap at top of 30' high tree where we took dog for his exercise this morning.