Friday 6 March 2015

Stockies

I've had a hectic week this week as a result of my elderly father being in hospital and this has meant I've struggled to get out birding; thankfully he's back home and on the mend.

As I've said before I'm winding down my farmland bird feeding station for the summer and I am now slowly weening the birds off the food by making less frequent visits and putting less food down. Today I called to probably make one of, or the last visit until autumn and it was noticeable how few birds remained, just a handful of Tit species and just five Tree Sparrows.

Two Yellowhammers were singing from the hedgerows and in the woodland a 'Great Spot' was drumming, male and female Tawny Owls were calling and a Buzzard mewed. It seemed to be all song and calls this morning!

Whilst I was taking the guy ropes for my mist nets off at the feeding station a group of Stock Doves lifted from the stubble's and I was surprised to count 36 of them, which I think from memory is my largest count for the site.

It's a morning of nest box maintenance for me tomorrow making sure my Pied Flycatcher and Tree Sparrow boxes are all ship-shape and replacing any that need replacing. Pied Flycatchers, it won't be long!

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