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Spring 2025

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 After a huge gap in my posts, we arrive in 2025. This spring has been the best ever for birds in the garden. Probably due to the dry hot weather, there are a record number of young tits coming to the feeders. Coal Tits, Blue Tits, Great Tits and Long-tailed Tits - we've got the lot! An occasional visitor is a Nuthatch who loves the peanuts. But best of all, the number of finches is incredible. We are seeing Bull Finches, Green Finches and Gold Finches on a daily basis. And for this year for the first time, Great Spotted Woodpeckers feeding on the peanuts. The Blue Tits had their usual batch of youngsters in the box. I have put up a new box at the bottom of the garden for next year to see if Great Tits or Coal Tits will oblige. ( Bull Finches enjoying the sunflower hearts on offer) ( A young Gold Finch wonders what all the fuss is about ) ( A hungry Green Finch tucks in ) Switching to the night scene, we are still seeing Hedgehogs visiting and also observing bats (probably Pipistre...
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Winter Visitors

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 Winter is well and truly on its way. It is getting really cold now. With no leaves on the trees you get to see more bird activity though. There seems to be more tits than I've seen before in the garden. A mixture of Blue Tits, Coal Tits, Great Tits and Longtail Tits. We try to keep them fed. Along with everything else, you can get quite a show most days. Occasional visitors are Black Caps. This one looks like a young female because the cap is brown rather than black. Beautiful! I've also noticed a Gold Crest popping in and out. I'll see if I can get a snap of it for the next post.
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The Barn Owl

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    During a recent outing to Daisy Bank Camp in Calderdale, I was able to observe these marvelous Barn Owls. I counted at least three across the fields that we could see. The problem was that the Magpies didn't take too kindly to them being there during daylight, so they ganged up on them and tried to drive them away.       They are so majestic in flight.   There are plenty of deer about too. Nice place to visit.  
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Blue Tit Food Run

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              Well the Blue Tits are very busy going in and out of the box with food for their youngsters. Looks like quite a selection of grubs and green insects if you zoom into the photo. I'm guessing about another week or so they will be close to fledging. Last year it was early June before they emerged but I think this clutch is earlier this year.
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Fox or Cat? (Solved)

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 After observing Hedgehogs coming into the garden almost every night, I caught this predator stalking around. I really don't know if its a cat or a fox. We have had foxes on occasion, but not in the garden. On this video, it has obviously got something in its mouth, but its hard to tell what it is. The obvious things would be a Hedgehog, Rat or a Pigeon but I'm not certain. Surely a cat wouldn't tackle a Hedgehog?      I will continue to monitor the garden to see what happens next.   Update    I captured this footage at a later date. This is clearly a large cat that may be the culprit. It has similar markings on its rear flank. On closer inspection of the first video, I think I can make out a wing on the prey, so maybe it was a cat with a bird.
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The Hedgehog Returns

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   After noticing some strange poo on the lawn yesterday afternoon, we decided to put the trap cam out overnight. It seems that this adult (gender unknown) strolls around the lawn at night!     Update  Here are some more Hedgehog clips:        
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Disaster

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    Unfortunately, the young Robin chicks fell foul to predators or the parents rejected them for some reason. It has been known for parent birds to kill their own chicks. If a predator is guilty its highly likely to be Magpies. I decided to put my maker skills to use and try to design a predator-proof Robin box. I came up with this design. With a deeper entry port, it should prevent easy access by would-be assassins. I won't know now until next spring when hopefully the Robins will return. On a happier note, the Blue Tits are busy taking food into the nest box. It won't be long before they are ready to leave the box. Fingers crossed that nothing attacks them as they leave.
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