Thursday 24 May 2012

THE SAD RESULTS OF APRIL WEATHER

Despite the weather turning in to summer after a cold and wet six weeks, it has led to a rather sad ending to my nestbox camera story.

The images below aren't the easiest to view but it reflects what happens in nature every day, month and year.

I had noticed that the great tits were not around very much for the last week or so, despite me recently seeing one of the parents going in to the nestbox with a caterpillar in beak.

After hearing the story of a friend who had watched from their nestbox camera as eight great tit chicks straved to death during April and early May, I resolved to check the nestbox after watching for parental activity over the weekend.

With little or no great tit activity anywhere near the nestbox, I opened it up and found the eight tiny fledglings hadn't made it passed a couple of days old.

The unusually cool and wet weather had obviously led to a lack of relevant food for the chicks and their sad demise. I presume this has happened to many great tit and other small bird families across the UK, which makes me wonder if this breeding season will be a poor one.



In positive news I've noticed a blue tit nest in a tiny crevice in the wall of a small disused building at the back of our house. The crevice is so tight the parents have to literally squeeze out each time they have fed their chicks.

I think they'll fledge in the next week as they're very vocal when the parents bring food.

The robins have not been seen for a while, which makes me think the chicks are all out and the family has gone off to explore the countryside.

Activity has been frantic from the house and tree sparrows, as they spend lots of time in the rose hedge and the garden borders. I'm still unsure where they're nesting, but it must be close.

The blackbirds are still around and this week have been dominating the airwaves, especially at dusk, as the males use prominent spots like telegraph poles to littering the wind with lovely song.

It certainly makes a change from the constant chiffchaff tunes during the day.

Finally an unusual visitor came to the garden this week, a great spotted woodpecker, although he didn't stay around too long. Perhaps he'll be back.

More news this weekend.

Friday 18 May 2012

ARE THE GREAT TIT CHICKS OK?

I'm very concerned for the health of the great tit chicks in my nestbox as I've not really seen or heard the parents in the garden recently.

They have been around, but not as often as in previous years when feeding growing youngsters. I fear a combination of the cool conditions and a lack of food has badly affected the chicks.

I've heard of a friend's nestbox with great tits in that all eight chicks died, mainly as a result of lack of food. This meant the parents were then bringing in the wrong type of food and the chicks starving.

I'm sure all types of wildlife have been bewildered by the weather in April and May, especially after the lovely sunny and warm conditions in March.

There does seem to be a hint of better conditions next week, but is this too late to save the inevitable population crash of many smalls birds and of course other birds that rely on naive fledglings to feed their own hungry youngsters.

Only time will tell, but I'll be checking my nestbox this weekend and hoping for some good news.

In light of the cold weather I've put peanuts out again and fat snacks, but only until it warms up, then the mealworms will be back on the menu.

Perhaps I should have bought mealworms earlier, but it would have been quite expensive to provide all the birds with enough over the recent weeks.

Today I had the canny magpies and crows visiting, after they spotted I'd left an opened back of peanuts in the garden.

The crows were dominant, but even they were scared of the tub holding the fat snacks which the peanuts were on. It was very amusing watching them dart to get the peanuts, but close their eyes in panic at being near the tub.

In positive news I did see a robin chick in the garden this week, although only one and I've not seen it since.

The swallows are still about, but I think they've delayed nesting until enough flying insects are about to feed their youngsters.

This weekend could be pivotal to how wildlife is able to bring new life in to this world and survive.

Let's hope the weather is helpful and gives them all a chance.

Thursday 10 May 2012

HOUSE MARTINS IN FULL SONG

After the arrival of the swallows, this week I've noticed a number of house martins (the birds not the band) patrolling the skies above my house.

They shared the air with the swallows, which appear to be coping with the cooler and wetter weather.

It's been unusual weather recently but the flora is benefiting massively as the garden grass, plants, bushes and small trees are growing fast.

I'm hoping to put in an order for mealworms soon, but news last night is making me rethink that.

I noticed one of the great tits with a caterpillar in its beak and watched as it entered the nestbox with the camera, that doesn't work.

It appears there are chicks in the nest, albeit small as I couldn't here them. Perhaps the wet weather of April will help the great tits have two broods, although very unlikely.

So tonight I'll be making an order for those mealworms and stop filling up the seed and peanut feeders.

I hope to get images this weekend and will try a few more tricks to get the camera working again.

All other wildlife is still about, although one thing I've noticed is the amount of solitary magpies about, which isn't good news for the superstitious among us - me included.

I suspect this is because the females are on eggs in nearby nests.

Sunday 6 May 2012

MAY BRINGS WINTER CONDITIONS

The temperatures in May are actually lower than last Christmas, which must be a shock for the summer visitors.

April usually brings showers, but it was more like heavy rain. In fact the wettest April for many areas of the UK.

The rain is welcome for most, though it was just a bit too relentless for some wildlife as they appeared to slow up on the breeding process.

I noticed the great tits were still coming in and around the nestbox, but they don't appear to be on eggs or ready to lay. That said until the nestbox camera is working again I can't be 100 per cent sure.

There are a few night visitors to the windows at night when it's dark and the light are on inside. Moths and daddy long legs have been seen recently, but the cool weather means only a few each night.

Yesterday I saw something I didn't think I'd see, especially in the summer. A family group of long tailed tits was chattering amongst the trees, which shows that food supplies must be low.

The group is usually seen in winter, but because the mild weather meant food supplies for most birds lasted through most of the season, I only saw the group a few times.

If this weather keeps up I expect to see them again, which is wonderful as they fly among the trees chattering away to each other.

The robins, blackbirds, tree sparrows, house sparrows and dunnocks are still regulars in the garden, with the blackbirds enjoying tugging worms out of the wet soil.

I've now filled in the pond with grass from lawn cuttings, so hopefully soon will completely fill it with soil and add some rockery plants.

The tree and house sparrows are showing interest in one of the nestboxes, though other areas of the local houses and buildings seem to be preferred at present.

Finally the swallows are creating wonderful songs from their perches on the telephone wires. I saw three this week, two of which must be the returning parents.

I'm now watching out for them entering the buildings behind the house and for the beginning of nest building.