Sunday 25 January 2015

THE NESTBOX CAMERA IS BACK - WITH EXCITING NEWS

The cold weather looks like abating after this weekend, with milder conditions set to take hold.

It’s good news for the wildlife that has survived the cold snap, but I’m sure there’ll be a few more before winter it out.

Before I get on to the big news from my garden, the signs of spring are certainly showing with numerous bulbs showing.

I’ll use images to showcase the change in one area of the garden’s flowerbed, to see which bulbs come up first and how quickly they do so.

OK, the nestbox camera that was cut off just as the first nest was being built last year, IS BACK.

I fitted a new cable this week and already there has been some action. When I inspected the nestbox last week it had bird droppings in it, so I knew some roosting had been occurring.

When the camera went live a female house sparrow roosted in for the night and today, just two days after it went live again, it started nest building with a male house sparrow.

 
 
 
I also noticed that a pair of tree sparrows is now paying close attention to one of the three boxes in the sparrow nestbox, but nothing has gone into the one with the camera in it.

 
There appears to have been something occurring inside the nestbox during the winter, but I’m not confident that a nest will appear.

Perhaps we’ll have a nearly completed nest by next week, which will be much earlier than last year.

Finally, today I took part in the RSPB’s Big Garden Birdwatch. Nothing too unusual although the female great spotted woodpecker did put in an appearance.
 

Sunday 18 January 2015

WINTER IS IN FULL SWING, BUT SIGNS OF SPRING ARE ALL AROUND

Before I go on to the changes in the garden from August to October, there’s been some turbulent weather recently, with storms bringing mild and very cold weather within days of each other.

I’ve certainly noticed changes in the garden with larger flocks of the smaller birds spending more time in the garden, while I have now chartered three robin territories on either side of the house, including the favourite singing posts.

The colder weather has certainly brought about a change in the natural food supplies for small birds and it’s even meant the female great spotted woodpecker is now a daily, if skittish, visitor.

I’m trying to get the broken camera working again as I’ve spotted that birds are now using it to roost in, not sure which ones, but the camera should be up and running again next week so watch this space.

Finally, before the pictures, I’ve noticed a number of bulbs popping up around the garden. Can’t say which ones yet, but tulips, crocuses, daffodils and snowdrops have all been planted, and by the size of the protrusions from the ground, I’d say a mixture of all four are coming through.

Anyway here are the pictures of how the garden transformed in October and November, but to give context for the first October image, I’ve included the last one I was able to take before I was taken ‘elsewhere’ for nearly two months. The last one is from the end of August. You can see just how well the triple sparrow nextbox is camouflaged.


October


 


November





Friday 9 January 2015

HOW SUMMER CHANGED THE GARDEN

So here’s how the garden looked in the summer months of July and August.

The tree and house sparrows continued to fledge broods and the full effect of the summer sun in July and the rain in August can clearly be seen.

Next week I’ll look at October and November, with a seven week gap between the last one of August and first one in October – due to a stay in hospital.

In other news the female great spotted woodpecker has been seen feeding on the fat snack in the garden on most days, while a few female chaffinches have been seen around the garden.

On the lane there’s already been construction started on a number of nests, so I’ll mark where they are and monitor progress as the leaves return and bring camouflage.

Finally a number of bulbs are starting to sprout, so I’ll get some pics and bring news on here later this month.

July



 
 

 


August

  



 

Sunday 4 January 2015

A RELFECTION OF CHANGES IN THE GARDEN DURING 2014

In August I started to share images of how the garden changed during the months of the year, but only got as far as March and April due to a sudden serious illness.

It’s probably a little late but here’s how the garden changed during May and June. You’ll see a significant change in May.

In June I trimmed the climbing plant as it was pulling at the guttering, but made sure that it didn't affect the birds nesting.

In these three months there were two broods hatched and fledged from the two nest boxes you can see.
 
The single one on the right had house sparrows in, while the nest box on the left had tree sparrows nesting in the segment on the left.
 
May 
 






June