AN EARLY SPRING?

Just as winter was gripping the country, with snow and plunging temperatures, then suddenly spring has sprung into life.

The trees are in blossom, snowdrops are brightening the flowerbeds, while crocuses, daffodils and tulips are all emerging.

Indeed, the mild weather has meant the dawn chorus has an extra melody or two added to it, with the local robins being very vocal at first light.

I’ve not checked the nest box cameras recently, but perhaps this weekend will give me chance to have a look – albeit making sure any inquisitive birds aren’t put off from nesting.

The pond will also get a makeover this weekend, with a few oxygenating plants helping create a viable home for many insects and amphibians, along with a water supply for birds.

However, the amphibians are seemingly already attracted by the recovered water feature, although the frog that hopped in the house this week was slightly off course.

A helping hand was required to point it in the right direction, although time will tell if the pond is an acceptable location for the next generation.

The weather forecast looks like it’ll remain very spring-like in the coming days, so perhaps winter has finished.

But, with thick snow laying on the ground in many places last year in March, anyone who thinks we’ve said goodbye to frosts, cold and snow, might be in for a shock.

SPRING IS READY TO GO, BUT HAS WINTER GOT A FINAL BITE?

Now that the second batch of bitterly cold Siberian weather this winter has relented, the wildlife has literally sprung into life.

I think we can technically say we’re in spring, even if the weather isn’t playing ball.

The blossom is blooming, the spring flowers are adding colour to the garden, and the birds are full of song.

There appears to be at least two robin territories close by, one which includes the garden.

A pair of blue tits are still making their interest in the original camera nest box known, while other birds seen regularly in pairs are great tit, robin, blackbird, dunnock, house sparrow and goldfinch.

Now that the snowdrops have gone for another year and the crocuses are giving their final fling, the daffodils have taken over.

Apart from the blossom, many bushes and small trees are showing signs of the cold winter, looking quite forlorn and not showing any interest in the spring sunshine – albeit it the sunshine isn’t too warm yet.

The honeysuckle and pyracantha are the worst looking, so it’ll be interesting to see how they fare when spring warmth final makes an appearance.

However, before any warmth it looks like winter will make another appearance over Easter, which makes me wonder just how the wildlife will react, particularly if any of the birds have laid any eggs.

SPRING SUNSHINE INCREASES BUILD WORK FOR THE HOUSE SPARROWS

Following another cold spell of winter weather, spring is certainly starting to stamp its presence and the flora and fauna are taking advantage.

The flower beds are becoming awash with colour from daffodils, snowdrops, crocuses and tulips.

This image may not do just to the previous sentence, so I’ll be taking more in the coming weeks as the number of flowers blooming starts to increase. The first one is from January.

 

 

The fruit tree has been the fastest reactor to the warmer weather in the last few days, with the branches now adorned with pinky white blossom. It looks like someone has dipped the tree in glue and then stuck thousands of pieces of cotton wool to it.

Of course the fauna is also making the most of spring appearing, with the female house sparrow having a few days rest from the aggressive male, to build up the nest – see below.

 

I’ve not seen the male inside the nest for a few days, so perhaps he’s been issued with the sparrow equivalent of an ASBO.

The robins and blackbirds are not frequenting the garden as much, certainly only the male blackbird is visible, while I can only assume that the lone robin is also the male.

While I think it’s too early to talk about eggs being laid, it wouldn’t surprise me. The only problem is finding the nest!

I’ll try to check out previous nest sites in the next couple of weeks and relay any positive news on here.

Until then I’ll be keeping a close eye on both nest box cameras and also movement in the garden. 
 

DOES DOMESTIC VIOLENCE EXIST IN HOUSE SPARROWS?

The spring bulbs are finally starting to show en masse , with snowdrops, crocuses and daffodils about to burst in to bloom when the weather warms up just a couple more degrees.

Of course this week has seen winter hold back spring a little, with this weekend potentially providing some snow again; though mainly for mountains.

Perhaps next week I’ll have images of the bulbs bursting through in colour.

One thing that has been proving very interesting is the behaviour of the make house sparrow. He has been regularly seen in the nest box during the day and when he is in there with the female, has been carrying out acts of ‘domestic violence’.

The female has been fighting back a little bit, but has taken some hefty pecks to the head and body. I’m wondering if this is normal behaviour in courting house sparrows, or is the make trying to usurp the female from the nest box, but doesn’t have a female to mate with yet?

 

 

 

 

 

The nest itself has been coming along slowly, as the images below show. They are of a ten day period up to the 17^th February.

I’m definitely seeing more birds in pairs now and there’s plenty of bird song about during the day.

It won’t be long before spring is fully underway, but I suspect that the wildlife will anticipate it before the weather presenters. The house sparrows will probably be a good indicator, because when nest building quickens up, it’ll be a sure sign that temperatures and sunshine hours will increase very soon.

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

SPRING WARMTH SLOWLY GOING

Disappointing week as the blue tit nest box camera has stopped working and I think the problem will mean no pictures to see how the nesting goes this breeding season.

Unfortunately the problem could easily have been avoided had it not been for a very clumsy meter reader, who didn’t close the external reading door properly and left it to bang open against the outside wall and the power wire to the camera.

I’ve not fully checked it out but I can’t change the cable as it’ll mean accessing the nest box and therefore disturbing the birds.

Talking of which I did manage to get a glimpse of the birds occupying the nest box – it was a bit of a shock as there were two birds in there and neither was a blue tit or great tit.

In fact it is a pair of house sparrows that were starting to build a nest, which is unusual considering they normally nest in groups and they seemingly haven’t touched the other camera nest box – although I think this is down to the camera being too obtrusive.

I will be checking to see it the cable can be fixed, but I don’t hold out much hope. In the meantime here's the images I have of how it went over the last ten days, until the 'cut off' point.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Plenty of daffodils are now showing and along with the snowdrops, tulips and crocuses are making the garden fill with colour.

The vegetable and plant growing has started well, with broad bean, marigold and sunflowers all showing in the seeding pots.

I’ll be starting to transport them in to the greenhouse in early April and next weekend plant more outside vegetable – potatoes, carrots and parsnips.

On all counts I’ll be keeping my fingers crossed for warmer weather!