A WHIFF OF AUTUMN IS IN THE AIR

As the first wafts of an autumnal scent started to drift around the garden, so the signs of the third season of the year became more apparent. 

In the airs above the garden I’ve seen large numbers of swallows, almost entirely youngsters with their shorter forked tails, chattering away as they chase food. 

They seem effortless in the way they dance across the sky and all the time accompanied by one of my favourite sounds of nature, swallows nattering to each other. 

Given the weather next week is looking quite settled and mild, I expect a few swallows to be still showing their aerobatic skills for a little longer, although it’ll once again be a sad day when they finally depart for another seven months away. 

While there have been some reports of swallows staying in the UK throughout winter, I don’t expect them to stick around here. Perhaps the warmer southern counties near to coast are the best chance, if indeed any do decide to stay. 

The hedgehog(s) haven’t been seen for a few days in the garden, although one of the neighbours is still seeing them more regularly. 

I’ll put more dog food out now, in addition to the water bowl, to help them/it fatten up for winter. Finding out where it calls home might be beyond me at the moment. 

In the garden, just like in the wheat fields around the house, that harvesting has been in full swing. 

All the broad beans have been collected and one or two tomatoes too; but once again they have been poor again this year. 

So indeed, have the sunflowers with only one making it to show its sunny self, and even that one is not fully open yet! 

Finally, another new nest in the garden, taking the total this year to five, in addition to the robin ivy next, goldfinch bush nest, great tit nestbox nest and woodpigeon tree nest. 

While the bird remains anonymous, I suspect the layout of the next suggests a robin. 

The video would show why I think it’s a robin, because the entrance is rather open, after I created it following the demise of the first two robin broods. 

It’s not the robin family that successfully fledged a brood from the ivy because they definitely nested again in there, but it’s perhaps the robins that are now trying to stake a claim to the garden against the ivy family. 

This could be one to watch over autumn and winter.

ARE THERE EGGS IN NESTS?

Following the unusually warm Easter Bank Holiday, we’re now experiencing some proper April weather.

Heavy rain and even hail, along with lightning and thunder, has helped to fill the pond back up, and provide some much-needed water to the flora.

There isn’t much life in the pond at the moment, and what life there is, is very small.

However, it will probably be next year, when a full year in the life cycle of the water feature will have concluded, that we’ll see bigger users and habitants.

Life around the birds has quietened down a little bit recently, although the numbers of house sparrows has increased, while both a male and female blackbird have spent time feeding around the lawn and borders.

The great tits have been around, but have been much quieter, while the wet weather has brought in the robins to feed in the garden.

I’m still putting out fat snacks and peanuts, but this will only last until the warmer weather starts properly in May.

That’s when I’ll get in the mealworms, and I’m sure it’ll coincide with the emergence of many chicks in the garden and surrounding area.

I’m going to check the nest built in the fruit tree this weekend, as I suspect a pair of woodpigeons have been paying close attention to it – perhaps it was one they abandoned last year but will come back when the tree has more foliage.

I’ve not seen much of the swallows, although I did hear them quite a bit before the wet weather really took hold.

They’ll probably welcome the rain so they can make the mud to construct their nest(s), and they sometimes use the puddles near the house, so I’ll be keeping an eye on them.

CAN SOMEONE CALL SPRING, SHE'S LATE!

The snow and winter has unleashed its worst weather so far this season and it’s meant to be spring!

This time last year it was 17/18c and lovely spring sunshine, but this year there’s up to a foot of snow and a bitterly cold easterly wind.

The birds look in shock when I see them in the garden and the forecasts suggest that even Easter won’t escape winter’s unwelcome extension.

Luckily in our garden we have shelter from the east winds and the birds have made the most of the area of lawn and border that hasn’t seen a single flake of snow. On the other side is drifting snow!

It’s been so cold that a lack of traditional spring food supplies has driven a great spotted woodpecker onto the fat ball feeder on my garden and literally 10ft from the house. I couldn’t find my camera quickly enough and before long it had taken flight, although I suspect it won’t be long before I see it again.

The regular supplies of food I give the birds are very welcome for them at the moment and I’ve seen plenty this week. Blackbird, chaffinch, house sparrow, blue tit, robin, great tit, long tailed tit, tree sparrow, goldfinch, woodpigeon, magpie, wren, dunnock and even a pheasant.

The camera nest box still isn’t working and I’m going to leave it for this year as a pair of great tits and blue tits have been inspecting it and even clashing over the rights to nest there.

I suspect that this battle will continue, but it’ll be the ‘who is roosting first’ challenge for the next week or so.

I think the pair of robins are using a nest site that they’ve used before, among the tree roots and vegetation that grows from the brook near our garden. They won’t use the nest box I’ve got up again this year because the honeysuckle plant hasn’t covered it up enough.

Finally I’ve not seen one bird inspect the sparrow nest box and while this weather persists I suspect they’ll only do so at dusk if a current roost site it disturbed.

Hopefully the weather will start to act like spring from Easter onwards and the wildlife can start acting accordingly – until then keep feeding them and always making sure a water supply is available.

SPRING SUNSHINE LIGHTS UP MARCH

The glow of spring sunshine is becoming a frequent image when I look out of the car, house or office.

The warmth isn't quite there yet, although in sheltered spots with little wind you can get an idea of what it'll be like in a few weeks. The daffodils are loving it though

But the blossom on some of the trees is a beautiful light pink colour, reflected brilliantly be the low sun.

Birds are obviously getting excited about the arrival of spring, with the dawn chorus a cacophony of sounds claiming territories and demonstrations of masculinity by many of our male feathered friends.

My excitement levels have reached unprecedented levels this week, not because of the sunshine or dawn chorus tunes, but by the emergence of a new TV star in my house!

Two weeks ago I fitted the nestbox, that has been used every year since I put it up, with a tiny camera that feeds live images 24-7 into a channel on my TV.

With four nestboxes I've trusted that the one I've chosen will be used again this year and provide some great shots of a family of great or blue tits growing up.

It still needs adjustment to the focus and wiring route, but it works and, it's what I've waited patiently for since 2007.

I checked it every night for five days, then left it over a weekend. On Sunday night I sneaked a view while Sarah wasn't looking and mush to my amazement, a bird was snuggled up in there!

In the last week I've checked every night and the same looking bird has spent the night in the box, only once giving me a clue to its identity. I think it's a great tit, but will confirm soon.

I want to leave it and get it settled so it knows the nestbox is a safe place to bring up a family, then one day soon it might start building a nest.

In other news the dunnocks are busy flirting with their fluttery wings, while the robins seem to have established which parts of the area they'll be 'owning' this year, after seemingly sharing some parts during the cold, ice and snowy conditions.

The blue tits, blackbirds, chaffinches, goldfinches, tree sparrows, long tailed tits and wrens are all in our garden daily, with frequent visits from a great spotted woodpecker, jays, woodpigeons and the resident cock pheasant.

This weekend I'm making final checks on my nestboxes before keeping my fingers crossed at least three of the four are used.

The pond will also be given a makeover, to help any returning frogs to spawn.

EXCITING UPDATE

With the snow and cold weather still affecting my tits and all the other birds that visit my garden, I'll be introducing a new way of monitoring activity in my nestboxes.

My partner, Sarah, bought my a wireless camera for Christmas, which means if one of my nestboxes is used this year, I'll have a separate TV channel to view their activity and any chicks they have.

This weekend I'll be fixing the camera up so stay tuned for the first pictures - if I can make it work!

In the meantime my feathered friends are busily eating through my supplies of fat balls, suet snacks, supreme bird seed and peanuts.

Among the visitors to my garden are blue tit, great tit, blackbird, robin, great spotted woodpecker, jay, dunnock, long tailed tit, chaffinch, woodpigeon, starling, wren and tree sparrow.

GARDEN IS ALIVE WITH CHICKS

The spring heat is finally bringing the garden into full bloom. The fruit and veg seeds are showing signs of growing and the various chicks in and around the garden are gradually leaving their nests.

The robin chicks fledged about a month ago now, but the great tits are due to fledge any day now. I can hear them from inside the house now, every time they are fed.

The blackbird family are in a bush next door and the recent wet weather has helped the parents pick up mouthfuls of worms for the chicks to gorge on.

After being usurped by the great tits after two years in the birds' 'favourite' nestbox in my garden, the blue tits have taken up residence in my other next door neighbours' house. They nested in a hole vacated by the removal of a drainage pipe from the bathroom.

It's a brilliant place to nest and I think they'll be back there next year. Luckily both my neighbours are good with wildlife and like the birds being around.

Yesterday while out my bike on Frodsham Marshes I heard the first cuckoo of the year and also saw the fantastic aerobatic skills of a hobby as it swooped, glided and move like a jet fighter during combat over the fields, tress and banks.

As I live on the edge of the marsh it's great to know these two rare birds are living near me. As I put my bike in the garage a sparrowhawk swooped low over me, obviously hoping to catch a small bird by surprise in the nearby fields.

This morning one of the local goldfinch parents brought a youngster to feed in my garden. It was a brief visit but another reason to love where I live.

The tree sparrows are a constant visitor along with the woodpigeons who are nesting in a tree opposite my house.

Our resident cock pheasant is also heard at least once a day and has regularly been seen with at least one female.

With greenfinches, dunnocks and pied wagtails among the other birds seen daily, the dawn chorus is a wonderful alarm call every day.

The tadpoles are growing bigger in my little pond. I've left them alone but will be taking a closer look in the next couple of weeks to see if any are growing legs.

Finally my partner Sarah has organised the window boxes and hanging baskets along with bulb planting in on of the borders. With the honeysuckle flowering the garden is looking lovely.

Pics will be up shortly.

PONDLIFE

What a wonderful weekend of spring weather we've just had. Warm and sunny, just like spring should be on Saturdays and Sundays.

The birds in and around my garden are now in full voice and it was lovely to be woken by them this morning rather than the usual alarm.

While I wait for the first song of my favourite bird the swallow, I love listening to the huge variety of birds including robin, blackbird, blue tit, great tit, dunnock and tree sparrow.

The pheasant is also now becoming a daily singer along with the now seemingly resident chiffchaff, while the greater-spotted woodpecker is making a daily appearance after taking a fancy to the big fat snack on the bird table.

I noticed from the comfort of my bed early this morning a woodpigeon picking dead twigs from the outbuildings next door. It's nest must be very near as it was back very quickly for more.

The activity around the nestboxes has seemingly faded, although this could be due to me giving the birds space and peace to get the breeding process going.

I've started to introduce mealworms to the feeding system as I fade out the usual peanuts and fat snacks.

The biggest development is the pond as I watch the tadpoles hatch and now swim amongst the vegetation. I'm hoping they grow quickly and emerge as froglets soon.

The pond and rockery has been left undisturbed since it was rejuvenated last summer and I'm very pleased at how it now looks.

The blossom of the greengage tree is also an awesome sight, especially as it overlooks the pond and rockery.

I hope next time I update this blog they'll be some positive news on the nestboxes.

You can see the main tit box on the wall but the robin one is on the right of the picture halfway up.

A NEW SEASON

After the excitement of last year, I'm really looking forward to a new season of Blue Tit Watch.

I've been feeding the birds with seed, fatty snacks, peanuts and most importantly water during the extremely cold winter and have found some wonderful surprises.

A flock of goldfinches and tree sparrows are using one of the trees to roost and one evening I watched them mob a sparrowhawk that was resting on a branch.

The following list of birds has taken advantage of my food supply with a few surprises:

Blue tit, great tit, long-tailed tit, tree sparrow, chaffinch, blackbird, dunnock, robin, great-spotted woodpecker, pheasant, goldfinch, song thrush, starling, woodpigeon, jay and magpie.

I've noticed recently the blue tits taking an interest in the next box used for the last two years, although they now have a choice of four next boxes spread around the garden in different locations.

This blog will gradually deliver daily updates as the cold winter is replaced by the warming glow and scents only spring can offer.

LATEST NEWS

May 7th

After a spell of warmer weather the paired blue tits were seen mating outside the bird box on a number of occasions.

Since then the birds have turned from a pair to one, presumably the male, who's been singing warning songs everytime I've been in the garden.

The obvious conclusion would be the female sitting on eggs in the nestbox and the male keeping her up-to-date with what's happening outside.

In the last couple of days the male has been seen taking mealworms (supplied by me) into the nextbox without the usual sound of chicks begging for food.

I'm keeping my fingers crossed the female is on eggs and hopefully will hear the sounds of chicks in the next couple of weeks.

Which is a positive of the holiday to Mexico (due to be taken on Saturday) has been cancelled. Fingers crossed all this will lead to me seeing the chicks fledge.

The recent weather hasn't been exactly May-like (my greenhouse has fallen in the winds) but a new batch of mealworms has arrived and I'm ready to help feed any chicks.

Talking of chicks it seems with the variety of birds arriving and taking away beakfuls of mealworms that a number of chicks are in the surrounding buildings and countryside.

Pairs of robins, blackbirds and great tits and indulged in the feast, with goldfinches, tree sparrows and dunnocks utilising either the worm handout or peanuts.

With the odd visit from woodpigeons, house sparrows, chaffinches, pied wagtails, magpies, a greater-spotted woodpecker, wrens and a pair of song thrushes, the garden is full of life.

The usual swallows are performing aerobatic sorties catching flying insects and nesting again in the small barns behind the house, while long-tailed tits have lengthened the time between their family visits.