Hello, I am sorry I have not blogged for a while, but been busy with caring for my mum who has been quite poorly, so not been out and about.
Sunday 15th March 2015
Last weekend I managed to get up the Orme, so saw Shag, Fulmars, Chough, Stonechats and Turnstones around the pier. On the way home, went through Llanrust and saw a stunning male Goosander alongside Mallards and two Mute Swans. A bit further upriver a lovely Dipper was bobbing on the rocks.
Friday 20th March 2015
Anyway onto today, got up excited at the prospect of the eclipse and filled the feeders and scattered some sunflower hearts and seeds and put suet pellets on birdtable for Mr Woodpecker and the Nuthatch. A cuppa had brewed so I watched the usual visitors enjoying the spoils, Coal tit, Great tit, Blue tit, Long tailed tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Nuthatch, Woodpecker (male & female) GSW, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock. Just then I clocked a treecreeper which has become a regular visitor climbing up an old tree at the back of the garden. A Chaffinch was singing loudly nearby and then I saw it!!
At the bottom of the bird table in amongst the seed and leaf litter was a stunning male Brambling. I had to grab my bins for a better look and managed to get some video footage on my samsung galaxy (sorry not very good quality, but good enough for ID). This winter I have had no Siskin, but had one Lesser Redpoll last March, presumable going through on passage? This Brambling is a first in my garden in 15 years of living here, so to say I am chuffed is an understatement.
Brambling footage below link :-
Brambling in Rivacre Valley
The bird fed happily for about 1/h of an hour until a couple of Jays arrived and startled the smaller birds on the ground. Despite looking for an hour or so later, failed to relocate. Has anybody else had these delightful birds in the garden? Be great to know
Sunday 15th March 2015
Last weekend I managed to get up the Orme, so saw Shag, Fulmars, Chough, Stonechats and Turnstones around the pier. On the way home, went through Llanrust and saw a stunning male Goosander alongside Mallards and two Mute Swans. A bit further upriver a lovely Dipper was bobbing on the rocks.
The views of the River and rapids in Betws y coed was simply stunning on a warm spring day.
In Betws y coed had great views of Buzzards and the odd Red Kite above the hilltop conifers :) On the way back just before we came across the Denbigh Moors had another close up view of a Red Kite. Magic.
Friday 20th March 2015
Anyway onto today, got up excited at the prospect of the eclipse and filled the feeders and scattered some sunflower hearts and seeds and put suet pellets on birdtable for Mr Woodpecker and the Nuthatch. A cuppa had brewed so I watched the usual visitors enjoying the spoils, Coal tit, Great tit, Blue tit, Long tailed tit, Goldfinch, Greenfinch, Nuthatch, Woodpecker (male & female) GSW, Stock Doves, Collared Doves, Wood pigeon, Blackbird, Robin, Dunnock. Just then I clocked a treecreeper which has become a regular visitor climbing up an old tree at the back of the garden. A Chaffinch was singing loudly nearby and then I saw it!!
At the bottom of the bird table in amongst the seed and leaf litter was a stunning male Brambling. I had to grab my bins for a better look and managed to get some video footage on my samsung galaxy (sorry not very good quality, but good enough for ID). This winter I have had no Siskin, but had one Lesser Redpoll last March, presumable going through on passage? This Brambling is a first in my garden in 15 years of living here, so to say I am chuffed is an understatement.
Brambling footage below link :-
Brambling in Rivacre Valley
The bird fed happily for about 1/h of an hour until a couple of Jays arrived and startled the smaller birds on the ground. Despite looking for an hour or so later, failed to relocate. Has anybody else had these delightful birds in the garden? Be great to know
I live close by to Rivacre and I've never had a Brambling in my garden. I've only lived here a couple of years, but my highlights are a couple of Lesser Redpoll at about this time last year, a Lesser Whitethroat later in the year, and a nice male Redstart which stopped for a second or two.
ReplyDeleteI had Lesser Redpoll last March. Never had a Common or Lesser Whitethroat nor a Redstart. Was lucky enough to have Spotted Flycatcher last year though :) Do you bird locally?
DeleteMy wife and I had twins just before Christmas, so I'm not getting out as much as I like to, although we still regularly walk them around Rivacre. Now they're getting a little bigger and more robust I'm hoping to get out and about again more often. I've been to Frodsham Marsh and Leasowe quite a few times, but there's plenty of other places I've not yet been.
ReplyDelete