What a difference a week makes, all the resident birds are sitting on eggs. The
40 year old nest box on the wall of the house is occupied again this
year by a pair of Blue Tits. It is not used every year as the birds
seem to like to give a site a rest in some years and then use it again.
Before nesting time I always clear any old stuff that was left over
winter so they can start afresh. They certainly know how to make a
beautiful cozy warm soft nest with what they find.
All the migrants have arrived together this week, Warblers, Pipits, House Martins, Sand Martins, Swallows, Blackcaps and of course the loud and persistent ChiffChaffs.
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| Blackcap |
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| Swallow |
The tree foliage is beginning to flourish and the window of opportunity for seeing most of these small birds is rapidly closing until we will only be aware of them by their individual song. Many small birds look like little strippy browny greeny jobs but their song is distinctive to themselves and can be the only way to identify them.
I was fortunate to be visiting a reclaimed peat bog last week in Lancashire and was witness to an amazing display of male Skylarks, rising and falling in song, displaying to several females on the ground. They slowly rise up on a thermal in a spiral motion almost out of sight, singing as they go, then suddenly drop like a stone, recovering just in time before they hit the ground. (Unfortunetly no photos of a skylark as they move too fast.)
It is also the time for Bluebell carpets and Cherry Tree parasols. May is a wonderful month when all is fresh, new and vibrant.
Our friendly fox has been out and about in the day time again.
Wildflowers to look out for : Herb Robert, Cow Parsley, Cowslip, Oxslip, Speedwell, Forget-me-Not and of course Bluebell.
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| Haìry Bittercress |
All the birds large and small are starting to become a little more aggressive and territorial in their behaviour. With a garden full of food, we are worth fighting for. It helps the food is dispersed around the garden, so more can get a look in than otherwise would.
Old nests are usually not used again because of fleas but they can be raided for useful material. Species who mate for life are the ones who start fixing up nests first eg. Jackdaws. They are very devoted couples even though most Jackdaws go around in large groups. Whilst the trees and hedges are so bare it is possible to see old nests and amaze at the complexity and effectiveness of the structures large and small.
The dog fox has been back using the garage again. We captured a night picture of him on the mammal camera but he was so close it was bleached out. There must be a way of reducing the intensity of the infra flash to catch him so close.
Nature is a little confused with the unseasonably mild, warm, wet weather. Some plants left over from last year such as Yellow Rattle and Cow Parsley are mixing with this years very early growth of Primrose, Cowslip and Snowdrop. Self pollinating early flowering wildflowers such as Common Chickweed and Shepherds Purse are finding strangers in the bed.
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| Woodland Cyclamen |
Although we can have an awful lot of rain and wind on the Wirral we are so fortunate that it has somewhere to go, sandwiched as we are between the two estuaries the Dee and the Mersey. It is a balmy sunny 15C today, warmer than many a summer day. Bulbs are popping the ground and buds are bursting along the twigs in the trees. Daffodils, Rosemary, Primula, Primrose and Roses are all blossoming together in this strange winter-spring hinterland.
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| Snowberries |
The wind has taken its toll on many trees, pruning and felling in equal measure, as this one at Puddydale in Heswall.
Whilst taking a much needed walk on one of the sunny balmy days after Christmas I observed up to a 1000 seagulls flocking over a couple of fields around Landican. If I did not know dreadful weather was on the way in the form of Storm Frank, it would have been very foolish to ignore the signs today. Even so the robins, wrens and blue tits were singing territorial songs in full throttle.
Last night our dog fox was back using the acoustics in the garage again to call for a mate. I have been putting the odd fat ball out for him, but one of the battling bros squirrels have made it a personal challenge to make sure no one gets to it. I keep finding it perched at the top of the Crab apple tree, now driving the jackdaws demented as they cannot reach it.
