Bough Beech Winter Birds

Brambling

Brambling & Nuthatch

Goosanders

Here are some pics of birds seen at Bough Beech the other week. Both Goosanders and Bramblings are classic winter visitors that will be leaving us soon for their breeding grounds in northern Europe. It's been a good winter for Bramblings down at the Bough Beech feeders with 30+ seen almost daily.

Two Kestrels seen on the way home from work today, both hunting over the A21 in classic hovering pose.

Egg Fest

A couple of pics of the kids and their Easter eggs, although its almost certain that now its a few days after Easter they would have little if anything to show you now.

Today, a couple of Red-legged Partridges were seen in fields on the way to work and 3 Ring-necked Parakeets in Wimbledon Park.

Snow Fight

Yesterday, the motordrive was put through its paces when Jaz picked a fight with a local spotty cat in the snow. The middle picture actually caught them in mid air, blended together as one mass of hissing, spitting fur. Amazing! They both seemed to walk away unscathed, but there were quite a few tufts of fur left blowing around on the patio.

Great-spotted Woodpecker and Kestrel seen on the way to work.

Easter Snow

This is all the snow we had - and it didn't settle

Despite the snow flurries and cold temperatures over the Easter break I managed to get some fences up.

Blackbird seen nest building in a ivy covered tree on the railway embankment and Chiffchaff was heard.

Pets at Easter

Purrgeot

Jaz

Not to be left out, here are the cats - up to mischief as usual.

Family at Easter

Here we all are on the Easter weekend trying out my new camera - a Canon EOS 400D

Kestrels

Two Kestrels seen on the way back from work last night - one on a lamp post over the dual carriageway of the Purley Way where there wasn't a green patch in site.

Also a couple of sightings of Crows carrying twigs for nesting. It seems the longer days are more of a trigger to nest than the temperature.

Cold Bough Beech

Bitter cold winds but bright sunshine greeted me at Bough Beech Reservoir this morning.
The feeders in the Orchard were still attracting 30+ Brambling amongst the usual tits and finches as well as one Nuthatch and 4 Pheasants.
Meanwhile out on the reservoir itself I was pleased to see 3 Goosanders sheltering against the bushes out of the wind. Also present were Wigeon, Gadwall, Shoveler whilst Fieldfare, Reed Bunting and a singing Chiffchaff were all heard.

Coot & Swans

A couple of shots of the debris at the lake's edge in Wimbledon Park, the other day, with Swans and Coots sitting out the gales.

Jay

Jay seen on the way to work, flapping lazily across the road. First one I've seen for over a month.

Still waiting for my new camera to be delivered.

Spring Visitor

Mild warm weather in the garden on Saturday turned up our first Chiffchaff for the Spring. It was seen on several occasions and sang for most of the day. The first bees were feeding on the Viburnham and 4+ Harlequin Ladybirds were seen.

Two fence panels were replaced, just 3 more to go and then I'll be back to square one after the recent gales.

Raptors

Two Kestrels seen in roadside bushes this morning on the way to work and a Sparrowhawk flew over the road in Tun Wells heading into some roadside woodland.

The foxes were fairly vocal last night - lots of squeals and grunts.

Wimbledon Wind

A blow around Wimbledon Park, dodging the flying debris, turned up 2 Lesser-black Backed Gulls, 4 Great-crested Grebes with the usual Cormorants and Tufted Ducks on the Lake. Meanwhile a pair of Egyptian Geese fed on the main golf course and another pair roosted on the crazy golf. On the playing fields some of the Black-headed Gulls had got there summer hoods and there was also 2 Common Gulls present.

In the wood, sheltered from the wind, there was lots of bird activity and snatches of song from Robins and Dunnocks but the highlight was a Great-spotted Woodpecker that showed well on a bare branch.

Garden Flowers

The Hellebores are starting to look good and bulbs are coming up everywhere - once we get through this stormy week the garden is going to look bloomin' marvellous.

Trampoline Balloons

At the weekend, the kids had a great time bouncing around on the trampoline with balloons trying not to burst them.

Storm Force

The terrific rain and wind that swept through on Monday morning managed to only bring down one fence panel so we count ourselves lucky - I've now got 4 to replace after doing 9 at Xmas - great.

Met a substantial tree across the road on my journey to work going over the North Downs but other than that it was pretty uneventful.

Fence Failure

The recent gales brought down 3 fence panels (not my new ones fortunately), so looks like I'll be visiting Wickes again to put in another order.

Weekend Gardening

A dry sunny and cool weekend allowed me to continue with digging the pond and Helen to prepare the front plot for vegetables. We added about 10 bags of rotted manure to prepare the soil. Found this juicy looking caterpillar - probably a moth caterpillar.

Whilst digging the pond a fairly fresh half eaten dove carcass was uncovered - it looked like it had been buried there recently by foxes.

Birds seen of note: 2 Mistle Thrushes, 3+ Long-tailed Tits and 2 Goldcrests.