The Bird Blog - January 2024
15th January
Welcome to the first blog of 2024.
As the midpoint of the month approaches my hoped for sightings of flocks of Redwing have not materialised. On one occasion I saw a small flock of six birds high in the trees at the western end of the arboretum, but generally my views of Redwing have been confined to sightings of solitary birds high up in the treetops.
Over recent visits to the arboretum I have noticed a change in the amount of bird song I am hearing. Blue Tits, Great Tits, Nuthatches all beginning to call out to one another. I also enjoyed listening to a Song Thrush singing; heard the croak of Common Frog coming from dense vegetation near the ponds. Away from the arboretum I have also heard the 'drumming' of a Great Spotted Woodpecker coming from a local spinney.
Spring is on the horizon!
In relation to the ponds several Mallard Duck have dropped in. On one occasion I counted 11 birds, 7 male and 4 females. As the arboretum offers suitable habitat for Mallard Ducks maybe a pair will decide to stay and to raise a brood of ducklings. To encourage this a notice has been placed on the boardwalk running alongside one of the ponds with information what is the best food to feed these ducks.
Since my last blog I have continued to enjoy good views of Sparrowhawk, their presence signalled by a sudden quietness descending on the Arboretum. I also had sight of a small flock of Greenfinch which were using the shallow margins of one of the ponds for bathing and drinking, as well as Robin, Wren and Blackbird on a regular basis. I have seen Goldcrest, Nuthatch, Green Woodpecker and Great Spotted Woodpeckers as well as plenty of Goldfinches, Chaffinches and four species of the Tit family (Blue, Great, Coal and Long Tailed). The arboretum is quite alive with bird activity!
The highlight of my recent birdwatching however has been enjoying really great views of a flock of nearly forty Waxwing. After some unsuccessful attempts trying to find them, I eventually caught up with these wonderful birds on two occasions.
Firstly, on a tree lined road near Western Park where they stayed for more than hour calling to one another as they moved through the trees feeding on berries. Then following reports Waxwings has been sighted in the locality. I found them again early one bitterly cold and bright morning; a flock of 19 high in the trees of College Court. Here they stayed for a while standing out against a bright blue sky before flying off a short distance to join others feeding on berry bearing shrubs in a garden on Northcote Road. Here a flock of about 30 birds stayed for about half an hour providing great views; the bright morning sunlight really illuminating their amazing plumage before they flew off into the west, no doubt on the lookout for more trees and shrubs with berries on.
Phil Taylor