Friday at the Flicks: Fieldfare, Feeding in the Snow

As the large flock of Fieldfare stayed around all yesterday devouring the windfall apples just across the lane from me I managed to take some video of them. Although the camera was outside it didn't pick up much of the constant chatter of so many birds in one place.



Apart from one day of clear roads and paths we have had snow around for about three weeks now. We haven't had the large falls seen by many but every time it starts to thaw we get another inch or so to top up the levels.

Noise levels in the garden can be very loud with Sparrows constantly chattering, Starlings squabbling and now Blackbirds constantly tutting and clucking at each other.



Snow or no snow, freeze or baking Sun the job of finding enough food has to go on for the visiting birds. Here a Blue Tit seems to have to work really hard to chip off pieces from a frozen fat ball. It is not speeded up - the poor bird was really working at this speed.



A Blackbird seemed to be leaping in the air to get more power to its beak as it struggled to pick up seed frozen in the grass.



Nothing stops Starlings in their quest for food, not even a heavy downfall of snow.



I am beginning to wonder how much longer my stock of seed will last and when it will be an easy drive to pick up some more as there seems to be less salt being used on the main street through the village. At least temperatures have been around zero or just above so the water I put out each morning doesn't freeze over very quickly.

An Orchard full of Fieldfare

Normally I concentrate observing through the kitchen window at the back of the building. Something made me look out of the front room window this morning and I was greeted by the sight of scores of small birds on the remaining apple trees in what used to be an orchard. I tried many photos through the window but recent snow had brought down so much dust and dirt the results were useless. In the end I crept outside and up to the front gate and managed to get some decent shots. Now I could identify what I was looking at - a flock of anything up to a hundred Fieldfare. What a fantastic sight. In this tree I counted just over three dozen.



There was another tree with just as many and scores more on the ground amongst the windfall apples. Every time someone walked or drove down the lane they would all take to the air only to return a short while later.



This was a rare sight for me and an opportunity not to be missed especially with a bird I had not seen before.




 What an incredible sight it was, especially when they took off like a cloud rising from the ground there were so many. Unfortunately a hedge was in the way for photographing those on the ground.

Blue Tit Investigates Nest Box

I was really thrilled this morning to spot that a Blue Tit made two visits to the nest box. The first time it took some of the old grass stems out of the box but I was too slow starting the recorder. I was ready after that and managed to record the second, brief, visit. It was so brief I slowed down the recording a bit.



 This is a photograph of the nest box taken last year.

A Bit of Snow

A few times today we had some brief periods of snow. Each time the activity at the feeders increased and tempers flared. Most of the squabbling was within the groups of Blackbirds and Starlings.



This Blackbird seemed to be trying to decide between shelter or food.



While this one braved the snow flakes landing on it.



These two male Chaffinches reminded me of Eric Morecamb's catch phrase...

What do you think of the Winter so far?  .........  Rubbish!


The last time I went to the local garden centre I treated myself to a small orchid plant which sits on the kitchen windowsill and cheers up dreary Winter days.

Dendrobium Winter Beauty

A New Visitor

As I said yesterday the Blackbirds are increasing. I counted thirteen on the ground this morning. Later when Bobby went down the garden some of the Blackbirds flew into the tall Leylandii and out flew a Song Thrush which landed on a branch in the Sunshine looking a bit miffed.



As I was photographing the thrush I spied what at first I assumed was another sat high up on a branch. On examining the photo later I am pretty sure it is my first sighting of a Redwing. I am going by the pale lines above and below the eye and a slight reddish colouring under the wing.


If my identification is correct then that is a new visitor to my garden.

Yesterday the ground feeders spent most of the daylight hours stocking up with any available free food...



... and a lone Rook was helping itself to a fat ball.



Although it was only -2C last night the constant low temperatures have frozen the earth so those which normally feed on earthworms and such like are completely reliant on the seed put out for them.

As the Sun Rises the Temperature Drops

It usually happens this time of year. As the Sun rises and burns off some of the cloud cover the temperature drops a few degrees. At 7 a.m. when we went walkabout it was about -1.3C and two hours later with the Sun streaming through the window it is -3C outside.



Between Christmas and New Year when temperatures were reasonable for the time of year the number of birds visiting the Birdy Bistro dropped and the feeders were hardly being used but since the temperatures dropped again the seed had been vanishing at an alarming rate.

Starlings, House Sparrows and one Tree Sparrow (round the back of the feeder)


There was little light when I went through to the kitchen first thing this morning but some birds were already tucking in to any scattered seed. The numbers of Blackbirds visiting seem to be increasing daily. Last week they averaged six or seven at a time.This morning I counted twelve!

After breakfast I scattered some more seed mixed with some suet treats which are always very popular.

Male Blackbird:


Female Blackbird:

Starling:


At the same time I changed the frozen dish of water for a fresh one:


It has been difficult taking crisp photos as the light has been poor where the birds are feeding in the shade of the building.

The White Stuff Returns

Last night I had the camcorder set up just in case there were any firework displays to let in the New Year. I was not disappointed as there was a beautiful display from a house not far away and I could watch it through the front room window. Fortunately Bobby takes little notice of the noise after the first couple of explosions and goes back to sleep. I had to use manual focus which I got wrong so here is a short extract from the five minute display.



Yesterday morning had been the first time for about ten days we could return to our usual route for the early morning walk - no snow, no ice. This morning I woke to the return of the white stuff. Not a lot as yet and quite pretty to look at


though I am not sure the garden visitors took quite the same attitude.

Dunnock:

Robin Redbreast:


Great Tit:


A Carrion Crow used its heavy beak to sweep aside the snow by moving its head from side to side so as to find any seeds left over from yesterday.


Well, here we are, a new decade - but quite honestly it doesn't look a lot different from the last one ;)