Weekly Digest

November – Week 2

I’m late I know, I’ve been away you know! More posting to do!!! Anyway, here is last week on the patch from November 10th on.

I do remember that it was pretty dull on the 10th itself and I was out later than usual so I didn’t get much at all.

I think I’ve mentioned the apple trees on the patch before, I’m now up to a count of twenty and I know there are more! The Blackbirds are currently enjoying these. Jo made us a spiced apple crumble with some from this tree a few weeks back …. DEEEEELISH!

As I reached the end of the lane, still on the face of the hill, I could see over the trees and out towards the far side of the valley, something caught my eye glinting against the darks sky.

A UFO?????? Nope a gyro copter by the look of it.

I went round to the ponds as it was getting dark-ish, chance of seeing a Beaver out and about?

Nah! So, I photographed a coo on the hillside instead 🙂

I didn’t actually get out a lot at all this week, weather was against us but, the 12th saw me off around the top field and heading for the wildlife cam, see what I’d caught, if anything. It was yet another changeable day but I think I got the best of it.

Are sheep aware of rainbows? Do they see them at all?

Do rainbows keep trying? It was one of those very Autumnal (Fally?) mornings with great light.

The wildlife cam is on a flatish area of rough ground surrounded by Gorse on one side and marsh on the other, those trees in the second shot are on the other side of that marsh area, I think I crossed the marsh to that side on this day, most of my walks are ad-lib, I decide as I wander. 🙂

I’d been seeing these small flocks of birds flitting overhead as I tromped along the edge of the field so, I grabbed a few shots.

I took them for ID purposes really but I was kind of surprised to find they’re Larks! I thought they migrated, there you go!

Across the marsh then, along the fence line, it’s mostly Hawthorn bushes, then up the lane to the first feeding post, see who turns up today.

Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Coal Tit
Blue Tit
Great Tit

The usual suspects all queued up to be fed, I stood back and got some shots, I don’t always bother when the light is low but it wasn’t bad this day. I get the feeling that small birds have had a really good breeding season up here, loads of young birds around at the moment.

Of course any bird photos are incomplete without a Robin! I’m kind of looking forward to snow, they look great against snow!

The Nuthatch dropped by, they’re more shy and I was obviously a wee bit too close but, it allowed me a few shots. I say it, I’m pretty certain there were two of them.

Gorgeous birds and a current favourite of mine since I’ve only just found them here in the last year or so and I know there are at least two pairs in these woods, excellent news.

I took the first right hand walk and dropped down the steep hill to the ponds, I hadn’t realised this was brain forest I was walking through! 😉

Down the Beaver pond (still not seen one) and I sat on the Beaver bench for a wee while just looking and listening ………. silence.

The Beaver bench is the Silver Birch I am sitting on, they chewed it down and created a perfect picnic bench next to this pond 🙂 The landowner has been battling with them all year trying to stop them flooding the fields again, so far, so good!

I didn’t get out again until the 15th! It is Winter I guess but we’re getting an awful lot of dreich these days.

I headed out just after 12.

I got down to the reed beds before I got much to have a go at, this Buzzard was perched on the other side of the reeds, a perfect spot to survey the surrounding area for snacks.

I got all the way up to the feeding post before I had a go at anything else, dull, blah skies, horrible.

I just had to share those, attempts at capturing Goldcrest!!!! Little beggars! Low light, fast movers …..

I dropped some food on the posts and walked over the brow of the hill … this Buzzard appeared right overhead but the blah sky really looks terrible so, I added a more interesting one! Not something I like to do but …., what do you think?

And back to the feeding post.

It can be like Piccadilly Circus at rush hour when they all turn up!

I try not to attempt everything that lands, rather choose my moments and, I prefer them away from the food supply when possible.

The Coal Tits lead the charge for food, Blue and Great Tits follow but much more wary, then Robin, Nuthatch and Chaffinch, Great Spotted Woodpeckers keep their distance and Treecreepers drift down, sometimes dropping onto the post.

The Nuthatches are becoming a little more accepting of my presence, appearing with the throng as I walk up to the post but keeping their distance.