Quiz results and garden birds

Quiz Results :
For those who had a go at "the" Quiz last week , here are the results - did anyone get 12 out of 12? 1 Pheasant, 2 Curlew, 3 Corn Bunting, 4 Nightingale, 5 Spoonbill, 6 Kittiwake, 7 Toucan, 8 Kingfisher, 9 Nightjar, 10 Waxwing, 11 Nuthatch, 12 Magpie.

Wildlife Watching :

Here's a thing. Wildlife watching is a funny old business. Never predictable. On Thursday, Saturday and Sunday I went to Sand Bay close to high tide. The Oystercatcher numbers were 16, 0 and 6 respectively, Curlew 0, 52, 67 and Shelduck about 45 each day. So why did one day show zero count for both Curlew and Oystercatcher? Well it's because they move about obviously, but this goes some of the way to explain why single visit surveys of wildlife can sometimes not show the true picture, and why surveys need to be repeated over time under similar conditions. I remember at University spending 3 months trapping small mammals in a wood and I could never predict what would happen. The survey was May to July, so as the tree canopy increased, it proved that shade does affect movement, and interspecific (between species) activity. Happy days being bitten by voles.... have you seen the size of their teeth??

Local Patch :
I've never had a true local patch before as always driving about the West Country, so nice to now have Sand Bay (above; sunset over Cardiff from Sand Bay yesterday). For 6 months I've submitted weekly bird counts onto the BTO Birdtrack database. My plan is to stand once a week, for 1 hour, rooted to the same spot and record everything within eyeline. It is now making fascinating reading as the data can be viewed in graph and data form. A picture of peaks and troughs is beginning to emerge. Such as the Stonechats which have become elusive, but only a few weeks ago had 9 males in one area. Sadly no Short Eared Owls this year, and the Merlin has gone too, but summer migrants are arriving, nice Willow Warbler yesterday flitting through the trees.

Bizarrely on Saturday these Mallards came right up to me as they hunted for a suitable nest spot, in the middle of all this rubbish. I think these may be the pair I spotted nesting on the marsh before we had those storms in early March. Considering this area is used by dog walkers it's not really suitable. Maybe they'll move back to the marsh. Lets hope so.

On Sunday the weather was unpredictable, so spent it mainly ondoors. After lunch messed about in the conservatory with the digiscope, trying to get to grips with clarity. Common species, but I like them. Also noticed a Blackbird is nesting in next door's conifer hedge. I also had 2 Herring Gull and a Lesser Black Backed Gull come into the garden after some Sunday Lunch scraps. These birds are huge when in a small sub-urban garden... gave the starlings a shock I can tell you.

Slightly away from the area, 10 Swallows flew over us as we were in Homebase car park in Worle, and nearby a Peregrine flew over. I'd guess this isn't a co-incidence, as raptors will follow migrants as the migrants become exhausted, picking off the stragglers.

And this 10 second video I liked. This male house sparrow in my hornbeam hedge is looking up as if to say " what's this funny white stuff". We don't get much snow down here, most of the birds wear shorts all year, like the postmen. For photo's of proper snow, have a look at BB's posting from the weekend http://boulmerbirder.blogspot.com/2008/04/spring.html

And that's all folks...... except as a write this at 1.30 on monday, blizzard in Bristol.

Tewkesbury Teaser

Yesterday wasn't much of a day for wildlife watching, waiting in for the gas man to change my meter (long running rant by me, as my 9 year old gas meter was being upgraded only because British Gas have outsourced the metering service, and no one will tell me if the old one is being recycled or just landfilled) Anyway it was misty and drizzly so stayed close to home.

But in the evening, headed up the M5 to Tewkesbury in glorious sunshine, typical!! The reason for this was to go and see Feast of Fiddles http://www.feastoffiddles.com/ - fab night, if you're into Folk music with a hint of madness.

But between Dursley and Cheltenham a big raptor floated over the M5. Same size of a Buzzard, but had the profile of....... a Goshawk, nice flap flap glide flight, barred and thick body, flicked back fingers, protruding head and long straight tail. Trouble was at 69.9mph if was hard to have a good look without careering into other traffic. Was it, wasn't it? Bit of a strange place for one in the breeding season, but huge woodland area on the Cotswold Escarpment where it was flying from. I'll never know, I do know however it wasn't a Buzzard; but while listening the lads on the fiddles playing Captain Pugwash theme, followed by Black Night by Deep Purple, I relaxed, took in the music and mused.

And this weeks quiz. Probably breaking some copyright laws here, but one of the birthday cards, was this. So to you birders out there (and non birders), have a go. Can you get 12 out of 12? I got 8, Mate who sent it got 10. Answers next week.

Click on image to enlarge. Don't try and be too celebral. GOOD LUCK