Nature is a funny old thing. As this weekend brought in the first real taste of winter snows to most of Britain, in the balmy South West yesterday afternoon, just before the rugger, I popped out to cut the lawn. Yes I know it is the 22 November, but if you live down here one needs to cut the grass in every month of the year. It's a pain in the neck this time of the year, as the grass is growing but the soil is sodden, consequently the lawn can look like the aftermath of a Glastonbury Festival after it's been cut.
It wasn't until onto some longish grass that I realised in horror my daffs in the lawn are popping up already, and the hover has scalped some of them. Bloomin' Fuchsias, as Gordon Ramsey would say. What are they doing poking through now!!!! Obviously those damaged have had it, but I hope some survive.
As I'm now throwing off my man flu, I had to spend the weekend at home. In the garden, the Sparrowhawk was patrolling which meant of course few birds at the feeders. Actually there's few birds anyway at the feeders at the moment. Combination of my felling a Silver Birch so less cover, the Sparrowhawk and very mild weather. Garden birds were a few Goldfinch, a Wren, House Sparrows, a Robin, a Great Tit and 2 Collard Doves were about it. Overhead a few Redwing and Fieldfare, various gulls, Jackdaw and Carrion Crow and a Buzzard.
It was even quiet at Sand Bay. Shelduck (above) numbers are beginning to rise, estimate 150, about 300 Dunlin, 50+ Oystercatchers, same of Curlew, smattering of Carrion Crow, Black Headed and Herring Gull and on the passerine front, couple of nice Greenfinch, Dunnock, Great and Blue Tit, Winter Thrushes, between 10-20 Magpie and well that was about it.
But at least no snow. Couple of mates of mine were in the Lakes this weekend and invited me to join them, I had to decline, maybe I'm getting soft, much nicer seeing Daffodils in November?!??!
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Finally for no reason, other than Yoke has put on some lovely Corvid photos from her home Ireland (and they played well in the Rugger, Ireland that is, not the Crows) a link to a fellow Blogger, Birding on Wheels.
BR, i know all to well what it`s like to have a virtually bird-less garden. Starting to get fed up with just Collared Doves, Starlings & House Sparrows.
ReplyDeleteCan`t wait for some really harsh weather.
Thanks for the link, BR. I'll post some latest J.J. pictures for you, later today.
ReplyDeleteYears ago, we used to have Daffodils in bloom in December, thanks to the tropical position of our location, here along the warm Gulfstream. we have no bulbs in the garden any more these days.
We never get real snow here. Nor real frost either. which is good news for my garden birds.
Hopefully this cold snap will continue Dean and flood your garden with migrants.
ReplyDeleteI'll look forward to some more of JJ, Yoke
Forget the migrants BR, a few resident species would be welcome.
ReplyDelete