Nesting Activity

The most obvious signs of nesting in our garden are visits by the Great Tits and Blue Tits to the nesting boxes.  The Blue Tits have been looking in and entering their usual box, on the right side of the garden.  We can see that the Great Tits have started building their nest as it is in the camera nest box on the left side.  It has a layer of moss and a few feathers on top - still work to do to finish it off.  Here's a Blue Tit getting a drink from the cascade, and a Great Tit on the Smoke Bush.

February's Feathered Friends

Here's a catch-up of the bird activity in our garden in February, including many photos taken by David.  There was snow around 10th Feb and again from 22nd, and the temperatures mainly very cold.

First mention is of a bird never seen in our garden before - the Reed Bunting.  We've had a few females (photo) and one male, whose head feathers are getting darker as the month progresses.

Yellowhammers have come in too - newcomers again, and the linnets continue to fly around and land in the trees in large numbers (50) (see photo), with a dozen or so coming to drink from our top pond.

The Goldfinches have been feeding on the teasels (5 in this photo) as well as the feeders, 15 at one sighting.

There is at least one male Blackcap (photo, with black cap) and two females (with brown caps) overwintering.  They are happy on the feeders and the bird table.  We're looking forward to hearing their beautiful song in the spring.

Sweet little Long Tailed Tits have been visiting.  Our favourites, with their delicate pink, white & black plumage.

The 3 Jays have been seen from time to time, one of them peeping out of the conifer in this photo.

The local family of Pheasants pace up and down, the male often looking like he can't remember how to get out of the garden.  2 males & 4 females seen.  Also a pair of Red-legged Partridges have visited.

And the Blackbirds are still here in big numbers.

Other birds seen in the garden in February were: House Sparrows, Hedgesparrows, Chaffinches, Greenfinches, Robins, Starlings, Magpies, Collared Doves and Wood Pigeons.



House Sparrow

Hedgesparrow

Chaffinch

Greenfinch

Robin

Starling

Collared Dove

Thanks for the photos, David.

Roman Road walk near Linton, Cambs

Sunday 10th February

Link to leaflet for the walk:  http://www.visitcambridge.org/dbimgs/RomanRoadLintonHildersham.pdf

Today's Rotary walk (10th Feb) starts in the pretty village of Linton, passes through Hildersham, and follows part of the Roman Road.  I would like to go back in the spring, on a fine day, because today it was drizzling and raining, was muddy and gloomy.  Not many birds were seen or even heard, and I'm sure the views were not at their best.

The Roman Road mentioned here was the subject of a talk at the Royston Wildlife Group last year, along with Fleam Dyke, with reference to the many butterflies that can be seen here (spring & summer).  The walk ended with a good lunch at the Dog and Duck pub in Linton.