29 APRIL 2024 - THROUGH THE ‘LOOKING GLASS’

The ‘Looking Glass’ in this context being my kitchen window, where in recent days, I’ve captured some excellent photos of various species of birds and even the nuptial behaviour of a pair of Grey Squirrels.

However, arguably the best sighting came yesterday morning when I just happened to glance in the direction of the feeders and saw a male Greenfinch pecking away at the sunflower seeds. Nothing untoward about that one might claim, but these days Greenfinches are increasingly uncommon visitors to our gardens, and in fact this one was the very first one to be seen in my garden since I moved to Bishops Stortford in 2002. So, for me, a bit of a red-letter day!!

GREENFINCH

GREENFINCH

BLUE TIT

BLUE TIT

BLUE TIT

GREY SQUIRREL

GREY SQUIRREL

HOUSE SPARROW

HOUSE SPARROW

WOODPIGEON

25 APRIL 2024 - MALE SPARROWHAWK IN GARDEN

I had just taken a few shots of the Grey Squirrel that has been frequenting my garden of late and was making myself a welcome cuppa (having spent the last hour processing some pictures) when I looked out onto the garden only to see a small (pigeon sized) bird on the lawn. I knew immediately what it was - a Sparrowhawk - and by its rather small size, an obvious male; and by its behaviour, clearly standing over prey, although it wasn’t possible to see what it had taken, as the raptor was facing away from me.

Luckily, the camera was very nearby, so I fired off several shots, until the bird suddenly realised that I was watching from the kitchen window and flew off into the neighbour’s Holly tree. A moment later, it was seen on the fence at the bottom of the garden, where I photographed it with its prey - a male Sparrow.

This was the third sighting of a Sparrowhawk visiting the garden since 1 March this year - an unprecedented spate if visits - and with all three, I just happened to be at the kitchen window!

 

 

 Nuptial Behaviour in Grey Squirrels

Some of you have already seen some of my pictures of the pair of Grey Squirrels that have frequented my garden in recent months. A few weeks ago, I became aware that the pair had built a drey in my immediate neighbour’s Holly tree (that overhangs my garden too) and that drey has been moved at least once to a slightly different part of the same tree.

This morning, I noticed that the pair were in the garden, and were seen scampering around at an alarming rate, interspersed with quiet moments of grooming behaviour that I’ve not witnessed previously. I was thinking that at last, I could see something a little special; and I didn’t have long to wait.

The grooming at times seemed quite brutal, preceded by rapid bouts of what I can only describe as ‘wrestling’ and then more grooming, until suddenly and quite unexpectedly, the male had mounted the female, and the mating ritual was over - in  a flash - followed by another brief spell of wrestling, before the pair were gone.

My camera was in a high state of readiness throughout, and I managed to fire off over 40 photos of the grooming; wrestling; and mating rituals, some of which appear here; all taken through the kitchen window.

When I became aware that we had a pair of Greys that had built a drey in my neighbour’s Holly tree, I had hoped that maybe I might be lucky enough to witness, and photograph, nuptial behaviour of some kind, although I was beginning to lose heart, until this mornings activities which suggested to me that something was about to kick off, but to witness the whole preamble was more than I could have wished for.

I appreciate that Grey Squirrels are common animals in gardens and are even be classed as pests in certain circumstances (they have most definitely have caused damage in my garden; and are greedy in the extreme when it comes to taking advantage of food put out for the birds); but I doubt if the mating rituals have actually been witnessed by the majority of people, as usually such activities are very private indeed in the natural world, undertaken well away from the prying eyes of humans.

 IMAGES IN MY GARDEN – EARLY APRIL 2024

I’ve been taking many pictures of birds on my feeders in recent days and in particular a pair of Goldfinches that have visited at least twice a day between about 11.00 am and midday and again around 3.30pm. It just so happened that I was lucky to be at the kitchen window when they visited. A male House Sparrow came with the Goldfinches, and the Robin has been several times.  In addition, during a recent warm spell of weather, I photographed a Sun Fly at my wildlife pond, but missed an opportunity to photograph a (probable) teneral Large Red Damselfly which I saw alight on my garden fence momentarily, before disappearing - but I’ve assumed that it was newly emerged from the pond, and is the earliest record of this species anywhere (as I usually get to see my first adult male insect around the end of April most years, though away from my garden).

ROBIN

HOUSE SPARROW

GOLDFINCH

GOLDFINCHES

GOLDFINCH

GOLDFINCH

SUN FLY

GREAT TIT

 13 APRIL 2024 – THE LONGEST WALK

I’d taken note of information on the Stort Watch web site to the effect that John Slee had found a Northern Wheatear at Blount’s Farm (near Trims Green) with a Yellow Wagtail on the fields adjacent to Mathams Wood; and had decided that as neither species hadn’t been recorded locally by me in the past three years or so, I would attempt to try and find them for myself.

It’s quite a hike from my house in normal times. But these aren’t normal times for me because now, I must consider the fact that I have a deteriorating right hip, and I use a Nordic stick for support - both of which hinder me somewhat. I figured that when I’ve attempted this walk in the past, the whole round trip took me between three and four hours; but taking my recent slow progress into consideration, I should allow an extra two hours. Well, that was precisely what happened as the entire route starting at my house in Bishop’s Stortford at 9.40 a.m. and finishing back at my home at 3.45pm - just over six hours - with just two 15-minute breaks for refreshments, though mainly because I couldn’t find anywhere practical to rest.

So, from Bishops Stortford, via Moor House Farm; Mathams Wood; Blounts Farm; Shingle Hall Farm at Trims Green; over the public footpath from Trims Green to Mathams Pit; then returning to St.James’s Church in Thorley Village, and back home via Thorley Wedge. Six long hours, in increasingly warm weather.

I’d passed Moor Hall Farm on the way to Mathams Wood, where I took a short detour to look over one of the fishing lakes, with the hope of seeing some hirundines (Swallows; House, and Sand Martins) but absolutely nothing stirred, except arguably the half a dozen or so anglers. Indeed, the only birds I could see were several Canada and Grey Lag Geese. Back along the track a couple of Chiffchaffs were singing loudly, with the odd interruption from a Stock Dove whose ‘song’ was a strange gentle ‘whooping’ sound. A Red Kite I’d tried (and failed) to photograph earlier, appeared overhead, and was gone before I could set the camera. A pair of Buzzards also appeared as I came out of Mathams Wood, but my attempts at photography were stymied as they both flew higher and higher - way out of range for decent photography.

Across the road to Allen’s Green, the Northern Wheatear reported yesterday, was still in situ; the first I’d seen locally in four years. It was an extremely attractive male, but the views weren't as near as I'd have liked.

Further along the road towards Trims Green I took a right turn then across the road to take a route along the old airfield, where in previous years I’d seen several Wheatears; Yellowhammers; Whinchats and Yellow Wagtails; but the scene looked empty. As I progressed (and by this time - approaching 1.00p.m - I was beginning to lag and needed refreshment) I was suddenly aware of a wagtail calling and saw a Yellow Wagtail flying low over the field, disappearing fast into the sunlight; it looked like a male, but the views were poor. Subsequently, I had three more sightings - all poor flight views - with no views at all on the roofs of the farm buildings, as on previous occasions.

A large piece of abandoned farm machinery, offered up a suitable place to sit and enjoy my lunch while I watched a few Linnets and Small White Butterflies nearby.

I made my way through the collection of ‘workshops' where engineers were servicing some farm machinery, when suddenly a Red Kite swooped over the rooftops - it’s no exaggeration to say that I could almost reach out and touch it, the bird was that close; so I rushed to get the camera ready and fired off a stream of shots, thinking that I was going to get some of the best photographs ever. However, in my haste, I forgot to make allowances for the conditions and used the same settings I had used when photographing birds at my feeders at home. They certainly weren’t the correct settings, with the result that none of these photographs turned out to be useful. Imagine my disappointment when I began processing the work later that evening; with only a handful of photographs - taken of a more distant pair of Red Kites, later that day - were the only ones I could use. But at least it taught me a lesson - and I’ve decided to reappraise my settings generally.

Passing alongside Shingle Hall Farm, and onto Trims Green, I took the public path across the wheatfields - alive with the songs of good numbers of Skylarks - down to the fishery at Mathams Pit. On the way I encountered a singing male Common Whitethroat (a new migrant this spring), and put up a beautiful male Yellowhammer (a rarity hereabouts these days) with (another?) pair of Red Kites which tantalised in their courtship display, but never came close enough for me to get good, close photographs. One of the kites ‘accompanied’ me up to St. James’s church, where I found a welcome seat to take my second break of the day; and from there I was on the homeward trail, without recording a single hirundine.

As it turned out, this was to prove the longest walk I’ve ever undertaken locally, and given my circumstances, I seem to have come through it with no lasting effects, other than overall tiredness and extremely stiff legs!

COMMA BUTTERFLY

FORGET ME NOTS

JACKDAWS

NORTHERN WHEATEAR

PEACOCK BUTTERFLY

PRIMROSE

RED KITES

RED KITES

The following images are a taster of the Red Kite pictures I took at Shingle Hall Farm and which you can see did not turn out as I had envisaged. Had I used the correct settings, they would have been so much better I am sure. Very disappointing.

 

 

 

 

 6 APRIL 2024 – THORLEY WASH

I was certain I wanted to go out this weekend as I hadn’t been down to Thorley Wash for around a month or so, and as the weather promised warm sunshine (despite very high southerly winds), I chose the Stort option.

I took the bus down to Spellbrook, then walked along to the Stort Navigation (across the railway), with the intention of walking northwards along the towpath. But I’m so pleased I decided on utilising my half-wellingtons because the towpath was like a mire in most places up to the bridge leading to Thorley Wash Reserve - and was even decidedly dangerous, because it would have been so very easy to slip and fall into the river; and with my particular predicament having to use a Nordic stick for support (my regular readers will know the reasons by now) it just wasn’t an easy option by any means. So, I was cautious in the extreme; possibly over so.

Before I started on the route northwards, a lovely songster in the form of a male Song Thrush, made itself known, with another male not far away, and then two male Chiffchaffs in full song, came into view, with my attempt to photograph them only marginally successful. Then, a familiar raucous sound filled the air, and it wasn’t until I saw the perpetrator that I realised what was making it, as this (I assume, a male) Rose-ringed Parakeet flew along the river and over my head before I could even flex the camera into the appropriate mode. It was my first Rose-ringed Parakeet since January 2008, so really, quite a rare occurrence, and I was chuffed to bits.

Two Eurasian Buzzards came into view over the Wallbury Estate (which sidles the Stort until reaching Thorley Wash Reserve), with a few Jackdaws obviously nest-building in tree holes, and a pair of Stock Doves too. Then the sound of a Great Spotted Woodpecker drumming briefly very nearby (although it wasn’t going to show itself).  At few more singing Chiffchaffs were almost impossible to see in the extremely strong winds; along with a male Blackcap which I only just glimpsed as it too had trouble in the wind. At least five male Cetti’s Warblers sang vociferously (as they always do) without revealing themselves, but all along the towpath one could see where the river had overflowed into (or from) the Wallbury Estate, and the consequential muddy mire to evaluate before moving forward. Several runners passed going both ways, and I had to admire their skills in negotiating the watery/muddy areas without seeming to slip (though I guess it was a close-run thing for them). Then I walked around the entire Thorley Wash reserve, without seeing anything of note (with the exception of a lone Grey Heron and  hovering male Kestrel) before I was back on the towpath walking northwards in the direction of Twyford Lock, where I overheard a couple of walkers commenting on seeing four Swallows around the stables there - so I too went slightly out of my way to see them as they were the first Swallows I’d seen this year. They also happened to be the earliest I’d seen the species at this location.

Not many butterflies, presumably due to the high winds, but 2 Peacocks and a male Brimstone, plus a Holly Blue at Twyford Lock were the only species seen.

On the way I stopped occasionally to photography plant species and birds, where I could, so by the end of my walk - almost four hours in total, and I was most definitely feeling it in my legs; so, I knew I needed to make my way home.

BLUE TIT

CHIFFCHAFF

CORMORANT

MALLARD

OTTER SCULPTURE ON TW RESERVE (NOW SLOWLY DETERIORATING)

BARN OWL SCULPTURE (SHOWING ITS AGE)

COWSLIPS

GREATER CELANDINE

GREATER PERIWINKLE

LADY'S SMOCK

MARSH MARIGOLD

RED DEAD-NETTLE

WHITE DEAD-NETTLE

WHITE DEAD-NETTLE (WITH BLACK ANTS)