UK Nature Blog

Seed heads feed the birds

Those TV gardening programs always tell you to leave certain plants' dead seadheads standing over winter so the birds can eat them, but I had never actually seen it happening until today. Four Goldfinches parked themselves in the remains of my Rudbeckia and feasted away for quite a while. They do seem to have a habit of staying put once they've found some food - they do the same on the bird feeders.

Their beaks are just right for prising seeds from difficult places, classically teasels. Here's what those same Rudbeckia flowers looked like a couple of seasons previously. A nice reminder of glories to come whilst we persevere through the cold.

Birds are easier to spot in the snow

With no leaves on the trees and a white backdrop to everything, it's much easier to see the birds in the garden. There's almost nowhere for them to hide.

Where did all the garden birds go?

I have passed comment a few times over recent months about the lonely existence of my bird feeders this winter. There have been plenty of similar mumurings from other sources and the BBC picked up on it afresh today. Basically the birds are probably happily noshing down in the countryside since it's been so mild. A very cold week has just begun so it will be interesting to see whether that makes any difference.

Big Garden Birdwatch - right now!

I've been remiss and failed to notice that the annual RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch was happening this weekend, though it got plenty of mentions in the news today. The light is fading on Saturday but if you can find an hour on Sunday then settle down and watch the birds for an hour.

Full details at the RSPB's website, complete with downloadable recording sheet. The mild weather might mean there are fewer than usual in the garden, as the birds are happily surviving in the countryside without needing our feeders.

Frosty lettuce

Just a few days ago I was eating lettuce fresh from the garden thanks to the very mild winter so far. But now those lettuces are frozen. The cold weather has set in over the last few days and most of the garden doesn't even thaw out during the day.

This seems to have finally caused the birds to start coming to the feeders, which had been extremely quiet until now. Don't forget that you might need to help them out a bit by topping the feeders up more regularly and making sure the bird bath isn't frozen.

Female Scaup

A new duck for me! Reviewing my photos from the RSPB Rye Meads reserve it took me a while to figure out what type of duck was captured in this long distance shot. I initially thought it was a Ruddy duck, but the head just isn't even nearly right and it doesn't have a cocked tail. I finally figured out that it's a female Scaup and hence fairly rare. Certainly it was new to me so I'm glad I went back and looked carefully.

Here's an artier shot of the same bird with the evocative tall reeds of Rye Meads behind it.

Duck weed

I went for a pleasant meander around the RSPB's Rye Meads nature reserve today and though it was dull (as in grey and dreary weather) and there weren't many birds to be seen, I did get this photo of a pair of Mallards, which I rather like.

Clean your bird feeders - they're filthy!

I'm ashamed to say that I let my bird feeders go far too long without being cleaned and as the weather has turned to 'eternally damp' recently, they've been in a sorry state and I'm not surprised at their lack of popularity. I'm too embarassed to post any 'before' pictures, but above are my feeders drying after a very thorough wash. You really do need a bottle brush and an old toothbrush to get all the old grime off. I even needed a carefully chosen stick to prise out the crusty, congealed, mouldy old food to start with in some cases.

A robin conducted a very animated display of disapproval that the window feeder had been taken down, so I will get them back up tomorrow and hopefully the birds will flock back.

If you haven't cleaned yours recently, and if you haven't taken a close look to see what state they're in, I suggest you do so ASAP. I also cleaned the bird bath - don't forget to do the same.

Nature notes - December 2011

For me it's not been a classic period for nature watching recently. Dark when I leave the house, dark when I return so not much opportunity to photograph birds and beasties. But I have noticed a few things all the same.

• It's finally got properly cold, with snow hitting much of the country in recent days. I'm not convinced the second/third flush of strawberries growing in my garden will ever ripen now!
• I haven't seen a single Redwing or Fieldfare this winter, which is unusual. I heard of them being in the country a month or two ago, but I've not seen any evidence of them.
• Similarly the bird feeders in my garden have been relatively quiet. The most notable birdlife is Long tailed tits, Robins and Blackbirds recently. Plus Sparrows, Blue tits and Great tits as ever. They're the boiled potatoes of birds in my garden.
• Magpies can sometimes be heard quite late (e.g. 10pm) shouting from the trees. I'm not sure at what - perhaps at cats or each other.
• There weren't nearly as many big brown house spiders running across my living room floor of an evening over recent months compared to years past.

Starlings pretending to be a dolphin

Thanks to Jenny for sending in this wonderful picture of Starlings flocking above Gretna Green motorway service station in late November. Apparently starlings do impressions - of a dolphin in this case.

I've never seen a truly massive flock of starlings doing their thing but I understand the noise is also quite something. More pictures of their swooping, wheeling forms via Google.