Firstly, Bird Wars update; male Blackcap seems to have seen off male Blackcap, latter is now to be found sulking and munching palm seeds up the road [when he can get the Starlings off them]. Second female Blackcap has arrived, making a non-passage high count [5 being the all-time maximum]. Currently the two females are studiously not trying to kill each other, [possibly due to it being far too cold for even them]. Victorious male has had a mixed day - he successfully drove off all-comers, up to and including three Greenfinches at once with his terrifying threat display, but then the sun was blotted out and he fled in panic as a huge monster landed right on his beloved fat block..... What was this avian titan? It was only a Fieldfare!!!
::Less excited voice:: Only a Fieldfare? Back in the 90's, a cold snap brought about 100 Fieldfare and Redwing to our parts, and a few graced the apple and sultanas on the shed roof, but never before has one actually come in. These two not only came in for the apple [now on the ground due to the local Herrings demonstrating their ability to swallow a thirded apple whole] but also the Holly berries on our bush [its less than 5' tall, and this is the first year its properly berried]. Overjoyed ain't the half of it! Only two? With the thousands knocking about? Ah, but I live in a very urban area - a terraced house with a 1/4 tennis court garden - and while there are allotments and some trees up the hill, its mostly brick and tarmac around here. [Especially as our beloved Council are doing their very best to fell every single mature tree they can reach - up to letting certain homeowners do it for them. Allegedly. But I digress]
The garden had a constant stream, broken only by forays to break and re-break the ice. As well as the 4 Blackcap and 2 Fieldfare, there were 5 Redwing, 2 Song Thrush, at least 5 and possibly 7 Blackbird [including Red - a male with a distinct red tinge to his bill, who first showed up last winter], 3 Chaffinch, 7 plus Greenfinch, 8 plus House Sparrow, Dunnock, Robin, 2 Great Tit, at least 1 and maybe 3 Blue Tit, at least 11 Starling, 2 of the local Jackdaws called in, with 4 Carrion Crow and a dozen patrolling Herrings, also 4 plus Woodpigs and 2 Feral Pigs. Also I've just this second [2114] heard a flock of Redwing going overhead! On a less positive note, after a pleasant absence since the snow fell, I saw the first cat tracks when I got in this afternoon - out front, but still not welcome!
I was returning from a wild Smew hunt on the Exe estuary - went this afternoon after I finally defeated the ice lumps. I could have gone earlier, but the fun out the back window was just too much to ignore! The trip out was notable for the flocks of winter thrushes [seemingly about 50/50] and also several groups of inland Lapwing - though none were bigger than low double figures. The wind howling downriver made it feel as though the weatherbods' comparisons with Antarctica weren't that over the top after all... Figuring that a Smew would most likely prefer Shutterton Creek or the Wreck, I scanned from Cockwood crossing for about half an hour, before [despite double gloves and hats] the cold got too much. No Smew of course, but there was the female Goosander that often pops down in winter, the resident Slavvie with a friend, Little and GC Grebes, plus to my surprise 2 Black-necked Grebe, down by the lowest line of boats [trawlers and that cockle barge]. I'll have to double-check my records, but I don't think I've seen Black-neckeds on the Exe before - the sea's been pretty rough, with all the easterlies, so maybe they've moved up from Torbay?
Walking up to Cockwood Harbour [trying to get some feeling back into my feet!] I was delighted to discover it full of waders! The corner bench had some shelter from the wind, so I plonked down there and enjoyed cripplingly good views of Blackwit, Dunlin, Redshank, Greenshank, and best of all... an Avocet! You could not only see the birds' every detail, but also see not only how they fed [pretty well, it seemed], but what they were getting, hear their calls, both standard contacts and aggression - as the Blackwits in particular held on to good [and unfrozen!] bits vociferously! Watching a 1w Blackwit working along a crack between two plates of ice, down to about 20', then slipping its way over the ice to the next one.. Wow.
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