Over the last two or three weeks I have noticed fairly large (20-50) close-knit flocks of small ‘finch-like’ birds moving from place to place rapidly on the reserve. Last weekend I was able to get a reasonable view of them. At least some of them (mabe all) are redpolls. Streaky body, black bib and always on the move. Some seem to keep the red forehead at this time of year too- but I wasn’t close enough to tell. My guide book says that some winters we get ‘invasions’ of faily large numbers of redpols.

Last weekend was the first time I have seen the cock pheasant under the feeder near the hide. Maybe it is because some of the cover has died back or maybe it is desperation with all the snow hanging around. Other birds that seem to be using ‘local facilities’ include blue tits taking refuge in holes in the mortar in the house nearest the reserve gate. I have seen collared doves seemingly trying (and failing) to land in the middle of the mere to get a drink whilst the snow has been around. I have seen as many as 12 collared doves at a time recently clustering on the bird feeder near to the hide. I’m sure they help to empty it quickly.

Earlier in the week I saw three male bullfinches together on the feeder- it was nice to see variations in the redness/pinkness between the individuals- maybe age related?

I’m hoping to have regular visits to the hide over the Christmas break.

Here are David’s sightings for August. ‘I have recorded how many times I’ve seen each species. e.g. 5/5 means I saw a particular species five times in each of my five visits. In brackets I put down the maximum number of a species I saw together at once’.

Little grebe 5/5 (2+3j)
Grey heron 2/5 (1)
Mute swan 3/5 (1)
Canada goose 2/5 (12 o/h)
Mallard 5/5 (6)
Gadwall 1/5 (1)
Buzzard 1/5 (1)
Sparrow hawk 1/5 (1f)
Hobby 1/5 (o/h)
Moorhen 5/5 (3)
Coot 5/5 (5)
Gull 2/5 (1)
Stock dove 4/5 (2)
Woodpigeon 5/5 (3)
Collared dove 4/5 (2)
Kingfisher 2/5 (1)
Green woodpecker 2/5 (h)
Woodpecker 1/5 (1)
Wren 5/5 (1)
Dunnock 3/5 (2)
Robin 5/5 (2)
Song thrush 3/5 (1)
Blackbird 4/5 (3)
Blackcap 2/5 (1)
Chiffchaff 1/5 (3)
Great tit 5/5 (3)
Blue tit 5/5 (2)
Magpie 5/5 (3)
Jackdaw 5/5 (~50)
Carrion crow 3/5 (1 h)
Starling 2/5 (8)
House sparrow 2/5 (4)
Chaffinch 4/5 (4)
Greenfinch 3/5 (2)
Bullfinch 3/5 (1+2j)

Month total species 35

Here are David’s sightings for July. ‘I have recorded how many times I’ve seen each species. So in July e.g. 6/6 means I saw a particular species six times in each of my six visits. In brackets I put down the maximum number of a species I saw together at once’.

Little grebe 1/6 (1)
Grey heron 1/6 (1)
Mute swan 2/6 (8)
Canada goose 1/6 (10) o/h
Mallard 2/6 (8)
Gadwall 1/6 (1)
Tufted duck 2/6 (1)
Kestrel 1/6 (1)
Moorhen 6/6 (6)
Coot 6/6 (7)
Black headed gull 2/6 (1)
Common tern 1/6 (1) Ang. Cl.
Stock dove 5/6 (2)
Wood pigeon 6/6 (3)
Collared dove 5/6 (4)
Swift 3/6 (7)
Kingfisher 4/6 (2)
Green woodpecker 1/6 (1)
Great spotted Woodpecker 3/6 (1)
Wren 2/6 (1) h
Dunnock 5/6 (2)
Robin 6/6 (4)
Song thrush 1/6 (1) h
Blackbird 6/6 (3)
Chiffchaff 2/6 (1)
Great tit 6/6 (2)
Blue tit 5/6 (2)
Magpie 4/6 (3)
Jay 5/6 (3)
Jackdaw 6/6 (~100)
Carrion crow 1/6 (1) h
Starling 3/6 (3)
House sparrow 5/6 (5)
Chaffinch 5/6 (4)
Greenfinch 5/6 (5)
Bullfinch 3/6 (2)

Month total species 36

‘There was a brief visit of a swan family for a while (6 big chicks). Now (August) there is a nice family of Little Grebes (5 chicks)- hope they survive. Also a Mallard with 2 chicks. Kingfishers seem to be around regularly again.’

The butterfly garden is looking absolutely fantastic right now – a riot of colour and variety, smothered in bees and butterflies – exactly how it should be.

A close up of a Green-veined White butterfly feeding. You can see a lot of detail in there (click the photo for a bigger close up), including the mottled grey pattern of the eye. Apparently this is a very common butterfly, but looking particularly interesting here on the underside of its wings.

This is a Small Magpie moth resting on the underside of a nettle leaf in the orchard. It’s only small, but very pretty, and seems to prefer landing upside down – at least for all the while that I was chasing it.

Finally an unusual visitor in the new pond – a leech, happily nosing around in the shallows. Quite a big one too – a few inches long. Credit to Penny for spotting it!

The Redwing that Keith saw are apparently sticking around at least a little bit. Here’s one that was rummaging around in the leaf litter and the snow at the back of the reserve.

This is the first time I’ve seen signs of the more colourful summer plumage on the little grebe. Maybe it’s just growing up, and it represents more of a transition from juvenile to adult, as it’s a long way from summer out there!

Finally, if you ever wondered what a sparrow’s tongue looks like, wonder no more.

This Little Grebe catches a lot of fish. In fact the only fish I see these days are the ones in his beak, or that of a Kingfisher.

Click image for larger version.

Here’s that pair of little Grebes (click for bigger as always), swimming across the mere. For once they’re not swimming directly away from my camera lens!

Also, here’s one of the pair of kingfishers. Not a good photo (far away and very dim light) but it’s nice to see them nonetheless – and I have every time I’ve been down recently.

There’s usually one Little Grebe on the mere, but at the weekend, I saw a pair for the first time. They’re small and shy and I didn’t have a sufficiently big lens to get a picture of them, but look out for the small brown things diving in the Mere and coming up with fish.

I saw the woodpecker straightaway again today – as I know where to find it and I’ve got the ‘jizz’ of what it looks like. What I saw was a female great spotted woodpecker (red undertail feathers) according to my bird book. It had no red cap or red nape of head. It was virtually at the top of the dead tree trunk and I noticed that it was poking its beak continuously into the same hole. It was hard to see as it was round at the side a bit, so I think I’ll try and look for it some time from the other side of the river. In fact, I’ve discovered I can see these trees from my flat with my stronger binoculars!