Linnets in the oak tree on the Long Pads.
The colder weather has encouraged the linnets to return to Fairfield in numbers.
On Thursday 21 Oct there were 83 linnets around and we have restarted the feeding programme established last year by Dan Haywood and LDBWS
First, a song thrush singing in the Orchard.
In Pony Wood these two young magpies were waiting for an adult to feed them.
This juvenile lapwing was by the Flora middle pond both in the morning and again in the evening yesterday.
This oystercatcher flew in for a wash and brush-up and a drink in the evening last night.
Look out for Dan’s winter bird count and Rob Zlock’s diptera survey on the website. Now follow the link to the surveys directly from the home page.
This great spotted woodpecker was hopping around the branches in Pony Wood collecting insects.
This hare was in Flora Field.
This song thrush was shuttling between the ponds in Flora Field and its nest in the hedge at the eastern edge of the field.
The new ponds in Flora Field are proving very good for observing birds which have included swallows, house martins, house sparrows, thrushes, meadow pipits, grey and pied wagtails as well as oystercatchers, ducks and geese.
This house martin was repeatedly returning to the water’s edge to collect mud for nest building. The swallows were also using the new pond in Flora Field.
By Alder Pond there were two moorhen with young.
By one of the new ponds in the Arable field there was a mistle thrush and also a swallow.
Four swallows were overflying the arable crop. Also, a chiffchaff was singing in an ash tree in Little Wood.
Four hares seen in Flora Field by the hedge near the oak tree.
The linnets are acquiring their breeding plumage.
Looking into Upper Sowerholme from a garden, I saw a chiffchaff singing away.
Also on the border between the Aldcliffe Road gardens and Upper Sowerholme was a bullfinch.
Then walking round to Pony Wood there was a swallow over the Arable Field, a reed bunting by the path and the two oystercatchers were sunning themselves in the field.
Then in Pony Wood box P2 was being occupied by two blue tits, both went inside.
In addition, the linnets were continuing to feed on the bird tables.
Ploughing of the Flora Field took place on Good Friday.
A couple of stock doves (which nest in Pony Wood) took advantage of the bare earth (one shown).
Then the crop of barley undersown with pea was sown on Easter Saturday.
Finally, a group of six of us sowed the bird-friendly mix (to feed the birds next winter) and some cornflower seeds into the crop itself.