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An individual, of no great importance, who is unable to see the natural world as a place for competition. I catch fish, watch birds, derive immense pleasure from simply looking at butterflies, moths, bumble-bees, etc - without the need for rules! I am Dylan and this is my blog - if my opinions offend? Don't bother logging on again - simple!

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Friday 16 March 2018

March - on time

The weather forecasters are at it again? "Beast from the East II", no less, due to cause total chaos - just not too sure exactly where, or when, as yet! Look out of the window and see if it's snowing; might be a prudent option, tomorrow, before deciding where to go and what to do. It was showing 13C on the car display, this afternoon, yet will fall to -3C over the weekend, if the forecasts are to be trusted. How can that, fake tanned, buffoon, claim there is no evidence of climate change? It's March, the Spring solstice fast approaching, the daylight hours lengthening perceivably, as the evenings extend past 17.00 hrs. The first Sand Martins and Wheatears are already being reported, thus genuine Spring migrants, to be confronted by absolute climate mayhem.

The first Chaffinch of the year, in the garden. Scratching about on the patio and below the feeders, coinciding with a
a decent movement of the species at Sandwich Bay and North Foreland.
There has certainly been a subtle change in the visitors to the garden feeding station, as the daylight increases, and the first Buzzard movements have been seen. Spring is happening, despite (or is that in spite?) of the weather. A Grey Wagtail over, as I fed the aviary, a flurry of Linnets, the odd Meadow Pipit, Song Thrushes (plural) in the garden hedge - sure signs of the changing seasons. Daylight being far more important than temperature when triggering a reaction from our avian friends.

I'm confident that there'll be better images than this as the Spring migration gets underway.
The first Lesser Black-backed Gull was back at the Pyson's Road Industrial Estate, breeding site, on 8th March, it's mate turning up yesterday! There are eight pairs, usually, so I expect the others to arrive shortly.  House Sparrows continue to dominate the feeding station, with regular counts of 50+. The males are starting to moult into their breeding finery, a joy to be able to watch them from the kitchen door.


6 comments:

  1. Dyl, I noted a near total over night clear out of the massive number of Blackbirds (23 max count) at the back of my place. There appears to be just one pair remaining, so easy to work out that the others have migrated. The only question is, migrated to where?

    I'm aware some are just near local birds, but others could be from much further afield. I once read about a Blackbird whose breeding territory was somewhere in the north, or was it Norfolk? but spent the winter 200 miles away down south. Turns out it flipped from one spot to another as the seasons changed.

    I for one had one proven winter returned bird. This particular individual seemed tame. It certainly liked sultanas. He appeared at the tail end of last winter for about two weeks. This time he arrived much earlier.
    It's a strange feeling to walk into the garden and have a mass of birds fly away from you, and have one fly towards you at the same time.
    I'll send you a pic of the chap demanding to be fed.

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    1. Those Blackbirds may have just been avoiding the onset of this latest bout of hard weather, thus the clearout being more to do with survival than the need to migrate back to some, unknown, breeding territory? I'll check the e-mail for your pic later - all the best - Dyl

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  2. Are you saying that you believe in climate change, I must admit that I don't, I would of said that the current weather (it's snowing here on Sheppey as I write) was fairly normal March weather.

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    1. You must be using very blinkered logic to ignore the obvious fact, backed up by vast amounts of data, gathered from around the globe, that our climate is changing much faster than just because of the natural order. Man's pollution of the atmosphere has led to this increased occurrence of extreme weather conditions. I know the UK had an Ice Age, I witnessed the winter of 1963 and the drought of 1976, but I also remember there being very distinct seasons, not just the continuous grey skies, with two weeks of sunshine which now constitutes summer. Snow in March is nothing unusual, but following on from a day when temperatures were well in double figures is yet another manifestation of our unstable climate. Extensive flooding in Asia, record numbers of hurricanes in the South Atlantic, snow in Florida - I could go on. To deny climate change is like clinging to the notion that the sun revolves around the earth! Take care - Dyl

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  3. Replies
    1. No worries - we're all allowed opinions? - Dyl

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