During the enforced lockdown of the early Covid-19 pandemic I, along with many of my fellow bloggers, rediscovered the simple pleasures of local wildlife watching. Obviously, by definition, it has very limited scope yet, on occasion, has the potential to deliver enormous pleasure with an occurrence which, under any other circumstances, wouldn't warrant a second glance? The spin off activities from the BWKm0 initiative are now well documented by various noc-mig fans. Moth trapping has also seen a resurgence, certainly amongst the bloggers I regularly follow and for me, it's been garden hedgehogs which have fired up a new avenue of discovery and wonder. Staying local is now the norm and I'm trying to make the best of this predicament.
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| The enjoyment that these creatures have brought into Bev and my lives is difficult to over state. As a distraction from the realities of daily life, these garden visitors are a ray of sunshine. |
Just as in the Spring, raptor movement over Thanet is a gimme in the Autumn. It's all down to geography, certainly nothing to do with habitat provision, that's for sure! Having been on late shifts this past week, has meant that I've been out in the garden sky watching for the majority of the mornings. Meadow Pipits are now becoming a daily feature with odd groups of Siskin passing overhead just to keep me on my toes. Although Kestrel and Sparrowhawk sightings are always welcome, I have to admit that it's their larger cousins that keep me looking skywards. I've probably seen Common Buzzards on a dozen occasions this week, always singles, it's difficult to know which birds are genuine migrants and not wandering locals. In all honesty, I don't really care, it's the thrill of the gulls going up and scanning the skies that makes the moment. That I'm able to do this whilst standing in my back garden just makes it that little bit more special. The following images are all from the garden during the past two mornings - the final one speaks volumes about garden birding.
Dyl, as a ten year old I remember the mild envy felt when a classmate said that in the autumn winds, a Buzzard came over his house. His dad pointed it out saying there used to once breed in the area (NW London). Fifty years on they do again along with Red Kites, Hobbies and Sparrowhawks.
ReplyDeleteBack then, any of those species would have a London Birder punching the air.
Good that they can now again increase their numbers. Though the platform built on a local lake for Ospreys I think a little optimistic.
As a young boy I recall the thrill of seeing Buzzards on roadside fence posts whilst driving down to a holiday destination in Devon or Cornwall. They were, to all intents and purposes, birds of very restricted distribution at that time. I recall seeing odd birds whilst living in Hemel Hempstead, but they were exceptional. I don't know about you? I certainly never saw any whilst fishing on the Tring complex. Three Ospreys and a Marsh Harrier being my reward over the thirteen seasons I spent there.
DeleteTo now have Buzzards attempting to breed just beyond the garden, three pairs of Sparrowhawks, Kestrels and Hobby holding territories within a mile of our front door is wonderful. That we also live directly under a major migration fly way just puts the cherry on the cake!
Ospreys breeding in London? Never say never.