Garden encounters

Benno and I spent Boxing Day morning at the C&DAA Trenley Park fishery where, as is par for the course, we enjoyed a brilliant social session without being troubled by any hooked fish! Having already got plans in place for a return to the Stour, in the New Year, I am quite happy to leave it until the holiday period is over before getting the kit back in the van. So it is rather fortunate that the garden feeding stations are able to provide ample entertainment whilst I wait. Foxes have returned to the garden, although haven't got into any specific pattern of visiting. They (it?) certainly aren't as confiding as my previous regular client. It was 17.30 hrs, yesterday, when it was first seen yet it has not returned tonight and it's well after 22.00 hrs. Probably the most interesting, nocturnal, sighting was of a Hedgehog at the fox bowl on 23rd December, although not since.

Birds provide the bulk of my wildlife fix with good numbers of House Sparrows (50+), Goldfinches (20 - ish) and Rose-ringed Parakeets (max count of 14) all visiting the hanging feeders on a daily basis. The back-up crew are an odd mix of Blackbirds (including a couple of "continental" types), Great & Blue Tits, a male Chaffinch, a Robin, several Dunnocks, Collared Doves and, of course, the ubiquitous Herring Gulls. 

The Robin feeding under the sunflower heart feeder, a Hedgehog house behind.

"Continental" Blackbird - a first year male with typical dark bill and contrasting
greater coverts above un-moulted primaries & secondaries.

There seems to be a young Common Buzzard hanging around the Newlands area and I'm fairly sure it is roosting in Ramsgate Cemetery? Good numbers of mixed "corvids" and Woodpigeons are scattered around the adjacent farmland with odd Stock Doves and Starlings for company.

Goldfinches are one of those species which have that "ooh!" appeal. Butter wouldn't melt in their beaks? They arrive at the feeding station in tight groups, constantly calling to each other as they pitch down into the top of my garden Elder and Buddleia trees (big bushes). Only when they're on the feeders do you actually see what aggressive little sods they can be. Obviously a self preservation trait, they are constantly bickering whilst at the feeders. With nothing better to do, I spent some time, this morning, attempting to capture some images of the squabbling antics.

My photos won't win any prizes, yet I certainly enjoyed the time spent watching this behaviour. By comparison, the House Sparrows were very sociable when tucking into their grub.

The camera kit is set up at the study doorway in the hope of grabbing some images of the nocturnal visitors. One definite issue is due to the fact that I'm not currently running the MV moth trap and, as a result, can't spot any approaching critters prior to their arrival at the food bowls. A work in progress which will help me through to the New Year, that's for sure.