Blackbirds and White Blossoms

After such a slow start to spring, we finally have a spurt of growth and some flowers in the garden.  The first screaming Swifts were back in Rathdrum a week ago, 5 birds careering low over the main street.  Nesting is in earnest now with a Robin sitting tight in an open fronted nestbox on an ivy covered Hawthorn tree and Blue Tits building in a new box, replacing one that literally fell apart.

Snowy Mespilus: before the wind got it! (c.OOS)

After a lawn mowing session, (an unfortunate side effect of fresh growth in the garden) I watched two male Blackbirds forage for worms, in relatively close proximity.  This went fine for a short while. I reckon the ready availability of prey after mowing allows the Blackbirds territorial guard to drop somewhat, despite the likelihood of both birds having females on nests nearby.

Keeping an eye on prey and a competitor (c.OOS)

However the bird with the tail up is agitated and comes closer to investigate, retaining its alert posture before loosing patience and chasing off the unwelcome 'intruder'.

Getting closer! (c.OOS)

Its not surprising that the Blackbirds cross each others paths: we had up to 15 birds through winter and many of these seemed to remain around the garden to breed: the afternoon and evening song of Blackbirds echos around, surely one of the most pleasant experiences at this time of the year.

That's close enough, be off! (c.OOS)

Grounded Migrants

Willow Warbler, grounded. (c.OOS)

Its nearly 10 days ago now, but the first wave of warm southerly winds brought rain and mist, and with it quite a few migrant birds waiting to complete their north bound seasonal journey.

This is usually most noticable on the coast, on headlands or offshore islands where the sudden local change in bird populations has long attracted students of migration to witness the sometimes huge falls of migrants. It's 

great to get even a thin slice of this action, inland and out of the way in county Wicklow.. and so it was.. the wet, dew covered lawn was hopping with Willow Warblers, one of our commonest migrants.  It's interesting that a bird closely associated with feeding in trees such as willows, will forage on open ground.. I wonder is there an easy insect food source to be found in the saturated grass?  A day later they had retreated to the tree cover, well hidden and only identifiable by that lovely twittering cascade of notes, a true sound of spring.

Willow Warbler: up close.. note the pale legs and feet,mustardy coloured (c. M. Finn)


So much for grounded migrants. .. we had a few grounded mammals in too: 

Sika Deer  young and mum? (c.OOS)

Always a pretty sight, Sika deer also annoy in equal measure: they browse young trees and shrubs as well as break branches, seemingly for fun.. Knowing their capacity for food, I was still surprised to see a young animal descend on the seed feeder, the 'no more mess' mix is obviously attractive to them! 
  

Sika Feeder: no more mess! (c.OOS)

                                                                                

Migrants and spring displays, at last..

It is surely only a matter of a few days now before we record our first spring migrants?  Chiffchaff, Willow Warbler and Swallow are all overdue, though already there has been a scattering of records from the coast. Overall I would say we are a good two or three weeks behind 'schedule', and the plants are too..

Male Blackcap on the Apples (c.OOS)

There's still lots of interest around the garden though: Siskins are ever present, characteristically clinging upside down to the peanut feeders.  This is a peak month with us for Siskins. We had passage of Redwings on freshly ploughed stubble fields, just for one day and a male Blackcap made it on to the spiked apple.. heretofore we only recorded Blackbirds and Blue Tits on this food source, Blackcaps only visit this garden in summer, usually well hidden but singing consistently and breeding locally.  My guess is that this particular bird has arrived from southern Europe, starving, judging by its feeding behaviour.  It fed voraciously for most of the day on a large Braeburn Apple and never uttered any note or song on its brief retreats from the food source.  Blackcaps have evolved an intriguing migration strategy whereby the northern European breeding population winter in Ireland and our own breeding population winter in Africa before returning to us in April.

There's more bird song from the members of the Tit family and unruly challenges around the feeders from mobs of Great and Coal Tits.. The former have a habit of forming a loose maul of five or six birds that chase through the hedgerow, actually making group contact with one or more unfortunate individuals.  Robins, Greenfinches and Blackbirds are noticably more vocal now, so every bird appears anxious to move on to the new season!

I think we're compatible! (c. OOS)

Much more controlled and stylish is the courtship display of a pair of Pheasants.  The male is like a matador, stalking along side the female, wing stretched and arched towards her, as well as the tail. (lateral display)  

This is my good side! (c.OOS)

The wattles and ear tufts on the head are fully extended and every shade and colour of the plumage is pitched to have maximum appeal and effect.. and the response is.. quiet disinterest, for the moment anyway! 

Must go! (c.OOS)

Nesting on hold..

I haven't noticed too much interest, so far, in the five nestboxes scattered around the house and garden: two are for tit species, two aimed at Robins or Wren, and one Sparrow terrace, recently acquired from BirdWatch Ireland and sporting a slate roof.


The garden is of course stuffed with birds: alll the winter flocks and variety are still present, not surprising really given the winter showers of sleet and snow that are persisting for the last week and forecast into next..  

Great Tits in a snowstorm (c.OOS)

Haven't yet heard a spring migrant up this way, though I was fortunate enough to meet with a spring 'fall' of Chiffchaffs on Cape Clear Island, earlier this week.  We counted about 70 or more in our walk around the western end of the island, there may have been hundreds present if the whole island is taken into account. Their behaviour was most interesting: foraging along the ground and in the grass or field layer, despite the presence of a fairly rich shrub and tree layer on west Corks famous bird island.  

Other migrants present included about 20 Wheatears, 2 Ring Ouzels and a half dozen Blackcaps.  One wonders how many of these birds are in fact destined for an Irish summer, or staging en route to other northern European destinations.  A Black Redstsrt was an interesting passage bird, undoubtedly staging and there were a couple of reports elsewhere this week: at BirdWatch Irelands HQ in Kilcoole and another one logged in Redcross, Co Wicklow.   This is after a winter when you couldn't find one for love nor money!

Black Redstart, Redcross (c.R. Heaney)

Sound birds

I had noticed how 'scarce' Wrens are with us through recent winters and was keen to make sure we weren't coming to a hasty conclusion without reflecting on circumstances:  They are not really bird feeder regulars anyway.. much less so than other insectivorous species such as Robin and Dunnock, which pitch in to avail of scraps, peanuts, fat balls and seed, especially Robins.  However, the perception and proof after a few hard winters and indifferent springs, is that they suffered.

Wren in the flower pots (c.OOS)

I only recorded a single Wren on last winters Garden Bird Survey on three separate weeks out of a possible 13.. So, how pleased I was to meet with one, first thing this morning, shuffling around the plant pots, not three feet from where I sipped an early morning coffee. No doubt the attraction was the fall off from the peanut feeder mounted on the patio door directly above the pots.. Sometimes it pays to be a little untidy and let nature take care of the scraps!

No sooner than I grabbed a hasty pic than I heard a second Wren give a blast of that fast, loud, arresting song, no mistaking that!

Wren in song (c. John Fox)

Wrens are recorded as one of our most widespread species on the Countryside Bird Survey, which monitors the fortunes of our breeding birds.. Present in over 95% of  the 1km. survey squares and at a reasonably high density averaging 15 birds per square. My best count on the CBS was of 33  birds, no doubt all singing ( I probably didn't see more than one or two), recorded on my Avoca 1 km square which has lots of lush village gardens and woodland. 

So what appears to be a shy and retiring, small brown bird really comes to the fore once that song blasts out.. a most effective communication tool , and don't dare write Wrens off until you listen for them!  In another month  I will be recording Wrens on my Avoca CBS square.. it will be interesting to compare counts from previous years.

(c. John Fox)

Review of the Garden Bird Survey

The 13 week survey period certainly rocked along: It was a pretty average out turn for us , not without its highlights though and it brought a total of 30 species to the garden since last December.

Most abundant, and consistent visitor was Chaffinch, up to 29 of them, but no Brambling, which we half expected to record in the flock. The next most abundant bird was Coal Tit, with a peak of 16 in week two - the highest numbers were at the beginning of the season in December.  Blackbirds  are always fun to watch, patrolling the open areas: a peak of 12 was recorded in week one and we never recorded less than 6 in a week.

Male Blackbird: cold weather brought them close to the feeding station (c.OOS)

We missed Redpoll, so far this season, though we are hopeful of March movements and Siskins only visited on one week so far.  So, the Nyjer seed was left for Goldfinches to look after: peak count of 6, last week.

Long tailed Tits were perhaps the cutest visitor, appearing in the last five weeks of the survey, just when it got cold!

Long tailed Tit (c.OOS)

What a difference a tail makes! (c.OOS)

Jay and Pheasant put in full 13 week shifts in our garden, but the one woodlander that has eluded us so far is the Great spotted Woodpecker.. something to look forward to next time out!

Jay (c.OOS)

What's the attraction?

The star bird of the garden has got to be the Goldfinch: Surely they would be on nearly every desert island list..They usually visit us in ones and twos, and not as regularly or as abundant as in some gardens.   They are of course one of the top performers of the Garden Bird Survey. From a position of 26th in the survey standings back in winter 1994/1995, they have come all the way up to 8th position in the rankings and now occur in 86% of GBS gardens.

Goldfinch: star quality on the move (cOOS)

 So what's the attraction to gardens?  The fine beaked finch is traditionally associated with weed seeds and thistles in particular.  We understand that weeds and marginal space where they thrive are no longer to be found as part of more efficient, modern agricultural practices.  So how have Goldies coped?  By taking to gardens and the offerings on feeders such as peanuts and sunflower seeds, they have joined their close relations, Siskins and Redpolls.  They are also perfectly adapted to exploit the growing popularity of providing Nyjer seed in specialised garden feeders.   Nyjer seed is an extremely fine, black oily seed that was originally marketed as 'thistle seed'.

Nyjer seed is taken from the plant Guizotia abyssinica, an annual herb of the Aster family, and native to the Ethiopian Highlands.  The plant is likely to sprout from seed where birds are fed regularly: it has daisy like flowers, bright yellow in appearance.

Have Nyjer.. will visit! (c.OOS)