feeding frenzy

A bitterly cold night should have meant plenty of action around the feeders this morning, but stocks had run dry and it was just lucky I had a bag of mixed seed in my bag.

Within minutes it was mayhem. Three Grey Squirrels took the lion’s share but a visiting Great Spotted Woodpecker got a look in, and stayed just long enough for me to grab a pic or two.

Too quick for the camera though was a Sparrowhawk strike that nearly reduced the Jackdaw population by one. Unfortunatley for the large female sprawk, every corvid in the park came to the rescue and the lucky victim narrowly escaped during the scrum.

Todays Roll call: Great Crested Grebe (1), Grey Heron (6), Mute Swan (1), Canada Goose (20+), Teal (7), Mallard (23), Pochard (3), Tufted Duck (13), Goosander (5), Pheasant (1), Coot (10+), Lapwing (3), Blackheaded Gull (100+), Sparrowhawk (1), Wood Pigeon (130+), Stock Dove (3), Kingfisher (2), Green Woodpecker (1), Great Spotted Woodpecker (5), Wren (2), Dunnock (1), Robin (2), Blackbird (20+), Mistle Thrush (1), Song Thrush (1), Redwing (1),  Coal Tit (2), Blue Tit (4), Great Tit (6), Nuthatch (3), Jay (3), Jackdaw (100+), Rook ( 75+), Carrion Crow (5), Chaffinch (2)

hundred up

A typically brief encounter with a Woodcock this morning took my total number of bird species recorded at Bretton to one hundred. I don’t know which one of us was the more terrified as my right foot nearly squashed the invisible snoozing wader. By the time I’d regained my composure the bird was half way to the horizon –  so not even a record shot I’m afraid.

One of the three remaining Mute Swan cygnets on Upper Lake

Great Crested Grebe on Upper Lake

It was back to normal on the de-iced lakes and a dose of bright sunshine for an hour almost hinted at winter’s demise, but despite noting two separate pairs of Collared Doves nest building this week, it’s far from over.

Blue Tit by the Upper Lake hide

Tufted Ducks on Upper Lake

Todays Roll call: Great Crested Grebe (2), Grey Heron (2), Mute Swan (5), Mallard (15), Pochard (4), Tufted Duck (9), Moorhen (1), Coot ( 6), Blackheaded Gull (50+), Wood Pigeon (30+), Kingfisher (2), Great Spotted Woodpecker (2), Wren (2), Robin (2), Blackbird (25+), Mistle Thrush (1), Redwing (4), Long-tailed Tit (8+), Coal Tit (2), Blue Tit (6), Great Tit (6), Nuthatch (4), Treecreeper (1), Jay (2), Magpie (2), Jackdaw (30+), Rook ( 45+), Carrion Crow (3), Chaffinch (4), Goldfinch (3), Siskin (80+)

frozen out

Plummeting temperatures had succeeded in freezing over both lakes. All but a handful of hardy Mallards and the swan family had disappeared. A steady stream of winter thrushes overhead and the distant sound of drumming woodpeckers were this mornings only highlights.

       Top: Lower Lake from Cascade Bridge        Above: European Robin         Below: Upper Lake from Bath Wood

goldie

Unfortunately Goldfinches are not regular visitors to the feeders yet but they are frequently encountered around the sheep fields and horse paddocks bordering the park.

Small flocks or ‘charms’ roam the rough pasture land in search of weed seeds at this time of year,  sometimes hooking up with Redpolls and Siskins to exploit the lakeside alder mast.

bullfinch

Although plentiful throughout the park Bullfinches are notoriously difficult to get close to. However during spells of bitterly cold weather they will occasionally take the easy option and show up at peanut feeders.

This bird was able to collect crumbs from the edge of a feeder without alighting - expertly hovering just long enough to grab a beakful.

waxwings

Several flocks of these itinerant raiders are on the loose in the county at the moment. Usually to be found in town and city centres they can nevertheless turn up just about anywhere as they roam around in search of the next rowan berry cache.

Whilst not strictly within the boundaries of Bretton, these birds almost certainly overflew the park hence their inclusion, though they won’t make my official list – poised as it is right now!