Hedgeland Tales: Reed Bunting

Thursday, 10 March 2011

Sunny garden birds

What a difference a bit of sun makes! For the past few days, if not weeks, the sun has been quite `shy` to say the least, but over the past few days the sun has been shining and the world has seemed a slightly better place.

The photo`s below were taken in my little back garden in Peterborough and whilst the number of species isn`t great, I think the detail shown in the photo`s is pretty pleasing. Ofcourse, the fact that the sun is shining helps with the light!

Goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis)

It is hard to believe that 25 years ago the Goldfinch was a rare visitor to gardens in Britain, but now, with the availability of feeders aimed at them (the nyjer seed feeders), they are quite a common sight across the country. This is a gorgeous looking bird that is also known locally as the `Redcap`, for obvious reasons.

Blue Tit (Parus caeruleus)

Reed Bunting (Emberiza schoeniclus)

Chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs)

All photo`s digiscoped using Lumix FS15 and Kowa TSN-883 x30

Thursday, 23 December 2010

This weather is `Snow` joke!

Spare a thought for our feathered friends during one of the coldest Decembers in recent times. At the moment I am being eaten out of house and home by the large numbers of wild birds that are coming to my little garden in search for food! Not that I mind, I hasten to add.

My feeders are kept topped up and I throw plenty of food on the floor especially for the Thrushes and Blackbirds. Equally important as food is fresh water, which the birds drink and also bathe in, yes you heard correctly, bathe! They do this to keep their feathers in tip top condition which helps them get through the cold nights. Birds have to eat an astonishing amount to keep their fat reserves topped up, even more so in this `extreme` weather that the whole of the U.K. is experiencing, so I urge you all, please feed the birds.