Green days

The clack clack of young Greenfinch begging alerted me to the first brood in my garden this year and nice to see. Other than that the first flush of breeding appears to be over and flocks of Jackdaws, Sparrows and Starlings take over the place at various times during the day. First thing whilst the Sparrows have their communal chirp, the Jackdaws empty any and all feeders which once refilled attract Sparrows feeding fledged young and nestlings. Then the Starlings arrive en masse their favourite time being late afternoon when I’ve had 40-50 bathing, preening and singing in the trees. Other birds are less frequent just passing through for food or with young.

It looks like the female Sparrowhawk has a brood as visits are becoming more frequent. Fortunately the Swallows normally give good warning but last year the wretched bird managed to make my garden ground zero as she taught her young to hunt and my regular birds dispersed to safer places.

Unfortunately due to work and family commitments I’ve had little time for any serious birdwatching but the late nightly trip home from Cramlington has been interesting with Tawny Owl twice on the telegraph poles opposite the Fox Covert Plantation, lots of Bats both over Banks Pond and behind my house, one fox cub, plenty of Rabbits and a near miss with a fire engine! Also got a report of young Tawny Owls by the field edge at Moory Spot so the long days can pay dividends when time is short.

On a serious note, I’ve just had a report that Police turned up this morning looking for a Red pick-up containing men with shovels and dogs possibly involved in Badger baiting. There are plenty of Badgers locally but I don’t know of a sett on the Carr so will keep a wary eye out.