Set fare

The spell of harsh weather forced many of the birds on the Carr to drop their normal cautious nature and allow closer approach. This first pictured was one of ten to twenty birds finishing off the last of the Hawthorn berries.

Although I've always found that Fieldfare are much more gregarious when they are on the ground and will wander up to you, perhaps distracted by all that listening for movement in the earth below. These latter pictures were taken from my hide (car) at Cambois (Cammis) as the bird hunted for worms on a roadside verge.

My presence didn't exactly go without notice though. A cold Scandinavian stare to go with the cold Scandinavian weather we've had of late. Perhaps it's because the hide is bright (if it were clean) blue.

It's always nice to see the full range of colours in the bird given the benefits of a bit of sunlight.

A bird in the hand.....

......is worth food in the mush. Met a Wren (Chris) feeding a Robin yesterday afternoon. This little chap is straight onto you when you get past the flagpole on the bumpy road. The territory is between two gates and he will follow you even if you put food on the posts for 'him', as he seems to prefer taking food from the hand. He even landed on a neighbours arm and plucked at her jacket. My offerings up to now have been suet treats but thinking he may need some variation I headed off with a mix of sunflower hearts, seed and sultanas. Of course he had already been fed mealworms and turned his beak up at the basic offering. The post where I leave food had also been usurped with Willow Tit, Great Tit and Dunnock all benefitting. Other Robins in the area are more cautious and whilst getting close won't make that leap of faith and probably a good thing too. Indeed the Robin across the road ignores all offerings preferring the unseen bounty that lies on top of the ice in the frozen ditches.

These are now beginning to thaw and a brief sighting proved the Barn Owl had survived the tumult and was hunting the area where HP feeds his ducks. I then waited for an hour and a half in beautiful sunshine for another sighting but none came. At one stage it was almost balmy but as the sun set and the wind gained strength the chill returned. Just to spite me, the momment the sun had reached the clouded horizon out came a Short eared Owl.

After a short flight or two it perched up and eventually the cold got through me and I returned home  leaving it to an evenings hunting.

Ear ear

A brief if pleasant sighting and a year tick earlier this week for Long eared Owl before it disappeared back into the relative warmth of the woods.

Garden Willow

Feeders still attracting good numbers of birds with the first visit this year of a Willow Tit who spent much of yesterday in the garden. I wasn't too impressed this lunchtime though when nine Woodpigeons turned up instead of my normal pair.

Reed Bunting number four with three males and one female making the journey over the back fence and the weekend saw a solitary Yellowhammer who seemed a bit puzzled by all the commotion and flew straight off.

Nice to see three Tree Sparrows which is my first multiple count for some time. Between 2000-2005 I used to get a regular flock but recent times have been sparse.

Breakdown

It's blue Monday and I feel like having one. Constant hassle and problems however the title actually refers to birds which as the bad weather bites means their need for food allows closer access. My favourite Kestrel let me walk right under her, something she normally never does and old Bully gave me stare rather than the elusive call from the back of a bush.

In the garden the poor Robin has almost given up trying to defend his patch from allcomers and numbers of birds visiting means feeders need topping up at mid day. If the snow would stop I may even get some more pics!

Same bird?

Typical. I get the Christmas card shot a month too late. That's why none of you got one! I'm sure this is the same bird that was taking food from the hand two years ago. When I approached it instantly flew into the tree next top me about six foot from my face and gave me that look. As I took the shot he flew toward me as if to land but returned to the branch. Unfortunately all I had was the remnants of a Pork Pie (don't ask) so he got some nice fatty pastry crust but didn't seem that keen. Now my pockets are charged with suet treats every time I wander down but fear that a routine would mean the bird relying on visits.

The initial joy of seeing a Barn Owl has faded with the continued snowfall and now I fear it will go the same way as those before although most birds seem to be finding food at the moment.

On Wednesday the ditches were alive with Wrens on the ice and this one popped up in the sun to look for bugs on a gate post.

Previous to this I had flushed a Snipe from the ditch side and unusuallly it dropped back into the ditch 70 yards further on rather than heading skyward suggesting it may have been a Jack Snipe but I couldn't re-locate it for proof.

Looking through the days shots I enlarged this as the bird had appeared to regurgitate feed but no vole to be seen although spy the leg. Looks like a ring to me. Possibly one of the birds ringed by Ade early last year or the return of the bird I first blogged for 'a landing post' on 23rd November 2011.

Snowy owls

It's been twenty days and two long years since you winged your way past me (sorry Sinead) but tonight finally a Barn Owl hunting en patch. Not one seen in 2011 or 2012 after the Prestwick pair met their demise in the harsh winter of 2010/11. The snowy ghost flew wide hunting circles around the area not concentrating on any one field like the Short eared Owls.

I took a few shots but as you can see they were all distant and noisy exposures but who cares....Barnie is back. Eventually it seemed to kill as did a nearby Kestrel who took the prey up into a tree. A few moments later the yackering call of the Kestrel as the Barn Owl tried to pinch the meal. I normally find  its the other way round as I have seen at Cresswell and this study in America suggests with Shorties. Anyway, I was happy and reflecting on the six months spent last year watching many owls without one Barn Owl and then, on the way back.

A shot I know many waited for but never got. A Short eared Owl finally on that wretched trailer in front of the gate. It don't rain but it snows.