FROZEN COATE WATER!

 

Having enjoyed my walk around Coate Water a couple of days ago, I thought I'd revisit. I was glad I had added some extra clothing layers as it was bitterly cold, despite the welcome sunshine. The dip

in temperatures had caused much of the large lake to freeze over since my previous visit, and there were groups of gulls, swans and geese standing motionless on the ice. The ducks, however, preferred to swim on the non-frozen areas in close flocks. 

I walked the opposite way round the lake today, wondering if I'd be able to add any more birds to my year total. I inspected the gulls more closely; it was somewhat easier to discern leg colour when they were standing on the ice and today I picked out lesser black backed gulls, on the main part of the lake, and a few common gulls at the far end. 

At the feeding area, I was firstly alone but later joined by two others with long lensed cameras, A greater spotted woodpecker was visible high in a tree for a few minutes before flying off and a jay also appeared briefly.   Maybe it would have ventured onto the log with peanuts if there had been less people around. The usual woodland species were taking seed from the fallen tree trunk. I decided to retrace my steps and return the way I had come, as someone mentioned that they'd seen a goosander near the bridge and siskins in front of the bird hide. 

No goosanders were around, so I took the path towards the hide, the hide, of course,  was closed, but there was viewing from the side and I stood close to the hide itself to watch what came to the feeders. The lake in front of the hide was completely frozen...and empty.... but the feeders were attracting plenty of smaller birds such as blue tit, great tit long tailed tit,  and below them,  a couple of robins and a dunnock. A female greater spotted woodpecker suddenly flew onto the peanut feeder and stayed around for some time. At one point it froze still...a sign that another woodpecker might be in the area, and in fact  not one but two more woodpeckers arrived-I couldn't discern if male or females, but after a bit of movement higher up in the trees, they both left. No siskins this time either! 

canada geese with gulls on the ice

geese on the bank with ice in the background

two common gulls

common gull - a new species for the year

the only photo I could get of the jay

female greater spotted woodpecker

COATE WATER WINTER WALK

 

I've not visited Coate Water Country park for a while, though it lies in the Borough of Swindon. However, being a sunny, but still bitterly cold day, I decided to drive over there after lunch today. The carpark was not too busy, being a weekday but there seemed quite a few families around, particularly near the cafe where flocks of feral pigeons congregate along with swans, ducks and gulls, hoping for  food from visitors, which they continually seem to get! 

I took the path to the west of the large lake, past the island and pitch and putt course, through an avenue of trees down to  Broome Manor Lane. The resident black swan  seemed to be missing although it was seen a few days ago and apart from some small groups of canada geese and more gulls there wasn't a lot to see. However, turning left onto the footpath, and back into the wooded area, I came  to  a bird feeding area with a bird table and a couple of benches. It had obviously been tidied up  over recent months and now was a pleasant area to sit and watch. On arrival a greater spotted woodpecker was on the  coconut feeder but flew off and didn't return. Members of the tit family were visiting regularly (apart from coal tit); blue tit, great tit, long tailed tit and two marsh tits. Also a couple of nuthatches, who were the only species that seemed to stay long enough to get a photo, the others were in and out   very quickly. A large nearby fallen tree trunk had been 'baited' with seed and during my visit a group of children came along and emptied small bags of birdfood at different spot on the log.  Someone  else also came past and, seeing my camera and binoculars, informed me that recently some siskins had been feeding in that area, on the ground,  but although I looked out for them, there were none seen. After watching for some time, it seemed to be getting colder so I got up and walked the remaining distance back to the car. I noticed a single pochard amongst the gulls and swans ( new for year) and searched for any common gulls but   couldn't see one of those today. 

robin

blue tit on coconut

nuthatch

great tit

nuthatch (again)

marsh tit

dunnock

 bird feeding area

on the right there was a fallen trunk, which had been baited  with bird seed along the top

going...

...going...

...gone (almost!)

pochard

NIGHTINGALE WOOD

 After the large amount of recent rainfall and the increase in numbers of people going for walks, it's hard to find somewhere that has paths that aren't covered in inches of mud. 

Today, however, I did find somewhere; only four miles from home lies a fairly new  woodland known as Nightingale wood. There is a reasonable sized car park, and a network of  paths which are well made. It is frequented by dog walkers, and also families, as there are areas which contain elements which make up a 'trim trail'. However, I have seldom found it busy and so chose to  visit for the first time this lockdown.

In the past I have seen bullfinches there and there are known to be redpolls though I have yet to find one! There used to be a bird hide but I noticed today that it had been taken down and there just remained the wooden base. In fact I didn't see many birds at all until I returned to the car park where a bird feeder  is situated a few metres from a picnic bench. This was  attracting a continual flurry of tits - great tits, blue tits, long tailed tits and coal tits. It's good to know there is somewhere you can go without having to squelch through mud, and no doubt regular visits would yield a few more bird species.

Back home I was please to have a brief visit to my own garden feeders from a male blackcap. Not a regular species but one I see from time to time. Hopefully it will return. 

GARDEN BIRDWATCH 2021

 I usually reserve Saturday morning of the Big Garden Birdwatch for an hour's bird recording from my breakfast room window. It was raining hard first thing, so I delayed my start until nearly 1030 a.m. It  was still raining at that point but I noticed a number of goldfinches were on the sunflower heart feeders ( six in total). A  blackbird was also feeding on the apples that I had thrown out on the grass for them, 

After several minutes most of the goldfinch flock flew off, leaving a solitary individual, who after a while flew off too. 

In the bushes behind my feeding station, I noticed some movement, and a dunnock and a blue tit appeared; the dunnock was feeding from the dropped seeds on the gravel underneath the feeders, whilst the blue tit preferred the suet block. A second dunnock then flew down to the bird table ( an old singer sewing machine table) whilst a robin perched nearby for a moment before flying off again,

By 10.40 I had seen a third dunnock and there were three wood pigeons resting in the nearby tree. I noticed a crow further up the garden feeding on a fat ball, which I suspect it had removed from the bird table where I had put it earlier. Over the next half and hour there was a steady influx of birds, in ones and twos, including house sparrows, blue tits, a great tit and blackbird and a return of  one goldfinch whch fed steadily from the sunflower hearts.

Only nine species and thirty birds, but a  realistic reflection of my regular garden visitors. 

blackbird 3 bluetit 2 dunnock 3 wood pigeon 6 robin 1 carrion crow 2 goldfinch 6 house sparrow 6 great tit 1

SNOWFALL AT STANTON PARK

 

Yesterday we had our first  proper snowfall this winter; it was snowing  when I pulled back the curtains and it came down quite heavily for a while until gradually petering out  mid-morning.  I measured it as 2.5 inches. The sun came out and thawed it a little  and the snow had soon all but disappeared from the trees though lay on the grass still. I had filled the bird feeders in readiness and threw out some apples hoping to attract fieldfares or redwings but only blackbirds took advantage of this feast.  However, I did notice a pair of greenfinches visiting the feeders,  which I've not seen for several months. 

This morning there was a bit of a frost then the sun shone brightly for most of the day. I headed out to Stanton Park after lunch, having spent the morning teaching on line; the snow was an appropriate finish to a topic on 'What can you see in winter?'  whereby the books were filled with pictures of snow and snowman despite the fact we had not had any snow this winter so far! 

At Stanton park the carpark  was mainly compacted snow, but not too slippery thankfully.  Not many people were around as |I made for the usual bird feeding stations and emptied some seeds and peanuts out for the birds. Conveniently at one  bird table, there was a snow covered log which had been placed there for photgraphic purposes, so I topped it up with snow and waited a little further back.

As expected there was a flurry of bird species, including five members of the tit family; great tit, coal tit,  blue tit, long tailed tit and marsh tit, together with  two nuthatches , five robins, blackbirds, dunnock and chaffinch all keen to get a meal. 

I did not have long today, so after watching and taking a few photographs, I headed round the other side of the lake and returned to the car. 

SOME MORE LOCAL BIRDING

 

It appears that our freedom is about to be severely restricted from tonight but I  drove over to a local reserve ten minutes away this morning to look for ducks!  Pit 127 near Whelford is where a ring necked duck has been staying recently though I have been unsuccessful at locating it, chiefly because the tufted ducks with which it associates are generally too far distant to be able  to pinpoint the beak markings which distinguishes it. 

However, I noticed on my last visit that this lake also held a variety of other ducks so  with a new year list at hand, I thought I would make a revisit.  I parked in the usual Whelford Pools carpark and started to follow the muddy path. A sound in the top of a tree grabbed my attention and I looked up to find a  greater spotted woodpecker. With a green woodpecker in my garden regularly feasting on apples, that's both common woodpeckers already ticked off already this year!  Coming out into a clearing I met someone coming in the opposite direction with binoculars in hand. A short conversation with him ensued, during which he asked if  I had seen the goosanders on the area of water behind me. I hadn't, of course, so picked my way through some broken branches to get a clearer view, and saw around  five or six males and females. Having just grabbed a record shot, too poor to be included in this blog,  something disturbed them and they all flew off together.

On enquiring about the ring necked duck, I was told it was seen yesterday but  from the opposite side of the lake, which would also give me better views of the other ducks. He explained how to get there by turning left further up the road and following the road almost to its end and parking by a gate. I decided to head there straightaway, and although I  didn't see the ring necked duck (again!), there were  plenty of whistling wigeon, together with tufted ducks, some sleepy teal, mallards and shoveler, also canada and greylag geese. In  the hedges near to the car, I saw a party of long tailed tits and a few redwings and fieldfares. 

A MURKY START TO 2021

 

A frosty start to New Year's Day with some light snow for a while made it feel like it was definitely winter. The temperature never rose above 2 degrees all day. With tier 4 restrictions in place, much of my new year birding will have to be done locally, starting with my own garden. 

During the course of the day, I saw most of the usual visitors, including  dunnocks ( four of them was a high tally for my garden), robin, great tit, blue tits, crow, blackbirds, starlings, goldfinches, wood pigeons and house sparrows.  I also had a first fieldfare of the winter in my garden, feasting on the fallen apples. In the early afternoon I headed out to   Stanton Country Park for a walk in the fresh air and to add a few more species to my new year list. The feeding stations seem to be regularly topped up at the moment, though some of the food looks at bit odd-- I'm sure there were balls of stuffing there today!!  I have found that the woodland birds have a preference for peanuts so I usually take some with me to add to the tables. After putting a few out, I waited and was able to add coal tit and marsh tit, ( but no nuthatch)  as well as a tree creeper and chaffinch.  I could also hear and see jackdaws high up in the trees. 

On the lake which was nearly completely frozen over, were clustered a few mallards and swans with a few blackheaded gulls. So a day's total of 18. 

(photos from yesterday)