Window Watch

I was just reading Warren's blog and saw that we were both in the same boat, but for different reasons. He was confined to window birding because of his "man flu" while I, having just about shaken off the virus I brought back from Clitheroe managed to tear a calf muscle getting into the car!

I would appear that Warren beat for species seem, especially as he managed a Moorhen, a bird that doesn't figure on my garden list. The increase in the common finches was maintained with Goldfinches on the feeder right be the window.

As I've said before, water is a guaranteed way of attracting birds and seed eaters like this Greenfinch are always ready for a drink.

One of the finches that still seems uneasy when using feeders is the Chaffinch. May of my feeders are a bit unconventional, because where the plastic perches have been broken (when the feeder blew down in the high winds) or have been victims of the grey Squirrel's vandalism, I've replaced them with 3" screws. I would think that this give a good surface to grip on, and the Green and Gold brigade manage alright. You can see from the amount that this Chaffinch is dropping, why the Pigeons are always on the lawn under the feeders.

I have moved one of the peanut feeders closer to the window and at one point a Great Spot was just above me. It didn't come on the peanuts close to the window and I was a while before I saw it.

It seemed to have found some natural food on the trunk of the Acer down the garden. It was too far the see what it was finding, I presume that there may still be some ants around. While I had the window open I was briefly joined by a large wasp, that I suspected was a queen. It seemed to be aware that I wasn't that happy with it settling by me and left as quickly as it came. I presume that at this time of year they are looking for somewhere to overwinter.

One of the pleasing things is the Starlings are back. I know that they are not everyone's favourites, but I'm always amused and entertained by their antics and with the window open the variety of their calls is always worth listening to. One species that seems to be pretty scarce in the garden at the moment is the House Sparrow. There are a few about, but far fewer that the 30-40 that were regular in the garden few years ago.