Dung Heap Pipit

I decided to have a walk round Bockhill, including calling in at "Farm Wood" for another look at the Hume's Warbler. there are quite a few piles on dung on the fields, waiting to be spread over the area. On the way down to the farm I stopped to look at a Pipit was was feeding along the top of one of the heaps. 

It was obviously not a Meadow Pipit and although it was quite away from the seashore where they are normally found  it quickly became obvious that it was a Rock Pipit.

The only thing to consider was whether it was a littoralis (Scandinavian) or the usual petrosus,(British).

Although the bird was not as heavily marked as some petrosus  but the lack of grey tones on the head didn't look good for littoralis. 

In the wood there was no sounf of the Hume's Warbler and after a while I was watching a Great Spotted Woodpecker when a Warbler came into vew and moved into a large area of ivy, the usual story for the Hume's Warbler. I did get some better views, although it still stayed silent. Over the next hour and a half  I saw it a couple of times and as I left it became very vocal, but I still failed to get it into focus one my camera.

Change of Diet

I have noticed over the last few weeks that I never see Great Spotted Woodpeckers on the peanut feeders anymore. This is one acting as expected from March 2016. This week each time I've seen a Great Spot feeding it has been on a sun-flower heart feeder. Such has been the wind and light I haven't taken a picture, but I was wondering if this change was widespread, or have the ones feeding in my garden made a unilateral decision to change?

Pecker In a trance

I couldn't resist talking a few pictures from the open window, while birds were coming to drink and eat jsut outside the window. A young Blackbird and a Chaffinch come to drink.

Even more fun is a young Great Spotted Woodpecker. It came down to eat and then, as often happens, it shuffled up the feeder and went into a trance for a frew munutes, before feeding some more, and then coming down to drink. I once walked slowly up to a feeder with a "tranced" Woodpecker on it, and just gently touched it's back before it woke up and flew off.

The solid red cap shows that it is a juvenile. 

Having a rest, before moving up and going into a trance.

It sat in this pose for about five minutes before waking up and carrying on with the job.

Woodpigeons are always on hand to hover up under the feeders.

Apart from Pigeons birds can't such up water, so the get as much in their beaks as possible, before lifting up their heads to swallow.

We lost most of our House Sparrows a few years ago, as did many areas. When we saw one or two back in the garden we set up a feeding station right nest to the house in a pyracanthus bush that the Sparrows had been using. At first they were quiteshy when we went out of the door.Now they just sit there. I did fill up their large fatball feeder a couple of days ago, but already it is well down. This is due to the fact that quite uninvited a female Blackbird now spends much of her time on the feeder.

Despite being "just a Sparrow" I think the males are handsomwe chaps. He's moved down to get at the remaining fat balls.

This young Blackbird, still showing the gape, is searching through some pruning litter that Pam is working on.They are very tame in the garden.,

A female House Sparrow joins in the search for tit bits on the ground by the feeders.

An adult females is still collecting food. I knowe they've had two broods, and despite the virtual plague of cats we have surronding the garden, most have fledged.