Chiltern Birder

It is getting quite spring like now. In the mornings the dawn chorus has become quite pronounced although there hasn't been much going on in the garden. If anything feeding has declined slightly. No interesting sightings in the garden although I am now starting to notice yellowhammers on the drive to work and the pheasants are becoming suicidal. This week one walked out of danger onto the verge then took to the air and just missed the windscreen. I did have the pleasure of seeing a kite at rooftop height today only a few doors away from my house. I haven't seen a live badger for some time but have seen a couple as roadkill in recent weeks. Also when driving through Epping Forest recently I saw a muntjac which is the first time that I have seen one so far east.

The birds are supposed to be choosing their mates today. I haven't noticed any behaviour to suggest that is true. I am seeing more in the garden however. I have had a fat feeder on one of the quinces in the front garden for the last week. This has been attracting blue and great tits, while blackbirds will perch on the adjacent branch to use it. This morning a greater spotted woodpecker put in an appearance. Hopefully we will be seeing chicks again this spring. At the back a pair of goldfinches seem to be becoming regulars again and a coal tit is also putting in an appearance. Numbers still feel light compared with previous years but are definitely picking up.

After the recent heavy snow the garden is still covered. There are two hanging feeders, a fat bar for the starlings and two ground trays, one with a proprietory "robin mix" which is enjoyed by everything except the robins and the other with a mix of kibbled sunflower seeds and oatmeal. I am now regularly getting a couple of starlings in the garden along with the other regulars and finally a goldfinch returned, the first seen this winter. It came and perched in the lilac but didn't visit the feedes. As I have only seen them on pole mounted feeders I suspect that they might simply not like the hanging ones. While out last night I was lucky to see a barn owl fly across the road at Haddenham. Again that is the first that I have seen for a while. It is just over an hour since I wrote the above and since then have had a pair of goldfinches on one of the hanging feeders.

With the second fall of snow this week I was actually at home (leave, not skiving) and got a chance for an occasional look at the feeders in daylight. The starlings have finally returned and I had three on the fat feeder which suggests that come the spring they will be providing the usual wake up call. In addition there has been a pair of robins, blackbirds, dunnock and wood pigeons on the ground feeders. Blue tits, great tits and chaffinces have been coming to the seed feeders and a solitary house sparrow posed on one of the bushes before flying off.