Wildlife in your Garden

[COYBL25]

I built a sparrow terrace this year to compensate our sparrows losing access to our eaves last year when I meshed them off because rats were getting in. I felt bad because apparently they never move more than metres from their nesting spots so they struggle as their habitat is changed by modern people wanting spartan plastic easy maintenance gardens.
Fortunately there's an enormous privet hedge nearby so our numbers have kept up.

In other news.... we had this woodpecker in our garden today.View attachment 115900

Professor Yaffle ( showing my age ! )

 

[kev]

I built a sparrow terrace this year to compensate our sparrows losing access to our eaves last year when I meshed them off because rats were getting in. I felt bad because apparently they never move more than metres from their nesting spots so they struggle as their habitat is changed by modern people wanting spartan plastic easy maintenance gardens.
Fortunately there's an enormous privet hedge nearby so our numbers have kept up.

In other news.... we had this woodpecker in our garden today.View attachment 115900

That's great. I've seen both lesser spotted and great spotted woodpeckers in the garden, but I've yet to have a green woodpecker visit.

 

[JimmyJeffers]

That's great. I've seen both lesser spotted and great spotted woodpeckers in the garden, but I've yet to have a green woodpecker visit.

Would love to see a lesser spotted. Fairly rare these days I think

 

[COYBL25]

Would love to see a lesser spotted. Fairly rare these days I think

Usually really high up in the top of the trees, which makes them difficult to see. Plus they’re really quiet compared to the other two, who are noisy buggers !

Once you’ve seen one in flight, you can recognise them again, as they have a really unique fast dipping flight.

 

[kev]

Would love to see a lesser spotted. Fairly rare these days I think

Yes they are quite rare and usually difficult to see as they prefer to hang around the tree tops. Tiny little things too. Twice I have been lucky enough to see one in the garden, yet I've never actually spotted one when I'm out on my walks.

 

[COYBL25]

Would love to see a lesser spotted. Fairly rare these days I think

They also prefer to nest high up, in soft wood, rather than on trunks and large branches like the other two.

I can only guess that they prefer soft wood to nest in, as they haven’t got the strength in their beaks, due to their small size, to hammer out holes in live wood.

 

[Blue Sky]

Get Great Spotted and the odd Green but not seen a lesser spotted .

 

[COYBL25]

My mate just sent me this photo of the very elusive and secretive Water Rail, which was taken today by someone in Princes Park !

 

[Bwana]

So here on the edge of Siberia we have a habit of feeding the smaller birds during the winter time (and therefore also the birds of prey, owls, smaller hawks etc...)

This winter my backyard feeding ground has been again succesfull. Also in ways not intended. Here we have one of 4 regularly visiting capreolus capreoluses enjoying the bird-sunflower seeds.

 

[bigjonny]

I saw a fox in the front garden of what looked like an empty house this afternoon, Bermuda road in Moreton if anyone knows it.

 

[COYBL25]

Not the best photo, as it was taken at twilight on a phone yesterday and passed onto me by my mate, another rarity, but my favourite bird, the Barn Owl.

Taken on the field at Speke Hall.

 

[Eggs]

....seen two different types of small hawks on the garden fence outside my living room window this week. They are stunning, wonder if lockdown is making them more plentiful.

A few weeks ago there was a wading bird (crane I think) on a chimney at the back and the magpies were swooping on it. Neighbours were out chasing them.

 

[larbert toffee]

....seen two different types of small hawks on the garden fence outside my living room window this week. They are stunning, wonder if lockdown is making them more plentiful.

A few weeks ago there was a wading bird (crane I think) on a chimney at the back and the magpies were swooping on it. Neighbours were out chasing them.

I detest magpies wit a passion, horrible destructive pests.

 

[Eggs]

I detest magpies wit a passion, horrible destructive pests.

....i know exactly what you mean, but a handsome bird nonetheless.

 

[davids]

I saw a fox in the front garden of what looked like an empty house this afternoon, Bermuda road in Moreton if anyone knows it.

Have missed the garden this Winter but even though some people think Spain is sub tropical in the mountains it gets a bit chilly so I've been in the apartment in the middle of town so only urban wildlife to look out for. Couldn't sleep the other night so looked out for foxes but no sign. Lots of evidence of wild boar down by the river which I've never seen before,must be due to the curfew.