Wild Birds Seen in My Garden.
basil | 4/14/2006 | 9:31 am
Wildbirds seen in my garden
Many species of bird are seen in my garden. The largest seen so far is the pheasant, the male is the most colourful, he usually calls for his daily feed early morning and evening, sometimes bringing with him the hen birds. During the mating season, the cock pheasant has been known to chase the cat away.
Red-legged partridge have been seen, mainly in the winter months, they usually feed early morning or late in the day. They make a strange chuffing noise.
Occasionally a green woodpecker flies in, pecking holes in old tree trunks, making a drumming sound; they are also ground feeders. They love pecking at ant mounds.
Song Thrushes are seen occasionaly, tidying away the snail population.
Blackbirds have been spotted stealing food put out for the cat, they seem to prefer this to their natural diet, or perhaps it is just easy pickings.
The Cuckoo can be heard making the characteristic sound, although this sound is only made by the male, the female makes a babbling call. This bird is hard to spot in the garden.
At dusk a little owl perches on a nearby power supply pole looking for a meal, swooping off after spotting his prey.
Tits and Finches feed on the bird feeder, I usually put sunflower seeds and nuts out for them. Sparrows and even doves love nuts and always take what the tits leave.
Doves perch on my roof waiting for a feed but recently have experienced blocked guttering from their droppings.
I have placed a nesting box for the tits and is used by them to raise a brood most years.
Very occasionally a male sparrowhawk swoops down and takes a dove, killing and begining to pluck the prey before devouring on the ground. The hen Sparrowhawk being smaller will sometimes take a blackbird, about the largest of their prey.
Canada geese are sometimes seen, flying over in a v shape. They can be seen in huge numbers on the lakes and wetlands near the river.
Swallows, house martins and swifts can be seen in the spring, building their nests under the eaves of the house. They stay throughout the summer before making the long journey back to Africa.
