2008 Roundup

It's been an interesting year birdwatching in Hilly Fields. I've made 44 such visits and seen 21 different species as follows:

Species (no. of visits seen) Maximum seen
Black-headed Gull (6) c60
Blackbird (15) 3
Blue Tit (15) 6
Carrion Crow (26) 7
Chaffinch (5) 2
Feral Pigeon (8) 5
Goldfinch (5) 2
Great Spotted Woodpecker (1) 1
Great Tit (8) 2
House Martin (1) 2
House Sparrow (34) c24
Jay (2) 2
Kestrel (2) 1
Long-tailed Tit (12) 2
Magpie (14) 4
Mistle Thrush (2) 2
Ring-necked Parakeet (11) 4
Robin (15) 3
Sparrowhawk (1) 1
Starling (3) 7
Woodpigeon (34) 26

By far the most plentiful are Black-headed Gull, Woodpigeon and House Sparrow and the most frequently seen are Woodpigeon, House Sparrow and Carrion Crow.

Christmas in the park

What a beautiful morning!

A nearly cloudless sky allowed the low mid-winter sun to form long shadows in its golden light and there was birdsong aplenty. I left the binoculars at home but still found black-headed gulls, blackbird, blue tits, great tits, house sparrows, jays, magpies and woodpigeon.

However, the northerly breeze didn't encourage loitering and I soon returned home for Christmas dinner.

Merry Christmas.

Eleven species today

For only the second time this year, there were eleven bird species in the park when I visited between 11:30 and Noon. The last time I found that many was 26th January 2008.

There were:

Black-headed Gull
Blackbird
Blue Tit
Carrion Crow
Goldfinch
Great Tit
House Sparrow
Magpie
Robin
Starling
Woodpigeon

I must also mention that on Friday 14th December I watched a Sparrowhawk wheeling around over Hilly Fields Park.

Bird Boxes

Recently Glendale have been busy in Hilly Fields putting up bird nesting boxes. Late Autumn or early Winter is the best time of year to do this as the boxes will be nicely weathered by the time birds are looking for nest sites in the spring.

They've now installed 11 bird nest boxes in the park, but where are they? Can you spot them all?

Here are photos of three I spotted today when I went to fill the bird feeder.




If you install a bird box in your garden, try to put it where the hot afternoon sun won't find it, such as a shady wall or one that faces north-east.

November roundup

I only managed quality time in the park on two occasions this month. There were 58 birds from 10 species, namely: Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Blue Tit, Carrion Crow, Feral Pigeon, House Sparrow, Jay, Long-tailed Tit, Magpie and Woodpigeon

Most of the time when I would’ve liked to wander through the park I was busily defending my four birdfeeders against a family of grey squirrels, and losing.

My table feeder is squirrel proof as is the table feeder which is the same kind as in Hilly Fields’ quiet garden. The peanut feeder and fat-ball feeder are another matter and require constant attention and frequent adjustment of whatever defences I’m able to provide.

The RSPB recommend chilli powder but the largest squirrel appears to be immune to its affects. Success came after I rigged up a large baffle. I thought that was the end of it until yesterday, because someone has found my store of fat-balls, got the lid off and taken at least two!

Long-Tailed Tits return and a Jay visits the Garden

A lovely sunny autumnal day, a rarity this year, so I decided to have lunch in the park and, just walking through the gate at the top of Vicars Hill, I spoted a pair of Long-Tailed Tits in the tree opposite the gate. They’re one of my favourite little birds and I haven’t seen them in the park since the end of May so I was beginning to think we’d lost them. It’s good to see them back. (This is a stock photo, not today's bird)

On the way to the Flower Garden I passed the usual bush full of House Sparrows on the Cliffview Road side and Carrion Crow, Woodpigeon and a Magpie in the field.

I stopped in my tracks just inside the Flower Garden when I spotted a rare Jay in the tree above the birdfeeder – rare to Hilly Fields, that is, because my bird book says they’re twice as numerous as Long-Tailed Tits. It was eating a berry then flew to a neighbouring tree before flying off in a north-easterly direction. (This is a stock photo, not today's bird)

The birdfeeder was full when I arrived today, so I must thank somebody for filling it for me. Blue Tits used the feeder while a Blackbird scrubbed around for worms in the fallen leaves and I had my lunch. Job done.

October Roundup

I only managed to get into Hilly Fields four times this month, but on those visits I did count at least 97 birds of 9 species, including today's Kestral.

On my way home today I walked across Hilly Fields. I was halfway up the meadow when a small flock of birds, mostly Magpies but two were larger and brown, landed in a tree beside Prendergast School. Moments later a solitary Kestral flew from the tree to soar and hover over the meadow. Was that really two Kestrels I saw? I stayed a few minutes but without my binoculars I couldn't see the other large bird in the tree.

The nine species this month were:

Species (no. of visits) max. count

Blue Tit (2) 2,
Carrion Crow (4) 5,
Feral Pigeon (1) 1,
House Sparrow (4) 12,
Kestrel (1) 1,
Magpie (2) 3,
Ring-necked Parakeet (1) 1,
Robin (1) 1,
Woodpigeon (3) 26