More Woodpecker shots!

How is it that a bird which I am lucky to see 2 or 3 times a year suddenly decides to come calling 3 days in a row and making several visits each day? It must be the quality of the peanuts! Anyway here are more shots of the GSW and this time I had the kitchen window open.

Woodpecker is back.

The Greater Spotted Woodpecker has paid several visits to our peanut feeder this morning. I just love this 300mm lens but think I'm going to have to start using a tripod if I'm going to get really sharp pictures.

The Blue Tits are no longer visiting the nesting box though I sometimes see them at the feeders (if it is the same pair?). I will clear out the box later in the summer and find out if there was any trace of eggs or not.

Our Ospreys are currently incubating 3 eggs which are due to hatch on Bank Holiday weekend. There were a couple of crows at the nest last week which caused a slight panic. Fortunately they were unsuccessful in their attempts to lure the Ospreys away from the eggs. Crows are clever birds but our Ospreys are old hands now at rearing a family and knew how to defend the eggs.

More Blackies!

There's never a dull moment when the Blackbirds are around. Top picture is the same one that comes in through the kitchen window when it's open and he has little fear of humans. In fact he was perched on my leg for a good 20 seconds this week whilst feeding on sultanas I had placed on my lap.

This female in the lower picture must think she's a Blue Tit as she can't stay away from the fatty balls.

Elsewhere the Blue Tits continue to use the same nesting box but there has still not been any signs of them bringing in food to feed chicks. I'm beginning to think they're just using us as a 2nd home!

Still loads of Siskins and Starlings about and we even had a Jackdaw on the peanuts today which is unusual. There was a couple of Goldfinches at the feeders today also but they still haven't found the Nyjer seed. All the more for the Siskins then!

Busy day

It has been busy on the feeders today, probably due to the wet weather. Lots of Siskins, a few Starlings, loads of Chaffinches with a Great Tit and Goldfinch thrown in.

The Blackbirds of course are still needing their daily fix of sultanas and the young male has a new party trick of coming in through the kitchen window which I open to get better photos of birds on the feeders.

Now for a sad tale. Whilst walking the dog this morning I had to put her on the lead when we met a female Mallard walking down a path towards the river with ELEVEN little ducklings following behind. My worst fears were soon realised. After crossing over the river further upstream then heading back down the opposite bank I came to the spot where the mother and chicks would have entered the river. Suddenly there was a small commotion coming from the other bank and a Heron appeared flying over the river with one of the ducklings in it's beak. Needless to say the Heron did not take long in swallowing the unfortunate chick. That is nature for you.

A quiet morning at Osprey Watch

Not many visitors to the centre this morning so it gave me a chance to venture out of the hut with my camera. The Swallows are back in numbers and hopefully they will return to the nest which is covered by CCTV.

The Ospreys are now incubating 3 eggs with the chicks due to hatch around the end of this month.

Not much

Fairly uneventful in the garden just now.

The Siskins have been seen at the Nyjer seeds on several occasions. There are quite a few Blackbirds around just now and some are tamer than others. One walked into the kitchen today looking for more sultanas as the ones we leave on a plate outside had all gone. A couple of the males will quite happily feed from my hand.

We are optimistic about there being a Blue Tit nest in one of our boxes as a bird is going in and out of the box from time to time and staying in the box for long periods. It shouldn't be long before we know for certain. If there are chicks hatched then there will have to be a constant supply of caterpillars to the box.

Meanwhile, at the Ospreywatch centre I can confirm that the same pair have returned from West Africa to their man made nest and have successfully mated again and they are currently incubating at least two eggs. Last year they raised 2 chicks, two years ago they raised 3 chicks.

There are several Herons around just now and I saw two flying side by side above the river one morning this week.