20th January..... Fox.

A quiet walk Sunday morning, a frosty start but the sun soon came out. Caught sight of this fox dozing in the sunshine, but it was well aware of me looking, passing and keeping my distance.
Stewart.

Image Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

Not such a good day for this Fox though; did it succumb to the cold I wonder? or was it something more suspicious? As when I've found dead Foxes, they've usually curled up under a hedge & died.

Image Copyright : Tom Stone.

20th January..... A Crackin' Day.

I stepped outside mid-morning to be greeted by the harsh cronkin' calls of a Raven coming out of a crisp clear blue sky; took me a moment to locate it; I watched for several minutes as it engaged in aerial combat with a pair Red Kites. As the Raven called, another presumably it's mate answered from somewhere nearby, the harassed one eventually heading off in the direction of the calls. Shot indoors mid combat to grab the camera; managed one image.

A Green Woodpecker visited the lawn throughout the morning, always feeding in slightly obscure spots, its spotted cousin feeding on the sunflower feeder, along with a Nuthatch, good numbers of Chaffinches & Goldfinches.

Woodpecker feeding holes in the lawn.

In the afternoon met up with Stewart for a visit to the Chess Valley where we came across 16 Tufted Ducks & a single drake Pochard on the Fishing Lakes, with a Cormorant flying over. 50 Mallard nearby. 25 Magpies flew to roost at dusk as we waited for the Little Egrets to do the same with the first bird turning in at 4-35pm, by 4-50 16 had flown into roost along with 4 Herons. Which rounded off a Crackin' Day.
Don.

Little Egrets in the gloom.

18th January..... Tawny Owl.

Our local Tawny called from it's day time roost in the neighbouring garden at 4-15pm. Later at 5-15 it or maybe another sat in the Oak in our garden; from where it called out with that weird soft warbling call, what is known as the 'xylophone trill' which used during courtship.
Don.

17th January..... Pheasant.

It was good to see the cock pheasant at his best this morning with his plumage shining in the morning sunshine. Good to see the marsh tit still visiting the feeders. Went to see the goldeneye and pintails at Wilstone on Tuesday, had distance views of four goldeneye and two pintails.

Stewart.

Looking to the left...

Looking to the right...

...Which is my best side?

Images copyright : Stewart Dennis.

17th January..... Snow

After the early morning rain turned to snow resulting in a light dusting which remained in sheltered spots through the day, combining this with near freezing temperatures. I expected an increase in bird activity in the garden, but no... that didn't occur. Two Song Thrushes feeding on the scattered seed where the first this winter, Blackbirds peaked at six, Redwings are now down to just three feeding on the few remaining Cotoneaster berries on the lowest branches. Otherwise just the regulars.
Don.

6th - 11th January.

6th A Redwing bathing in the pond, one from the party of 8 that found the Cotoneaster berries for the first time this winter; also another first for the season were 2 Collarded Doves that fed on the scattered seed; where they fed alongside 7 Blackbirds [2 1st winter males, a female & 4 males].
7th Flock of c30 Starlings landed in neighbouring garden, which is unusual for here.
8th Raven heard calling in the distance, while I worked in the garden.
9th
10th Snow Drops just starting to poke up through the lawn. Another female Blackbird has joined the garden "flock" indentified by it's short tail.
11th Lesser Black-backed Gull swoops down from roadside street lamp to pick up road kill on the A413 at Chalfont St Giles. c30 Sky Larks skimming low over the Plover field at Hyde End. 4 Little Egrets seen from the car at 3 locations along the Chess Valley.
Don.   

11th January..... Little & Large.

A day of contrast at both ends of the day. 8.30 this morning this hen pheasant perched for a while on top of one of the bird tables and then left, while at 3.30 this afternoon this tiny goldcrest was busy searching for insects just feet from the back door.

Stewart.

Both Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

10th January..... Bird Feeder.

Mid afternoon noticed the fifth species of tit in the garden, a Marsh tit and all at the same time on the feeders. Coal, Blue, Great, now Marsh and Long Tailed Tit although the latter were on the fat balls rather than the sunflower hearts. Noticed it’s feeding habit slightly different to the blue coal and great who tend to fly in take a seed and fly off whereas the marsh tended to stay and pick a few seeds and then fly off with a beak full. Robins getting aggressive in the garden towards each other, zooming around chasing each other and two great spotted woodpeckers drumming nearby.

Stewart.

All Images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

6th January..... Herbert's Stonechats.

After reading Don’s sighting on Saturday of a Stonechat not far away at Herbert’s Hole my wife and I went to have a look. Passed a yaffling green woodpecker, more roe deer, buzzards and kites and before long my wife found the male stonechat and soon after his partner joined him. Both continually feeding and moving along the fence line and onto the ploughed ground. Also fieldfares and blackbirds moving through the hedges.

Back home redwings and a blackbird feeding on the crab apples with the blackbird coming closer for a drink.

Not a good day for Leicester City if your're a supporter like me.

Stewart.
All images Copyright : Stewart Dennis.

 

2nd - 5th January.

2nd While tidying up in the shed found what I believe to be 2 Peacock butterflies hibernating in an empty bucket, checked a few hours later, one had disappeared. c15 Redwings over. Female Great Spotted Woodpecker on feeders.
3rd Redwings over again today. Mistle Thrush heard, but not seen.
4th Temperature didn't rise above freezing all day, which drew a Pied Wagtail in the garden to feed on the scattered seed for the first time this winter, where Sprawky sat in the Oak eyeing up the deserted feeders for the best part of 10 minutes. A brave Blue Tit cautiously edged it's way along the nearby branches towards the nut feeder, but though better of it & didn't get any closer. The Redwing flock was feeding on a nearby Cotoneaster Bush. Once again the Mistle Thrush passed over unseen.
5th On the way to watch Chesham United I checked out Herbert's Hole for wintering Stonechats & sure enough a stunning confiding male was in residence [it came to with in 20 feet of me]. At the match which ended 0-0 a flock c50 Canada Geese headed over west in darkness at 4-30pm, followed  5 minutes later by another flock of c100. Earlier at home 2 Goldcrests bathed in the pond & the first Stock Dove of the winter fed on the lawn on the scattered seed.
Don.