Autumnal Activity builds up in the WildlifeKate Patch

With Autumn well set in, despite generally pretty mild temperatures, the feeders are getting busier in my garden. I am often asked what I feed and I have narrowed it down to just a few products now that all the birds love. Although they are the most expensive, sunflower hearts are a firm favourite and attract just about all species. I mix sunflower hearts with black sunflower seeds generally. I also feed a high energy no mess feed from CJ Wildlife. It contains a mix of Sunflower Hearts, Kibbled Sunflower Hearts, Kibbled Peanuts, Yellow Millet, Kibbled Maize and Pinhead Oatmeal. I also always feed a fat-based product. This is fed in different formats, depending on the fewer I use. The fat based products are particularly high energy and loved by the woodpecker and long-tailed tits especially!

It was good to see the bullfinch back on the feeders this week. Up until about 4 years ago, I had not had bullfinches in the garden very often. Like goldfinches, they have learnt to take advantage of the excellent feasts available at feeding stations.

There are good numbers of goldfinch and greenfinch, with chaffinch appearing too and the occasional house sparrow….

The jackdaws love the  feeders too, but can work their way through a lot of food and they tend to scare off everything around!

Both male and female Great spotted woodpecker are also seen regularly. The male is distinctive with his red nape. The female does not have this coloration,

The waterhole is being well used. Lots of different species are drinking and bathing. This wren flitted about and enjoyed a bath…

I have had a new visitor to the garden in the last week or so; a male pheasant. He is stunning and is spending time picking up seed debris and drinking from the waterhole as well…

Another rarely seen visitor, was this polecat, seen at my fox feeding station. A brief glimpse but good to know they are around. I have filmed them before and they prey on the rats that often visit here.

Last week, Filmed this rather disturbing scene. One of my foxes seems to be very wobbly… as if it has some kind of nerve damage? One ear is back and his legs seem to be uncoordinated. I have no idea what is the issue here as he looks in prime bodily condition. I will have to keep an eye out for his return…..

You can watch all of these cameras, live, via my website or on the CJ Wildlife website.



from www.wildlifekate.co.uk https://wildlifekate.wordpress.com/2018/11/11/autumnal-activity-builds-up-in-the-wildlifekate-patch/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2019 off to a reasonable start

Image
Overcast, 5°, light NNW. A Little Egret seen today on the way out to Lollingdon and appeared to drop down near Amwell Spring. The hill hosted around 100 Fieldfare and a flock of c50 Meadow Pipit for a time before moving off over the top. Several Reed Bunting and Yellowhammer around the hill and a single Corn Bunting . A small flock of c20 Pied Wagtail feeding out with the Sheep. A few more Fieldfare and Redwing scattered around the Lollingdon area, a Goldcrest , Grey Heron , Kestrel , a couple of Jay , 2 Bullfinch and several Starling amongst other species. A Brambling in a private garden. Per Alan Dawson. 2 Blackcap in TW’s garden and 2 Chiffchaff at CSW. The flock of c60 Golden Plover still around Cholsey Hill. Brambling (courtesy Alan Dawson) from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/01/2019-off-to-reasonable-start.html
Read more

A Butterfly day

Image
Another sunny day, 24°, light E. A walk alongside the Bunk line from Church road to the bypass. Butterflies were the order of the day with literally hundreds of Meadow Brown on the wing today. They were everywhere. Another 8 Painted Lady seen with some looking very tatty after a presumably long flight and ageing. Best one of the day was a single Silver-washed Fritillary seen flying around a large garden before disappearing from view. Good numbers of Marbled White all along the route. Other species noted were: Small Skipper , Large Skipper , Large White , Small White , Green-veined White , Brimstone (1), Brown Argus (3), Common Blue (8), Red Admiral (6), Small Tortoiseshell (c20), Comma (3), Speckled Wood (2), Ringlet (12) and Small Heath (2). Some thistles were in flower on the edge of a bean field and these held the majority of Painted Lady , Small Tort and Marbled White . Dragonflies: Banded Demoiselle (M&F), Large Red Damselfly and Southern Hawke
Read more

Warblers

Image
Cloudy with some light rain showers, 13°, light to fresh SSW. An early call from Alan this morning regarding a Grasshopper Warbler on Cholsey Marsh. A quick cup of tea and got to the marsh and as soon as I got out of the car I could see Alan and Brian Wyatt there and heard the Warbler reeling away in the depths of the reed bed. They are an annual visitor on Cholsey Marsh and have bred there in recent years. Several other Warblers were in song including, Blackcap , Common Whitethroat , Reed Warbler and Sedge Warbler . Also Cetti’s Warbler per Brian. All photos courtesy Alan Dawson. Reed Warbler Sedge Warbler Hairy Shieldbug from Cholsey Wildlife https://cholseywildlife.blogspot.com/2019/04/warblers.html
Read more