My little bit of heaven

[jacob marley]

I have just been a walk with my mate in the corner a bit earlier than usual just getting dark and a good night for bird watching i saw 7 Pheasants roosting in one tree and another couple fly up to join them then two Buzzards when to roost in the top of an Oak tree that was for starters i was leaning on a gate watching the planes coming into Bham air port and a Tawny Owl flew into a tree about 20 feet awayit stayed about 5 minutes and then flew away .
In 2006 and 2007 i found a Treecreepers nest they fledged 2006 but last year a woodpecker vandalised the nest .
All this 100 yards or less from my back door my own private bird sanctury .
In the garden i have a bird table that gets visited by Great Tits Blue Tits Coal Tits Robins Nuthatches and just this last 2 weeks a pair of Longtailed Tits Blackbirds the most of them was 8 one morning when it was freezing hard then in the afternoon the magpies and Collard Doves turn up .
The rarest visiter was a Goshawk one morning sitting on the sweetpea racking so i might live in the midlands between Bham and Coventry i see plenty of wild life jacob

[Grandpadragon]

You are right Jacob, where ever you live the wildlife is there we only have to look and enjoy. What is unusual for one place is common in another. I hardly look up for long when the Red Kite drifts overhead every day, but thrill to see that house sparrows are at last coming into the garden. Frog spawn in the pond for the first time is another thrill.

[jacob marley]

grandpadragon i do envy you seeing the Red Kite daily i have only seen one at this location about 15 years ago .
I spent a holiday at Llangietho once and used to sit out in the garden watching them fly over to the local tip fascinating .
Last week i saw the first Green Woodpecker cling to a tree i usually see them on the ground my other half has never seen one but heard plenty .
We do have all sorts of birds in the areaHobbys in the summer and kestrels and sparrowhawk boy can they hunt jacob

[jacob marley]

Whilst standing in the middle of the wood this afternoon i was watching 2 Long Tailed Tits 2 little warblers of some sort do not know what breed and a Treecreeper all on the same Silver Birch tree just majic.
Later on this evening about 6.45 i watched a Hen Pheasant walk across the drive about 20 feet away and fly up on to a low branch of a Oak tree and then walk along the branch until it was inside a Holly Bush then it hopped of the Oak into the Holly and i thought what is this bird telling me they usually perch out in the open what have we got coming tonight jacob

[Grandpadragon]

I had a "little brown job" that I didn't recognise in the garden today. Think it might be a female Chiffchaff it looks pretty close to the picture in the books, and we do get them around here. The book says they are among first warblers to arrive usually in March. We have a boarded fence and it was clinging on to that. Clever haven't seen even the blue tits do that

[jacob marley]

I have just spent a pleasant 25 minutes standing the middle of the wood close to marley tower's listening to the evening chorus every bit as good as the dawn chorus all the small birds singing there heads of and the pheasants kicking up a right racket when they fly up to roost.
And just to put the icing on the cake a brief glimpse of the Muntjac deer as he sauntered across the drive it's good living in the middle nowhere jacob

[jeannine]

OOOh Jacob, I do envy you.

I went for a quick walk at our local Wildlife Trust reserve in the snow on Sunday and it was magical, although we were with a very talkative (but also very funny) child and didn't get to see much wildlife!

[Alice]

Great day for you Jacob. I've just moved house. In my last garden we had fabulous birds but here we have very few as the habitat is just not there for them - but I'll soon get that sorted. The bird feeders went up today so waiting to see what turns up. We do have sparrows here, which we didn't have before, so that's something to be gouing on with.

[jacob marley]

Well we are now in April standing in the wood this morning 9am looking to see if could see the Chif Chaf he was singing like a good'un his first morning back .
A Woodpecker landed in a tree about 15 feet away had a bit of a head banging job on the tree.
Then it took of and flew up onto the snapped of top of a Silver Birch (they usualy cling on the side) any way another Wood Pecker arrived and wham "bam thank you mam" got his wing over (do not get jealous girls it was all over in about 5 seconds) so hopefully the Eggs have been fertilised for this year .
Just a case of being in the right place at the right time jacob

[jacob marley]

Well it was Woodpeckers today the humble Wood Pigeon i was leaning on the gate out the back of Marley Towers this afternoon just gazeing about the country side when some Wood Pigeons took my eye on the grass thinkink what are they doing .
They was strutting about bowing to each other with there tails straight up in the air i presume it was the courtship ritual of the Wood pigeon .
Ten minutes later i saw the Chiff Chaff the first of the year life's good init jacob

[jacob marley]

We have had some new guests for afternoon tea this last 3 days Mr & Mrs Blackcap have been on the fat balls and the nut feeders a welcome addition to the local bird population .
That is 2 new types of bird this spring a pair of Long Tailed Tits have taken to feeding with us on a daily basis .
The Munt Jac deer is seen almost on a daily basis but i think their is 2 because when i do my Tonto job and go tracking there are 2 differrent sizes in hoof prints but have only seen 1 deer at a time still we have plenty of time jacob

[Alice]

The birds are turning up at the feeders here Jacob. Plenty of sparrows, blue tits, great tits, coal tits, finches, robin, blackbird. I'm sure when we get the habitat all sorted out there will be no shortage. And we hear the oyster catchers all the time.

[fiveravens]

I have just spent a pleasant 25 minutes standing the middle of the wood close to marley tower's listening to the evening chorus every bit as good as the dawn chorus all the small birds singing there heads of and the pheasants kicking up a right racket when they fly up to roost.
And just to put the icing on the cake a brief glimpse of the Muntjac deer as he sauntered across the drive it's good living in the middle nowhere jacob

You're right Jacob, 'tis good living in the middle of nowhere. Here in Ireland I don't get all the species you mention - unfortunately no nuthatches, woodpeckers or Tawny Owls but I do get Choughs, Ravens, Peregrines and Merlins - not to mention Kestrels and Sparrowhawks galore; also the occasional Long-eared Owl and a more or less regular pair of Barn Owls. My bird table regulars are blue and great tits, siskins and goldfinches (sometimes a dozen or more of those at a time). We're supposed to get Blackcaps, but I've never seen one here.

[jacob marley]

I have just been a wander around the wood at the rear of marley towers and i saw a Munt Jac Deer munching on some leave's on a low growing Mountain Ash tree .
I was looking for Woodpecker hole's and found 5 that was including last years nest hole incidentally if you are looking for Woodpecker nest hole's allways look on the north east to south east side of the trees .
When we find out which one is this years nest hole i will try an get photo .
Fiveravens you get birds that makes me envious like Ravens Choughs Peregrines and Merlins but have seen Hobbys and a Stork that was a escapee i am still waiting to hear the Curlew that is when spring has arrived . jacob

[jacob marley]

Just seen and heard my first Cuckoo of the spring he can sod off back where he came from now .
The Swallows came and visited Marley Towers last week and then cleared of again but they will be back hopefully they had a look at last years nest in the lean to a Wren built in one of there old nest's last year jacob