Nature Notes

November / December 2011

Although it is (relatively) mild and wet as I type these notes, the last month has seen far more seasonal weather, with plenty of overnight frosts. Only 12 months ago, we were going through a far colder spell of course. I believe November as a whole was one of the warmest on record in England.

I’m still regularly hearing the haunting call of the tawny owl, both in the evening and sometimes when I’m leaving the house early in the morning, before the sun gets up. I’ve also been pleased to see a barn owl on a couple of occasions, caught in the car headlights as I drive down our lane. Barn owls call too, though not as distinctively as the tawny. Guests sleeping over with us at the start of December were woken in the night by what they described as a regular sound like someone dragging something across our gravel drive for a few seconds – a quick check on the RSPB website and some Youtube clips confirmed my suspicions that they’d actually heard a nearby barn owl emitting its “snoring” call, which is hard to describe but which has become familiar to me over the last 3 or 4 years. The bird must have been close because its calls were audible through double glazing.

The other day we found a headless (and very dead - unsurprisingly) wood pigeon at the front of the house – a sure sign of a sparrowhawk attack, probably a female. I’ve recently followed a hawk along the road, coming into the village from Bearstone. Typically, it was flying very low and fast (30 mph according to my car), occasionally swerving round obstacles and over hedges in the hope of surprising a flock of small birds. Their hunting methods mean that these small hawks frequently crash, either killing themselves or breaking a wing (which would inevitably result in death anyway unless treated immediately).

Our regular winter visitors, the green sandpipers are back in the local drainage ditches – it will take far colder weather than this to force the local snipe population into these ditches though, they only leave their usual boggy/grassy haunts when forced to do so by a prolonged deep freeze.

At least one of the wild primroses in the hedge bottom near the Jubilee Hall has been in flower for a couple of weeks or so now. One of the roses in my garden actually produced a flower, too, during the last week of November. Has anyone else seen any unseasonal plant growth? I’ve also heard my first birdsong of the spring (though not in Norton), namely a mistle thrush on 11 December. This large thrush is often the first song bird to be heard early in the year – but not usually in the second week of December!

In the coming weeks, look out for flocks of starlings and possibly siskins or bramblings in the garden; in a mild spell (if we have one) you may also hear the great spotted woodpecker drumming on a dead branch; in the evenings listen out for the eerie call of the fox. Most importantly of all, a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you all – and don’t forget to let me have your wildlife news, ideally before the 20th of the month!

Richard Jones - 01630 658 259 - duboisjones@btinternet.com

October / November 2011

The unseasonably warm weather has continued – it hasn’t been as warm as last month, of course, but we’ve only had 3 or 4 frosts I reckon, and there have been plenty of days where the temperatures have been in double figures. Bear in mind that it was late November last year when the temperatures plummeted and we had a spell of minus double figures leading up to Christmas. Still time for a repeat performance, I guess.

Nature can be confused by mild autumnal weather. When you are, say, 5 or 6 weeks from the Winter solstice (the shortest day) then the day length equates to that which you would expect in early February (5 or 6 weeks after the solstice) – when Spring would definitely be making its presence felt. This, coupled with the mild weather may explain bulbs starting to emerge, flowers on some of the early flowering rhododendrons (not usually this early!) and even sparrows investigating, repeatedly, my nest box by my study window.

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

I don’t think I’ve ever heard tawny owls calling so regularly (and so close by) in the 21 years I’ve lived in the village. I never seem to see them though.

Although there is still plenty of natural food around (there seems to be a good berry crop this year), I’m getting more birds on the feeders now – and this in turn attracts the local sparrowhawks. I don’t know what there success rate is but I rarely see a kill, usually just a blur as a hawk shoots past and the smaller birds dive for cover in the denser bushes. I guess with young hawks (fledged this summer) there are far more failures than successes – and many won’t make it through the winter.

I don’t know whether anyone has noticed a drop in Chaffinch numbers? This finch is one of our commonest birds but I’m told by Richard H that they may be subject to some sort of widespread disease which is causing a decline in numbers.

Don’t forget to let me have any news or updates on duboisjones@btinternet.com or by phone on 01630 658 259

Richard Jones

PS. Yes, the crows are still attacking my windows – but not as often as they were last year!

Click here to see enlargements of the above images

September / October 2011

What is happening to our weather? The end of September and the start of October were remarkable for the persistently high temperatures recorded over a period of days – culminating in the hottest October day on record on 1st October. I clocked 28c here in the village, parts of the country got up to 30c I believe. This was followed by a pretty mild spell when the temperature rarely went down into single figures. My first proper chilly morning wasn’t until 18 October, when I had to scrape frost off my car windscreen and recorded a temperature of 2c. However, as I type, another mild sunny weekend is starting!

I don’t normally believe in tempting fate but I dearly wished I hadn’t mentioned the crows last month! Having presumably found better things to do since last spring, they returned to start attacking my windows again at the start of the month – almost a year to the day since they started last year. From what I can gather (they are very cautious and normally only do their thing when they think no one is around) there are just two culprits, as before. I think they are the same two, they certainly look and sound similar, what with their black feathers, dangling legs, beaks etc. I like to think it isn’t personal but they don’t (as far as I’m aware) attack anyone else’s house, including my next door neighbours’.

Although I rarely see any barn owls in the area these days, tawny owls seem to be thriving. I love to hear their haunting calls in the evening, sometimes I can detect two birds calling in the trees in my back garden, on one occasion we could even hear them over the TV from within our living room. Being strictly nocturnal, they are less frequently seen than barn owls, though they are our commonest owl by some distance. I’ve had a great report from Stephen and Lisa S (welcome to the village!) about a very close encounter with a tawny owl that was found motionless in the middle of the road on the edge of the village in late September, apparently stunned. Stephen stopped his car and moved the bird to a nearby hedge (with no resistance) before it flew off, after a few minutes’ recuperation. Normally you wouldn’t have a chance of getting that close to a wild tawny – indeed, there are many records of them attacking humans, particularly in the nesting season. On the subject of owls, what happened to the little owls which were so common round here 10 or 15 years ago? I’ve heard they are in sharp decline, in this area at least.

I recorded my first fieldfares (our large winter thrushes migrating in from Scandinavia) on 15 October (last year – 16 October). They will shortly be vying with the local blackbirds to feed on the abundant berry crop. Another sign of the changing season is the re appearance of coal tits in the garden. These are quite common in the colder months but always seem to disappear from my garden once the summer comes.

Don’t forget to contact me with your own nature stories on 658 259 or duboisjones@btinternet.co.uk.

Richard

August / September 2011

The weather, while hardly chilly, has definitely turned more autumnal since the last notes. We have had plenty of breezy days (including the tail end of an American hurricane) and more rain – particularly on 17 September when the torrential downpours included hailstones. I would still class this as a pretty dry summer, though.

This is traditionally a quiet time for wildlife in this area, and 2011 is no different. Food is plentiful (fruits, insects, invertebrates etc), the weather is still relatively mild and the breeding season for most creatures (except wood pigeons!) is over – so no need to display or sing or gather round man made feeders.

We have had a couple of early morning fox sightings in the fields to the west of the village – which may not seem hugely surprising but I probably see more foxes where I work, in central Newcastle, than I do around Norton. Urban foxes are not “controlled” like their country cousins – and because of that, they are generally less shy and more visible. Although they are common, I still get a thrill from seeing foxes.

Has anyone else noticed the large number of badger carcasses on the roads lately? Like many animals at this time of year, there will be young moving away from home to establish their own territories – and this may help explain the road casualties.

I have also noticed increasingly vocal tawny owls in the evening, possibly for the same reason.

This time last year, I was pleased to report a couple of Roe deer sightings near Betton – I’ve heard no further news on this front, possibly the animal in question was just passing through?

Graham N has commented to me on how early some of the swallows and martins were departing (for Africa) this year. Although there are quite a few still here at the time of writing, I’m pretty sure that many were on their way 3 or 4 weeks ago.

The first anniversary of the initial crow attacks on my house windows is fast approaching – this seems to have died out over the summer, here’s hoping it doesn’t start again.

Let me know if you see or hear anything interesting on the wildlife front – e mail on duboisjones@btinternet.com or telephone 01630 658 259

Richard Jones

June / July 2011

My two main “news” items this month concern secretly productive kestrels and dragonflies having a dose of their own medicine!

Kestrels first. Clearly I’m not as observant as I once was. The apparently solitary female bird has not only laid 5 eggs but hatched all of them; and as I type, the young birds are on the point of fledging. Five is a really good brood for kestrels and although they are slightly later than usual, they don’t have to migrate (like many of our summer nesting birds do) and have every chance of survival, therefore. We had these young birds leg-ringed on 2 July and I will try to put some photos on the village website. At that stage, they were all apparently healthy and well fed.

As for the dragonflies, I am pretty well certain that the presence of good numbers of dragon larvae in my pond is the explanation for the complete absence of any tadpoles this summer (they are voracious predators). My larvae started hatching on about 9 July. This involves the dark brown larva crawling out of the water out onto a grass stem or a reed. There then erupts from the larval body a brand new dragonfly which uncurls its self and clings onto its former body while it warms up and its wings expand to full size. I actually watched this process take place over about 45 minutes one sunny morning and again, I will try to put some of my photographs on the website. Given the eradication of the tadpoles, some might say it was karma that within minutes of the final picture being taken, before the dragon was ready to fly, the local blackbird nipped in and took the emergent dragonfly (and its former larval body) as a meal for its brood! This process has been repeated on more than one occasion, I guess the newly hatched dragons are very vulnerable for that short period. I know that at least one dragonfly actually emerged fully and flew away. For those who are interested, I believe (though I’m not sure) that the dragonflies in question are probably “hawkers”, either southern or common.

Dragonfly hatching sequence click on an image to see an enlargement

Other news in the last month:-
• Lewis McD has reported increased tawny owl activity in the village, with a pair calling to one another near his house;
• A male song thrush has regularly been singing in my back garden
• Lewis has also been watching hedgehogs in his garden – and while I’ve not seen one in mine, I’ve found plenty of hog droppings, crumbly, shiny black jobs with lots of beetle wing cases/shells – so they must be around.

Keep the reports coming in please – and have good holidays if you’re going away.

duboisjones@btinternet.com – 01630 658 259

May/June 2011

I should start with an apology to Hilary M, whose grass snake report from down by the Tern bridge I overlooked to report last month. Grass snakes featured recently on Springwatch and, given their fondness for water, I’m sure there must be decent population of them down by the river – they just don’t cross the road in front of people very often, which is exactly what Hilary saw. Any other snake sightings?

The barn owl reported last month has disappeared from the boxes to the south of the village. Although I still think there is only one kestrel in my box, she has laid 5 eggs and has been brooding them closely. Sadly, this will be a pointless exercise if she hasn’t mated (which I don’t think she has). She is very late in any event.

I’m not alone in losing all my tadpoles to dragon fly larvae. A number of you have reported exactly the same experience

I’m sure that your gardens, like mine, have been full of fledglings hiding under bushes and calling out to be fed (contrary to what I said last month!). Sadly, our local magpies seem to do quite well out of this bonanza as, no doubt, do the other corvids. It was ironic the other day, therefore, that a buzzard took one of the numerous young jackdaws in a newly cut grass field near us - only to drop its body in our back garden when disturbed by my son. One species whose young seem to have a deadly desire to fly into windows is the great spotted woodpecker – I’ve had one fatality of my own and Bert R reported an identical death in his garden. I know that all birds do this but I find that woodpeckers do it more than most (though usually only once each).

Other highlights:-
• A male yellow wagtail has been spotted near Forge Farm – possibly the same bird that was photographed there last year? (Eric P)
• A pair of yellowhammers (increasingly scarce farmland birds) has been located in the Green lane/Forge lane area (again, Eric P)
• Not for the first time in recent years, a red kite has been spotted near the village – hopefully these magnificent birds will become increasingly regular visitors – or even residents ( Paul T)
• A pair of bullfinches has spent a lot of time in my garden, mostly eating the seed heads off Forget-me-Nots – are they having an unusually good year?
• There has been a chiffchaff singing in and around my garden for a couple of months now; there must be a nesting pair around, probably a first in the 20 years I’ve lived here. This little sub-Saharan African visitor is rarely seen but its song is unmistakeable.
• A tawny owl called very loudly outside our house one evening. Years ago, little owls were the commonest owl species locally and you’d often hear them calling in the evenings – has anyone else noticed their almost complete disappearance from round here?

Keep your reports coming in on duboisjones@btinternet.com or 01630 658 259

April/May 2011

Whilst the last month hasn’t matched the previous two for record breaking warmth and dry weather – it has still been reasonably warm and fairly dry.

Forgive the slightly downbeat tone of this month’s notes – but my two main stories are about failures, I’m afraid.

Unusually, it looks as though we won’t have any young kestrels in the box this year (only the third time in 12 years) – simply because we only seem to have one adult kestrel, not a pair (which is clearly problematic as far as mating is concerned). The one bird is quite vocal and frequently sits in the box. I’ll let you know if there are any developments on this front but it isn’t looking good.

The second “bad news story” could be a double edged sword – I had a good quantity of frogspawn earlier in the year and it hatched, unremarkably, to produce thousands of tadpoles. It is common for tadpole numbers to thin out somewhat, but mine have pretty well all disappeared – and others, including Eric P and Stephen B have experienced the same in their ponds. The reason? I can’t speak for others but my pond is full of dragon fly larvae, and these voracious hunters are renowned as tadpole eaters. They look like slim underwater beetles with over-sized heads, and they eat pretty well anything they can get their mandibles on. I don’t know why there are suddenly so many but hopefully we will have a bumper crop of new dragonflies this summer, to make up for the frog shortage. Watch this space.

My box nesting house sparrows are about to fledge as I type and there are blackbirds nesting in at least 2 places in my garden – but other small birds seem to me to be a bit thin on the ground – possibly we have lost more than usual in the harsh winter?

I regularly see a barn owl by one of the boxes to the south of the village – I’d like to think it was one of a pair but suspect it is a lone bird roosting there. Barn owls nationally have had a terrible time this winter. Summer 2008 seems a long time ago.

Doreen B reports a cock Bullfinch in her garden recently – these are stunning birds which aren’t frequently seen round here, and I can never understand why we see fewer of them than other finches such as the ubiquitous Chaffinch and the insincere Greenfinch (they’re happy to appear in your garden when there’s food out, they disappear the rest of the time!)

Keep me posted with your reports!

Richard Jones – new e mail address – duboisjones@btinternet.com – 01630 658 259

March/April 2011

For the third year running, we seem to be experiencing a very warm, dry spring (April 2008 was, in contrast, cold and wintry) and the plants which have survived the extreme cold of the early winter (has anyone else lost quite a few, like I have?) are flourishing and seemingly ahead of themselves for the time of year.

Whilst the established wild primroses at the side of Main Road have long since finished flowering, the newer ones which I planted last autumn are just about peaking. Gardens throughout the parish are flourishing but the wily natives, like the oak tree, are slower to come into leaf – my beech hedge is still almost entirely covered in last year’s brown leaves too. I believe beech trees come into leaf before beech hedges.

Owls have been prominent to the south of Norton. There is at least one barn owl occupying one of the boxes near my house. Even if there is actually a pair, I doubt there will be an adequate food supply of small rodents to support a breeding attempt (the harsh winter won’t have helped), but we shall see. There was also a pair of tawny owls calling regularly in and around my garden a couple of weeks ago. Tawnys and barn owls are similar in size but the darker tawny is far more common as it is more adaptable and less dependent on one prey species. It is also more aggressive than the barn owl.

Other points to note:-
• Doug C has had blackbirds and great tits laying in mid- March – any chicks yet?
• Blackcap and chiff chaff have been regulars in my garden over the last couple of weeks – neither of these summer migrants is common here – their songs are beautiful and dull, respectively – but they both herald the arrival of summer and are very welcome!
• I’ve got house sparrows nesting in a box near my study window – that’s quite something for me, we’ve not really seen house sparrows in our garden for about 10 years let alone have them nesting. I’m still bereft of tree sparrows.
• Swallows have arrived from Africa, too, Ron L reports them from the first week in April, Eric P and Graham N record 10 and 9 April respectively for their first sightings.
• Ron L also reports hearing a cuckoo calling regularly near Betton as early as 19 April – cuckoo reports in this area have been sparse in recent years, and this bird is pretty early. First week in May would be more typical.
• Graham N reports odd lapwings/peewit sightings from various fields near the village
• Eric P has had a jay in full breeding plumage fly into his window, with tragically predictable consequences. There are probably plenty of jays round here but they aren’t common in gardens, particularly not in April. I see them mostly in October for some reason.

Thanks for all your reports, keep them coming!

Richard Jones – duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk - 01630 658 259

January/February 2011

Mistle Thrush	Woodcock at Nest
Click on an image to see an enlargement

A quiet and relatively mild month, since my last report. Although there are some early signs of spring replacing winter, the change hasn’t really gathered pace yet – hopefully it will have done before my next report.

First, an apology – I hadn’t done my research properly when I confidently predicted, last month, that we’d all have frog spawn in our ponds by now. In fact, previous years’notes suggest the second or third week of March is a more likely spawning time. Sorry about that, hopefully something to report next month.

I’ve still to hear a drumming woodpecker this year (though a pair regularly comes into my garden to feed) and I’ve not yet heard a song thrush, with its bold song consisting of a series of random phrases repeated a couple of times before moving onto a new one. Song thrushes are second only to mistle thrushes in the “early song-bird stakes” and usually start singing long before their other relation, the blackbird. The large mistle thrush is pretty unusual round here, but Eric P reports hearing one singing boldly near Forge Farm on 14 February – they share the song thrush’s ability to belt out a good tune at high volume – but without the tell-tale repetition of the song thrush. Their alternative name, “stormcock” reflects their propensity for singing, from the top of a tall tree, whatever the weather.

Eric P also reports having disturbed a solitary woodcock in Green Lane on 29 January, the first he has seen round here for 3 years or so. This secretive woodland bird is not frequently seen and relies heavily on camouflage to avoid detection. It is rather like a large, shorter billed snipe.

Both Richard H and Jem G have reported seeing an unusual looking small yellow bird near the Hinds Head car park earlier in February. Apparently both grey and yellow wagtails can be ruled out, as can a yellowhammer. Has anyone else seen this bird? It was very distinctive, apparently. I’m at a loss, I wonder whether it was an escaped cage or aviary bird?

On 20 February, in the fields to the south of Norton, I disturbed a lone curlew, which gave its evocative “bubbling” call as it got up to fly over towards Brand Hall – one of my favourite sounds in nature! A pair of kestrels has been showing interest in the well used box which I put up in January 1999 – and from which 24 young birds have fledged. Hopefully they will nest there.

Let me have your news and views for next month’s report – on duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk or 01630 658 259.

Richard Jones

December 2010/January 2011

Welcome to the first Notes of 2011! The very cold weather which we experienced in late November and throughout much of December has eased off and it has been positively balmy on a few days earlier this month. I’m sure there’s more to come, though, in terms of wintry weather.

Other than a few snowdrops beginning to poke through and a couple of wild primroses flowering early, there aren’t presently many signs of Spring on the plant-life front. Possibly the severe weather has put everything back a bit? I haven’t heard Great Spotted Woodpeckers drumming, which is usually one of the first signs of Spring in my corner of the parish. We can expect this to start before my next Notes come out, hopefully joined by the early morning songs of the Song Thrush (or even the Mistle |Thrush). I am sometimes hearing Robins singing softly in the garden - but they seem to sing all year round anyway.

We can also expect the annual Common Frog invasion in the next 3 or 4 weeks, no doubt everyone’s garden pond will be full of them. If anyone particularly wants some spawn, perhaps for a newly built pond, just let me know – I usually have too much. I’d like to get Toads in my garden but I’ve never seen any round here – has anyone else? Toads have warty skin and don’t jump like frogs do (they have shorter back legs and crawl).

Other reports are as follows:-

• Graham N – up to 50 skylarks showing regularly in a stubble field near Chapel Lane (which shows the huge wildlife benefits of stubble over winter! These birds are in serious decline nationally.)
• Graham has also reported up to 14 Long Tailed Tits on his feeders at any one time (I wonder of these little birds are becoming more common?)
• Doreen B has recorded Bramblings in her garden in the first week of January
• Similarly, Ami J has also reported at least 3 Bramblings in her garden early in the month, as well as a Siskin – neither of these traditional winter visitors has shown up in my garden this winter. Ami also mentions an Oak Tree near the cricket pitch which is holding onto its leaves. Apparently this is not uncommon – though I’m not sure of the cause.
• I’ve heard unconfirmed, reports of a Polecat sighting too, in the south of the village. This doesn’t surprise me, I’ve had odd sightings of this elusive mustelid on the Drayton Road in recent years, though not recently. The Polecat is a relation of the Mink, Otter, Stoat, Weasel and, of course, the domestic ferret.

Polecat	Brambling
Please click on an image to see an enlargement

Contact me with any interesting reports on 01630 658 259 or duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk

Richard Jones

November/December 2010

Since my last notes, the weather has been fantastically cold (in case you hadn’t noticed!). I’ve recorded double digit minus values on a number of occasions, the coldest being -14c on two days, 3 and 19 December – can anyone beat that? Twice I’ve seen the drainage ditch next to us frozen over. This is undoubtedly my coldest winter in the 20 years I’ve lived in the parish – and we’ve not reached Christmas yet.

When conditions are like this, it is more important than ever to help the birds, by feeding them and providing water (when possible) and shelter. My local robins in particular seem far less wary of me than they would usually be. They follow me very closely into the garage when I’m filling the bird feeders; the fact of the matter is that many small birds are living right “on the edge” at the moment. If they don’t spend virtually all day eating, they won’t make it through the night. The slightest bodyweight loss can push them over the edge – so they lose some of their fear when feeding. Some small birds, particularly wrens, gather together in large numbers in nest boxes in very cold weather, surviving by sharing body heat. These are the same birds that in warmer weather will bicker and fight to maintain territories against one another. Needs must, I suppose. Has anyone seen this in their own nest boxes?

Local contributors have reported as follows:-

• Doug C - good numbers of Long Tailed Tits (up to 9 at a time), as well as a cock Bullfinch in his garden
• Ron L – large numbers of Fieldfares (50 odd) on fallen apples in back garden
• Eric P - increased rabbit numbers in the Green Lane area over the last 6 months – good news for foxes, buzzard – and stoats, if there are any locally?
• Me – Snipe and Green Sandpiper in the ditch, as well as a lone Treecreeper
• Malcolm M – very good numbers of Tree Sparrows in his garden (2 dozen)

What’s missing? I’ve not seen any Bramblings yet, neither has Eric – you’d expect to see these handsome Scandinavian chaffinches in present conditions. No Siskins to report either, and I haven’t yet spotted the large flocks of starlings that the area experienced a few years ago – are they still around? Let me know what you’ve seen.

Next month, listen out for the drumming of the Great Spotted Woodpecker – I doubt there will be any other signs of Spring before my next notes. Everything is likely to be a bit late.

Merry Christmas one and all (perhaps belatedly by the time you receive these notes) – and don’t forget to phone or email me with your observations!

Richard Jones - duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk – 01630 658 259

Stop press – 20 December -15c!

October/November 2010

Wind, rain, frosts, fog – and even some watery sunshine. We’ve had it all in the past month.

Eric P’s regular walks up Green Lane continue to reveal good reports. He frequently sees my favourite woodpecker there, the Green Woodpecker. This is larger and rarer than the Great Spotted, which many of us see in our gardens, often on bird feeders. Eric also reports having disturbed 5 Teal from the Farm Pond, near the top of Green Lane. Our smallest native duck (1/3 the weight of a Mallard), the Teal is beautifully marked, and renowned for its ability to take off from the water, when disturbed, almost vertically.

Both Graham N and I have had a good number of Barn Owl sightings along the roadside going out towards Bearstone, particularly just beyond Alan Eardley’s farm; I’ve also had my first Barn Owl sighting nearer to home (on a fence post at the front of the house) since April of this year. Hopefully we’ll see more of this beautiful bird next year. None of my 3 boxes were used for breeding last summer.

I’ve seen my first Green Sandpiper of the winter. These small, dark coloured waders have regularly spent the winters in and around the drainage ditches crossing fields to the south of the village in recent years. When disturbed, they fly off in a rapid zig-zag, calling or “piping” as they go – superficially, their white rumps make them look like over-sized House martins.

Other points of interest:-
• the local Tawny Owls are making themselves heard in the evenings, at the moment.
• flocks of Fieldfares and Starlings are gathering in the fields
• I’ve seen my first garden Tree Sparrows for some considerable time, just before typing these notes – they’ve disappeared from my patch for the past couple of years (though I think Roger and Sally P still see them), could this be the start of the return?

Finally – Sue and I still haven’t defeated the crows (only two of them) which persist in attacking our windows! Perhaps I need a falconer’s Goshawk to deter them. Scarecrows and dangling silver foil don’t seem to work.

All ideas for crow deterrence and (more importantly) nature reports to duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk – or call me on 01630 658 259 or work 01782 619 225. Thanks, as ever, to contributors Eric, Graham and Roger.

Richard Jones

August/Septembert 2010

We’ve certainly seen a change in the weather in the last month, late summer changed suddenly to autumn about a week ago – with temperatures to match. This time of year is actually a “time of plenty” for many birds and mammals, more so than, say, late spring. It is generally still mild enough for there to be plenty of insects (including moths and crane flies/daddy longlegs) and the ground is warm and damp too, making worms and other invertebrates plentiful. Additionally, fruit is abundant, both natural (hawthorn, rowan etc) and “domestic” (damsons, plums, apples etc).

Comma and a small Tortoiseshell butterflies on a sedum plant	Comma and a small Tortoiseshell butterflies on a sedum plant	Common Blue butterfly on a sedum plant	A Painted Lady butterfly on a sedum plant
Click on an image to see an enlargement

Some exciting news! There could be at least one Roe deer resident in the Parish. Two independent sightings in the Betton area have confirmed this. I’ve always considered our little corner of England to be a bit too neat and intensively farmed for deer, with too few woods and copses – I really hope I’ll be proved wrong. Although the smaller of our two native deer (the Red Deer is far larger - and Fallow, Sika and Muntjac are all introduced), the Roe deer is a bigger wild mammal than we are used to seeing round here. It is also said to be one of our prettiest deer – certainly it is Simon King’s favourite. Any further sightings would be noted with great interest. Do any of the long-standing parishioners recall seeing deer here before? Let me know. I understand that the present population of Roe deer (believed to be over 800,000 – our commonest deer) is probably the highest since the middle ages and Roe deer are now moving into new territories, perhaps.

Talking of introduced animals, I had a close encounter with a Little Owl which landed in a tree about 15 feet from me the other week. I stood still and watched it for about 5 minutes, in broad daylight (they aren’t particularly nocturnal). I noticed its unusually long legs (they are related to the ground nesting burrowing owls) and its bright yellow eyes when it turned to stare at me.

In the last couple of weeks, swallows have been massing round the parish in huge numbers, feeding on insects before migrating to sub-Saharan Africa (probably in the last few days, there don’t seem to be many around at the moment). Quite a journey for this summer’s young, some of which (the second brood) will only have been on the wing for a few weeks. Eric P reports House Martins still feeding young (a third brood?) at his end of the village. It is difficult to believe the nestlings will mature in time to be ready for the flight back to Africa. Wood pigeons are also renowned for nesting at odd times and the pair in my garden certainly seems very amorous still!

Eric reports increased rabbit numbers along Green Lane, where a Brown Hare has also been seen.

Richard Jones duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk 19 September

21 July to 20 August 2010

Sadly, our summer weather has reverted to the pattern of the last 3 years – warm enough but dominated by low pressure systems, plenty of cloud and some rain showers. Apparently it’s because the jet stream (very high altitude air current) has slipped a few hundred miles south of where it “should” be – so it is right over Britain.

Skies to the south of the village are presently dominated by the calls of young buzzards, recently fledged but still largely dependent on their parents for food (much like the kestrels mentioned last month). If you hear a repeated nasal, mewing call when walking across the fields, look up and you may see a buzzard, one of our largest raptors (buzzards are larger than some of the smaller eagle species), which has increased in numbers massively over the last 10 to 15 years.

Eric P has brought to my attention the very good butterfly numbers this year, which I’ve noticed in my own garden. As well as the eye catching “big 3” (peacock, red admiral and small tortoiseshell), Eric has spotted unusually high numbers of green veined whites in gardens and around Green Lane. Whilst not rare, these butterflies are far from common in this area – their main feature, unsurprisingly, is the prominently marked veins in their otherwise white wings. Eric has also spotted good numbers of gatekeeper butterflies on Green Lane and I’ve also had painted ladies in the garden. I wonder if the warm, dry spring has helped boost butterfly numbers?

Noteworthy fledglings spotted round the village include willow warblers and also a goldcrest rooting round the pine trees in my garden.

There has also been reported a sad fatality – quite typically of its kind, a female sparrowhawk flew straight into a window in Forge Lane and apparently broke its neck in the process. These kestrel-sized hawks hunt in such a way that accidents like this are all too common. They chase small birds (not just sparrows) and do so at such speed and such low altitude (often only a couple of feet off the ground) that collisions with windows, cars and washing lines are inevitable.

I always welcome reports and feedback – so please contact me on duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk or 01630 658 259 with any nature news or views.

21 June to 20 July 2010

A quieter month than the last one in many ways – including the big drop in birdsong. Birds don’t sing for fun, of course, they do it to proclaim a territory and attract a mate, mostly – so by late July it is completely unnecessary for most birds. I still hear the occasional blackbird and robin but the song birds have mostly fallen silent. Many will also be skulking around moulting at this time of year, too.

The very dry weather (driest first 6 months since 1929, did I read?) continued until the weekend of 10/11 July – since then, we’ve had lots of clouds and some very heavy showers. The gardens needed it but I hope this isn’t the pattern for the rest of the summer.

As predicted, the three kestrel chicks fledged on 3 July, a week later than last year. Even after leaving the nest (in this case a wooden box!), young kestrels remain dependent on their parents for weeks afterwards and ours can often be seen and heard sitting round in nearby trees, to the south of the village, calling plaintively for food. Hunger and a growing reluctance of their parents to tolerate such indolence will drive them to start hunting more and more for themselves – and eventually they will have to move away from the area to live independently. For now, the parents are still very protective and the first sign of a buzzard, for example, will attract repeated “mobbing” and dive bombing until the intruder has left.

I don’t know if its been a good year for rabbits but a solitary young one spends lots of time eating my back lawn (I don’t mind as long as he sticks to the lawn) and he’s been with us for a few weeks now – no sign of parents or siblings. I’ve also seen some tiny young rabbits (they first come out of their nest at 3 weeks) by the side of the road towards Drayton, from Norton. Those which survive (and there is a very high mortality rate with predation and passing motor vehicles) could be breeding themselves within 4 months! They breed like rabbits. No more than about 25% will make it through their first year – the “doomed majority” will provide sustenance for buzzards, foxes and stoats.

I’m told that swallow numbers seem to be down this year – has anyone else noticed this? As they can have 2 or 3 broods in a summer, there’s still time for the numbers to increase, towards the end of summer. There have also been possible sightings of a glow worm (I’m waiting for more details from my source) and a red kite (over towards Bearstone) – not unprecedented but a very rare sight in this area.

Please let me have your wildlife news at duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk or 01630 658 259. Thanks to Sue H, Graham N and Rosamund.

21 May to 20 June 2010

Another relatively dry month and considerably warmer than last month (as it should be!) Could this turn into our first dry summer for a few years?

Anyone with a garden (and viewers of Springwatch) will know that this month is when numbers of newly fledged young birds probably hit their peak – and my garden has certainly been full of helpless looking blue and great tits, as well as dunnocks and wood pigeons, sitting round, naively, and calling for food incessantly. These young birds are very vulnerable to predators, notably (in my garden) magpies and probably kestrels. Sparrowhawks and cats will also take their share.

My local kestrels have nested in a nearby oak tree box for the 10th time in 12 years (2001 and 2006 were blanks). They have a reasonable brood of three chicks (5 last year!) which should be fledging in the first week of July. They are slightly behind the brood featured on Springwatch but look reasonably healthy and well fed. The fact that they are sitting on a bed of feathers in the box shows that the preferred kestrel diet of mice and voles is in short supply – kestrels are adaptable birds, however, and simply start taking birds (including many fledglings, I expect) when rodents are scarce (which is probably connected with the harsh winter?). Barn owls share the kestrel’s taste for small rodents – but are less adaptable when they are in short supply and this may explain why there is no sign of owl nesting activity in my part of the village. Low prey levels mean the female can’t bulk up enough and get in condition to lay eggs. Has anyone seen much barn owl activity recently?

Viewers of the Norton website will have spotted the delightful picture of a yellow wagtail. This isn’t a library shot, it was actually taken in Green Lane by Eric P’s son in law. Eric tells me that yellow wagtails used to breed in that vicinity until about 6 years ago but then disappeared. Now they are back – which is great news, as they are far from common, locally. They generally prefer to nest either near rivers or near the edge of cultivated fields. Their vivid yellow colouring makes them almost unmistakeable, though the far commoner grey wagtail also has some yellow colouration. Hopefully we’ll see these vivid migrants here again next year.

Thanks to Eric and to Rosamund for input – contact me on duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk if you have anything interesting to report – all contributions are most welcome!

May 2010

Yellow wagtails are nesting locally – a rare species nationally so good news to have these in the village. House Martins are back from foreign parts too.

Click on a photo to see an enlargement
Yellow wagtail	House Martins

21st February to 20th March 2010

Following the coldest winter since 1978/79, temperatures started to rise earlier this month – and nature is responding accordingly!

My small garden pond has attracted up to 12 common frogs and they produced their first spawn on 18 March – 10 days later than last year. It has been added to since. In a week or so, they’ll disappear again as quickly as they came, living all around the garden in cool, hidden corners. Though not as raucous as other frogs on the continent, they are clearly audible from my bedroom window, thrashing about and croaking.

Having seen very little of the local barn owls over the winter, a pair has taken up residence in one of the boxes to the south of Norton. One or both birds are regularly to be seen sitting outside the box at twilight. I’ve also heard their eerie screeching as I walk out in the dark (hence the alternative name “screech owl”). We may be due another good barn owl breeding year (they are highly cyclical). Hopefully we’ll have some chicks to report in a couple of months. Does anyone else see them regularly?

Eric P has reported ongoing sightings of the charismatic goldcrest in and around his garden. This tiny migrant (weighing about the same as a 5p coin) is generally a winter visitor and his bird will shortly be returning to Scandinavia, if it hasn’t done already – along with the “winter thrushes”, redwing and fieldfare. The other side of the migration coin is represented by the huge numbers of birds which come here in summer, mostly from Africa, to breed. I heard (they aren’t easy to see) my first chiffchaff in my back garden on 18 March. They are generally the first of the common warblers to arrive here. The song is tuneless (chiff-chaff-chiff-chaff-chaff-chiff etc) - but unmistakeable, and a sure sign that the days are lengthening.

Eric P has also reported a flock of golden plover overflying Norton on 4 March, as well as two curlew. I’ve heard the burbling, evocative call of the curlew in the fields at the front of my house already and I’m hopeful they may nest as they have done in previous years. I’ve always associated them with wild moorland and I still get a thrill hearing them round here.

Many plants are late this spring. The odd wild primroses to be seen round the village are just about coming into full flower as I type – they and the snowdrops are weeks behind their “normal” schedule. Two years ago, quite a few primroses in my garden had flowers at Christmas.

What’s missing? I’ve not seen my tree sparrows (dark cheek spots, brown “cap”, unlike house sparrows)
in any numbers at all this winter – where are they all?

Contact me with any reports on duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk or 01630 658 259.

Richard Jones

21st January to 20th February

Not as dramatically cold as the previous month, but it’s been pretty chilly nevertheless and as I type, Spring still seems some way off.

Top sighting of the month is a Little Egret feeding in the River Tern. This un-missable little heron simply would not have been seen around here a few years ago. The Little Egret only started appearing in England in significant numbers in about 1989 and even today, it is most commonly seen on the south and east coasts. It is classed as a “rare breeder” but numbers increase in winter as migrant visitors arrive – possibly the Norton bird is in this category as it has not (as far as I’m aware) been spotted before – and with a completely white plumage, he is highly visible.

On a far smaller scale, there are continuing reports of Britain’s smallest bird, the Goldcrest, turning up in gardens (including mine). A beautiful little bird, slightly smaller than a Wren (but with a distinct, bright yellow streak running over it’s crown) the Goldcrest never seems to stop still for a moment when feeding in winter – in very cold weather, it treads such a fine line that the loss of even 30 minutes feeding in the day may mean it doesn’t put on enough weight to take it through the night.

There have also been small flocks of Long Tailed Tits in gardens in Norton and large (100+) flocks of black Headed Gulls on farmland, following the tractor. Travelling to work through Bearstone, I saw a weasel cross the road in early February.

My long awaited song thrush started singing in the first week of February – but quickly gave up when the cold weather returned, and I’ve not heard him since. Hopefully he will get going properly in the next few weeks.

Next month, look (and listen!) out for frogs spawning, particularly if you have a garden pond, as well as birds investigating nest boxes. Wild primroses are way behind 2008 and even 2009 but hopefully they’ll be living up to their name (prima rosa) and flowering in the next couple of weeks.

Thanks to EP and JL – let me have your wildlife updates on 01630 658 259 or duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk Richard Jones

21st December to 20th January

Belated Happy New Year to everyone and welcome to your new Nature Notes – Eric has passed the baton to me to prepare the monthly notes, I only hope I can live up to the high standard he has set over the last 8 years or so. As I work full time out of the area, I’m going to be dependent on help and contributions from parishioners – so please contact me if you spot anything noteworthy or unseasonal! Contact details are at the end of the notes.

One of the first signs of Spring in this area has traditionally been the drumming woodpecker – and this year has been no exception. It is the great spotted woodpecker which makes this familiar sound, which can carry over quite some distance. I heard my first of the spring near Brand Hall on 27 December. These boldly marked birds (our commonest woodpecker by a distance) have increased in numbers in the last decade or so and are now regular garden visitors for many people. The drumming involves a rapid hammering of a dead branch, up to 16 blows in no more than a second! Why? It is a territorial display, much like the song of a blackbird. The sexes are largely identical, both birds have a vivid scarlet rump – but only the male has the same splash of colour on the nape of his neck.

The harsh weather might have deterred the woodpeckers from continuing with their drumming – but it has had its plus points for the nature watcher. Freezing conditions have made food harder to come by for many birds, consequently they have become less wary of humans. Last weekend I discovered that the drainage ditches on farmland to the south of Norton were well populated not only by the green sandpipers which have been wintering here for a few years now, but also by a number of snipe. Both these birds are waders which like to feed on worms and the like in soft, boggy areas. Rock hard ground would have driven the snipe away from the (usually) wet fields where they would normally be found, to the unfrozen ditches where there was still food to be found. The snipe is a shy bird which flies off at the first sign of human approach, zig-zagging away and calling as it goes. One bird landed right next to me and I had a good view of it before it flew off – beautifully marked, quite small – and with a disproportionately long beak.

Other sightings include flocks of fieldfares and of starlings (both 100 plus strong); as well as a pair of bullfinches and a solitary goldcrest in Eric’s garden.

What is missing? Neither Eric nor I have seen any bramblings or siskins, which is a little surprising – has anyone else seen either of these? Bramblings are handsome Scandinavian chaffinches which often turn up here in hard winters.

Next month I hope to be able to report on another harbinger of Spring, the singing song thrush. What the thrush lacks in subtlety (when compared to its relation, the blackbird) it makes up for with sheer enthusiasm on a cold morning, and volume. Listen out for a bird singing random phrases loudly (often from the top of a tree) – and repeating each phrase, just in case you didn’t hear it first time.. On the “flora” front, look out for flowering wild primrose and lesser celandine.

Contact me on 658 259 or duboisjones@tiscali.co.uk with any nature reports.
Richard Jones

September - October 20th 2009

This has been what I would call a typical autumn. Early morning mists hang over the river valley, long still days with splashes or warm sunshine and a very mixed selection of wildlife.

The warm sunshine brought out a few late butterflies including some red admirals and one of two tortoiseshells. Small parties of long tailed tits made use of a dwindling supply of peanuts from time to time and I recorded willow warblers two or three of them and a single common whitethroat, not common in this part of the country.

Flocks of birds are appearing to build up, with up to 200 herring gulls following the slurry tanker on fields south of the village. Wood pigeons are on the increase with about 100 feeding on stubble on Forge Farm.

The last record I have of swallows was a single bird on the 8th and 10th October – we may get a few more as the weather is so perfect for feeding.

My neighbour and I have a mole problem, one or two of these furry creatures are producing quite large mounds in our back gardens and steps are being taken to move them on the farm land nearby.

Eric Pithers
20th October 2009

August - September 20th 2009

The hunting call of a curlew one evening echoing over the river valley has been the main highlight of the month. Autumn has arrived with long warm sunny days. The departure of the swallows and martins was in full swing during the last week in August and the first in September and we are left with a few late breeding pairs and stragglers. I anticipate seeing the old one or two well into October especially if the fine calm weather continues.

A sparrow hawk was watched devouring its prey on the lawn, a collared dove and a great spotted woodpecker was found dead, completely unmarked, on another near neighbour’s lawn. Nature in the raw can be very cruel.

The late warm weather brought out a few more butterflies, mainly tortoishell but I did spot a single speckled wood, quite late for this species.

Blackbirds and starling have been gorging themselves on the Rowan berries, I hope they leave enough for the Scandinavian winter visitors.

Eric Pithers
20th September 2009

July - August 20th 2009

I regret to say it but the signs of autumn are clearly to be seen. Swallows are congregating on the wires in increasing numbers prior to their departure to South Africa for the winter.

A single warbler, a common whitethroat passed through the shrubs in the garden the only one I’ve seen this year. A family party of buzzards circled lazily overhead on one occasion, four of them suggesting that adults and two young had a successful season and were now dispersing for the winter.

The late warm sunshine has produced a great abundance of cabbage white butterflies, more than I have ever seen and some large coloured butterflies but not many. I’ve recorded common blue, tortoiseshell and peacock but few in number. However, again the migrant butterfly the painted lady, has been most common, with several of these second brood “flies” around most days.

The barn owl has been a regular visitor overflying the back field on several occasions. The house sparrows that resided above my front porch have been breeding almost constantly since March and the number of the wing number at least twenty.

Now we look out for early winter visitors or late summer migrants.

Eric Pithers
20th August 2009

June - July 20th 2009

Following the old tradition of the Chinese naming their new year after mammals etc., I think we can call the year as “The year of the cuckoo”. After two years of no records at all, I have had three records from reliable sources the last on the 27th June, a late date but with global warming anything could happen. This repartee is completely reliable and knows the cuckoo from the collared dove.

I spent one morning on a visit to Partons Pool but this proved relatively unexciting from the wildlife point of view but I did see a water hen (moorhen) with a young one so they bred somewhere in the dense vegetation. In its present overgrown condition it is a good wildlife habitat. I hope the In Bloom judges looked at it in this light.

A single grey wagtail was on the stepping stones and a pair of wrens were agitated by my presence and this suggests they had young nearby.

A single hen siskin fed briefly on peanuts, an unusual visitor for this time of the year. I expect they breed in Burntwood Forest on the edge of Loggerheads.

Eric Pithers
20th July 2009

May - June 20th 2009

Village gardens have been a hive of activity, not only for Britain in Bloom but also for the abundance of wildlife. Adult birds have been busy feeding their newly fledged young and my garden has seen seven species doing this. Blackbirds have been the most common but the following have also been around from time to time, dunnock, great and blue tits, robin and I suspect a wren for I am scolded every time I go out in my garden. The skies over the village are also alive with swallows and martins, some of these will be this years young.

Have you heard the old saying “The house the martin chooses, seldom ever looses” “A good luck omen”.

I heard a cuckoo, very faint and in the direction of Loggerheads. It called four times whilst getting weaker. It’s the first I’ve heard in three years.

The painted lady butterfly has made the news headlines this year. A mass exodus of millions of these insects from their North African winter quarters have headed north to reach this country and I have had three in the garden and three along the green lane. This has made it the most common “fly” this year.

That endangered species, the yellow wagtail I mentioned last month has disappeared from the area I saw it in, so it looks as though they were only passing through. A common brown hare has been seen in a village garden twice – not many of these in the field these days. Two magnificent male bullfinches have also been recorded in a garden in Forge Lane.
This is unusual for high summer, much more likely to be seen in winter.

Eric Pithers
20th June 2009

Apr - May 20th 2009

This has been a period of interesting ornithological events in and around the village. It started early on with a single peregrine falcon flying high over the village and on the 30th April a single swift was winging its way north (but none since). House martins arrived on 14th May but not as many as in previous years. The most exciting summer visitors to the area were a pair of yellow wagtails in a Forge Farm field. This is an endangered species fast disappearing from the U.K. countryside. I hope they stay and breed as they did several years ago.

Also recorded locally was the cuckoo. One was heard in the area of Oakley Hall first and then over towards Bellaport, almost certainly the same bird. This is the first recorded in the last three years.

A single male yellowhammer near the green lane seems rather mundane after all this. The Defra “set aside” land is proving an attraction to wildlife. The green lane itself is a blaze of colour just now with lots of bluebells, pink campion, dandelions and cow parsley in flower and this is attracting several orange tip butterflies and several tortoishell and no doubt other species will follow. To end with, a pair of skylarks were disturbed on a freshly sown maize field on Forge Farm.

STILL TIME TO HEAR THE CUCKOO;;;;.

Eric Pithers
20th May 2009

Mar - Apr 20th 2009

The main topic of conversation this month is “have you seen a swallow yet? As it happens I saw one on the 4th April, quite an early date for their return but only the one. I saw no more until the 11th April and from then on a steady trickle occurred. My impression is that their arrival has been fragmented, brought about by the cool weather. During the warm spell, at least two pipistrelle bats were hunting around the shrubs in my front garden. This was quite an early date for them to emerge from their winter hibernation.

Curlews have been calling quite regularly over the meadow around the village. This suggests that we shall have a pair nesting nearby as we have in other years. The local buzzard has appeared less frequently this month over the south of the village and maybe nesting somewhere near, and keeping a low profile.

A pair of skylarks has been seen near Forge Farm meadow, perhaps this is the start of the recovery of this declining species, suitable habitats have been provided with the Defra Walkway. Canada geese have been very act give this month, with several smaller skeins overflying the village, heading towards the river valley on several occasions.

Eric Pithers
20th April 2009

Feb - Mar 20th 2009

All the signs of spring are with us now ladybirds emerging from their winter slumber, bumble bees busy on the forest flame and cotoneaster, plenty of lesser celandines in flower, their little bright yellow flowers a pleasure to see. The colour of the hedgerows has changed from the drab brown of winter to the fresh green growth of spring/summer. My front porch has been a hive of activity with at least three pairs of house sparrows trying to take over the hole under the eaves and a collared dove has designs on a narrow ledge. Very soon the first swallow and martins will arrive.

However, one thing is a bit worrying – frogs seem to be in short supply. My little garden pond normally had ten or more of these useful reptiles and plenty of spawn by the end of February, but not this year. I have only seen two frogs and no spawn, so far.

The common buzzard that appears to have made its territory at the south end of the village is still seen daily. This is completely out of character.

Surprise visitors to the garden were three linnets – it’s a long time since I recorded this species in these notes. They only stayed a minute or so and could have easily been missed.

Eric Pithers
20th March 2009

Jan - Feb 20th 2009

At last, a spell of real winter – two weeks of below freezing temperature and about four inches of snow. What a difference this has made to the local bird population. The most unusual occurrence is that of a buzzard that seems to have taken residence in Forge Lane, appearing on roof tops and in trees in my garden. This is a species that is more at home on mountains and wild moorlands not back gardens and built up areas. The buzzard has become increasingly common over the last two or three years with at least one pair nesting near Oakley Hall. The bad weather also brought in large numbers of fieldfares in the back field, well over a hundred in one small area, probing and picking in the long grass and obviously finding plenty to eat. Siskins have been recorded in larger that usual numbers with at least ten on one feeding station in the village. This species and goldfinches seem attracted to each other and small flocks of around twenty have not been uncommon at nut feeders. A single coal tit has been a regular visitor to my garden and a pair of tree sparrows has been looking at a nest box in the garden. A woodpigeon is sitting on two eggs in the pine tree, seemingly unmoved by the severe weather. Barn owls have been very active in the Brand area, seem to be looking at and entering a nest box. This is a pair that will be expected to nest very shortly, being one of the early species to set up home. Keep watching.

Eric Pithers
20th February 2009

Dec - Jan 21st 2009

As predicted last month, siskins and bramlings have arrived in the village from their breeding grounds in N.Europe/Scandinavia. Not many bramlings yet but severe weather conditions may change all this. There has been a marked increase in the number of other species seen. In addition to the above, other species recorded include a lovely male bullfinch, a tree creeper, gold crests, (two or three) song thrust regularly and long tailed tits continue to be very common, with a flock of twelve being the largest recorded number together.

Other flocks of birds recorded locally include about 150 lapwings feeding on wet meadows in the Bearstone area and flying high over Norton was a magnificent skein of about 100 golden plover flying in a north westerly direction late one afternoon. These had almost certainly just arrived from Scandinavia and were heading for a nearby coastal area.

Four adult mute swans were seen flying along the river valley towards Oakley Lake and curlew and ravens were heard calling on several occasions. A pair of grey wagtails appears to have taken up territory in the vicinity of the Napley Bridge.

Eric Pithers
20th Jan 2009

Nov - Dec 20th 2008

I’m a bit confused this month – Why???. – in spite of freezing conditions I have seen house sparrows carrying nesting material into nest holes in the roof of the bungalow, collared doves doing the same with twigs into the spruce tree in the garden and rooks repairing last years nests in the local rookery and its only mid winter. Is this the effect of global warming having on a local basis?

Otherwise the other wild life I have to report on seems to be perfectly normal. A large flock of fieldfares, over 500 at a guess were on stubble fields on the northern edge of the village, several reports of long-tailed tits in small groups in gardens and a single gold crest feeding on insects in the spruce tree in the garden.
The scolding by several blackbirds on my drive drew my attention to a tawny owl standing by the main truck of the hornbeam virtually invisible. I did not disturb it. A single song thrush appeared briefly on my lawn after the absence of several months.

Keep your eyes open for siskins and brambling, the latter looking like a strange chaffinch. They should be around now. Goldfinches have been particularly common just now.

I wish everybody a very happy and successful 2009.

Eric Pithers
20th December 2008

Oct - Nov 20th 2008

Fieldfares, the grey Scandinavian winter visitors were recorded in the village on 1st November. A Small flock of about 10 birds were seen on hawthorn along the old railway line near Norton station. No redwings were seen but they are usually a week or two later and are probably around now.

Long tailed tits have been fairly common this period with several sightings reported. I had four in my garden together with 2 coal tits they have also been strangely absent since the breeding season.

On one of my rare walks up the green lane I followed a small flock of small birds along the hedgerow eventually getting them in good autumn sunlight and able to identify them. Most were chaffinches, but there were also some greenfinches and a single meadow pipit. This latter species usually forms into large flocks of over 100 for the winter – perhaps they were elsewhere on stubble or freshly ploughed areas and this one got left behind.

An unusual incident has been reported to me recently. Nuthatches feeding in a local garden on the feeder have been able to remove whole nuts and they have been burying them in gravel on the drive. A similar occurrence has been brought to my notice from outside the area where the same species has been burying whole nuts in the gap between paving slabs. Magpies were watching the activity and were removing them.

Eric Pithers
20th November 2008

Sept - Oct 20th 2008

On the 30th September I decided that winter was just around the corner and it was time to put the lawnmower away. Imagine my surprise when I disturbed a large fully developed dragonfly which proceeded to fly up and down the driveway in an erratic way. Normally this insect emerges in June/July and needs warm sunshine to dry out but this one had arrived on a warm but dull day. I don’t think it will survive for long as the next day was cold and wet. I was able to identify it as a southern or common aeshna. Nature never fails to surprise us:

A healthy flock of about 50 mixed finches, mostly chaffinches, landed in the large ash tree in Forge Lane, another sign of winter on the way when birds tend to move around in flocks as a safety measure.

My neighbour reported seeing a single red legged partridge in her garden and I saw one in the lane, certainly the same one. Presumably it has been reared locally and released into the wild for the shooting season.

The spreading of farm slurry on the back field attracted a large number of gulls of three different species, herring lesser blackbacked and black headed; however they soon moved away when the food supply ran out.

The female sparrow hawk is a regular visitor to the garden causing havoc among the resident house sparrow population. Just occasionally it makes a successful “stoop” and carries off its prey.
Nature in the raw;;;;.

Eric Pithers
20th October 2008

Aug - Sept 20th 2008

I always feel a little sad at this time of the year – why:: Because each day I witness the departure of hundreds of swallows and martins on their 5,000 mile journey to winter quarters in Africa. Many will perish en route from natural and un-natural causes, but many more will survive to rejoin us next spring. I wish them ‘bon voyage’.

A single meadow pipit was feeding on chicken dung spread on the farm field and a good flock of at least 30 house sparrows were regularly frequenting the green lane hedgerows. There is no shortage of this species in this area, unlike the overall picture. Many more will be using our gardens as feeding grounds.

A quite remarkable sight (and sound) was of at least forty Canada geese flying low level they were all calling in that wild gooselike way.

A gold crest paid a brief visit to my spruce tree, obviously feeding on large numbers of insects hiding there. The local barn owl population has been greatly increased this year with the successful rearing of a least five young in two owl boxes. The kestrel continues to use the box provided by R.J. this is for the 8th or 9th year running.

Eric Pithers
20th September 2008

July - Aug 20th 2008

A fragile curtain of mist hangs over the river valley as I write these notes. It is not the sort of weather to encourage wildlife to put in an appearance and I suspect that this has caused the disappearance of some of our large colourful butterflies. A few have appeared this period but these could be counted on one hand, one red admiral, one peacock, three tortoishell in an area where there are plenty of buddleas to attract them. However, one very unusual sighting was a painted lady butterfly, a summer migrant from the Atlas area of North Africa.

I was entertained by a family party of ravens at the top of the green lane one afternoon. They really seemed to be enjoying life chasing each other around the top of a large oak tree. Hover as soon as I moved a little nearer they flew off towards Oakley Hall.

Linnets have caught my eye this month, a flock of four or five were feeding in the hedges around Norton Farm. I don’t often see these species in this area; they prefer heathland and gorse habitats.

The rowan tree in my front garden was laden with bright red berries a few weeks ago but is now almost stripped bare by resident blackbirds and starlings. They have left very little for our visiting Scandinavian thrushes when they arrive in October.

Eric Pithers
20th August 2008

June - July 20th 2008

Not a month to get excited about although as usually happens some interesting and unexpected things have turned up. In spite of the unseasonal weather, the bird breeding season has been successful generally. My garden has been particularly productive, with a wider range of species taking advantage of the excellent shrub cover. Three pairs of blackbirds have successfully reared young, tree sparrows have had two broods in a nest box and wrens have bred for the first time, to my knowledge. I could list about ten common garden birds that have all been successful in raising families. Elsewhere in the village nuthatches have occupied nest boxes, a species that has so far avoided my garden. A single swift on one occasion is the only record of this now rare species. Curlews have been seen regularly over the back field, but no barn owls this year although they have been successful in using the boxes. We shall probable see some of these young later on in the year. The most exciting occurrence of the month was the sight of three golden plover over-flying the village late one June evening heading east.

Where are all the butterflies???

Eric Pithers
20th July 2008

May - June 20th 2008
Near neighbours, Bob and Norma alerted me to an unusual sighting late one afternoon, a female sparrow hawk sitting in a corner of their garden apparently unusually tame, or more likely, very sick. I approached the bird very cautiously and was able to get it to perch on my fingers, its sharp claws getting a firm hold. It couldn’t fly although its wings seemed undammed, but it was very emaciated and unable to eat. We tried to feed it with a piece of raw steak mince but were unsuccessful. Bob phoned the RSPCA hospital at Stapley where the duty vet made a brief examination and though that the problem was a parasitic infection. They kept it in overnight but it did not survive.

Other local bird life has been minimal but there have been some interesting things to write about. Four curlews were seen in the back field, two young and two adults, probably our resident pair from the Brand Hall meadows. They have been mentioned in previous notes. A pair of grey wagtails is breeding near the new road bridge. A short walk up in the green lane was very unrewarding. Only a yellow hammer in full song made the walk worthwhile. However, the great variety of wild grasses was very impressive. I counted at least ten different species, some with quite spectacular heads, a flowers pressers’ paradise. The lane has become very overgrown, almost impassable in places, but with an abundance of red Campion.

Eric Pithers
20th June 2008

Apr - May 20th 2008
At last a little bit of excitement in the local bird world. A phone call from a resident of Dorrington Lane brought to my attention the arrival of a hoopoe in their back garden. It was very approachable, feeding vigorously on the lawn, probing into the grass with its long curved bill. Hoopoes are fairly common in Spain and Portugal but only come to the U.K. by accident. Undoubtedly the spell of warm south to south east wind we enjoyed recently had blown it off course.

The month has been remarkable for its more regular birds and butterflies. A paid of tufted ducks were on the Forge Farm ponds, a pair of curlew were frequenting the Brand Hall meadows most of the month and tawny owls were heard calling in the vicinity of the church. Barn owls have taken up residence in one of the new boxes in the Brand area and tree sparrows are using nest boxes in and around the village.

During the warm spell, butterflies were numerous for a short while and I saw in my garden common blues, tortoishell, peacock, orange tips and large whites.

Bats have been very active most evenings hunting for moths and large insects. At four have been around three pipistrelles and a long eared.

Finally, another very unusual sighting was a shelduck, just south of the village flying towards Oakley Lake.

Eric Pithers
20th May 2008

Mar - Apr 20th 2008
Snow on the ground, swallows overhead, overnight frosts, it seems that global warming has gone into reverse. Yes, swallows have been seen over and around the village, but not until the 14th April, which according to my records is a week later than in 2007, when they were recorded on the 6th April with house martins on the 7th.

A short walk in a cold easterly wind, produced two male yellowhammers and very little else. Rabbits were in abundance after an absence of nearly six months and an unconfirmed report of a redpoll is almost certain to be correct identification.

It is about time for the cuckoo to make himself heard although this bitterly cold weather must be a deterrent to any breeding activity. By the time these notes appear again, someone somewhere will have heard him.

On a more normal note, blackbirds have ignored the unseasonable weather and nested in my garden and have produced four eggs by the 10th April.

Eric Pithers
20th April 2008

Feb - Mar 20th 2008
As predicted, barn owls have been recorded in some numbers this period. At the beginning of the month as many as three were seen over and around the village. The “back” field and Brook house meadow was the haunt of at least one and it now remains to be seen if it is one of a pair and they will use the new owl box.

I was entertained to a marvellous display by a pair of buzzards over the back field early in the month. They were diving, swooping, stooping and grabbing each other by the talons for almost five minutes and all from the comfort of my kitchen. They eventually moved away towards Oakley. A single lapwing appeared on the green lane farm field, but as yet no typical display flight. However, on my travels around I almost always see a lapwing and I get the impression they are becoming less rare. Another species to make a welcome return to the gardens in Forge Lane is the song thrush. As I write a pair is collection nesting material from the garden and a feeding anvil has been established at the back of my garden. This is still an endangered species so please don’t kill too many snails in the vegetable patch.

Eric Pithers
20th March 2008

Jan - Feb 20th 2008
This has been the year of the Scandinavian chaffinch, in other words the brambling. Every two of three years they arrive in the country in large numbers usually staying on the east side of the U.K. This year they have been seen in thousands nationwide and Norton has been included. I have received information from all quarters of the village in gardens, generally two or three at a time. In the seven years I have been compiling these notes I have only recorded one or two being seen. This year at least 10 have been reported. Other species that have been reported in larger than usual numbers include siskins and long tailed tits with a family party of 14 of the latter. A pair of bullfinches was seen briefly in a garden in Napley Drive together with a single reed bunting.

An unusual visitor to Partons Pool was a wallow tit creeping along the water edge in search of insects. I paid a visit to Partons Pool on two occasions during the recent cold snap and it was most satisfying so many birds in full song. The new bridge wall was just the right height to rest my elbows on and support for the binoculars. The whole area looked very inviting and sounded like a spring dawn chorus with song thrush, blackbird, robin, wren, chaffinch and goldfinch in full song. A great spotted woodpecker was watched drumming in a dying tree by the river edge. It was a most enjoyable half hour and I was reluctant to leave.

A new barn owl nest box has been put up in the vicinity of the pool and it is hoped that many of us will have the pleasure of watching this magnificent bird later this year as it hunts over the back fields and along the river bank.

Eric Pithers
20th Feb 2008

Dec - Jan 20th 2008
Siskins figure prominently this month, with reports of large numbers being recorded all over the country. These contrasts greatly with last winter when very few were seen and none were seen in the Norton area. Up to now several have been seen in the Forge Lane garden and I’ve no doubt more will be seen. This is in spite of the very unwintry conditions prevailing at the moment – this species is usually associated with frost and snow.

A small flock of pied wagtails were seen feeding among browsing cattle in the “10” acre field (top of the green lane). At least ten were counted with difficulty – there would be many more, it’s a big field??

A phone call alerted me to a dead owl in Chapel Lane. It was a tawny and had been dead some time. I am told that tawny’s are often heard in that area.

A more unusual species seen near the farm ponds was a cormorant. It took off as I approached and flew towards Oakley. This species spends its time almost equally between the land and the coast. They breed on the rocky cliffs.

I have been advised of a large flock of lapwings that frequent the fields alongside the Hodnet by-pass and on a visit to Telford Hospital I was fortunate to see them feeding on the flooded field near the Hodnet end of the road. I estimate that there were about one hundred. Could they be making a come-back at last???

Eric Pithers
20th Jan 2008

Nov - Dec 20th 2007
Not a lot to comment on this month hence the shortened version of these notes. I am also somewhat restricted in the time I can spend looking at wildlife. However, one or two things are worth noting. The recent severe frosts have brought in the first large numbers of fieldfares. A flock of about 200 were feeding on the back meadow during this period. I have also heard about barn owls being seen in the area on one or two occasions. |I have noticed an increased in the number of jays in the area south of the village. On my rare walks up the green lane I have seen at least one and sometimes two. They have been absent from that area for at least six months. A family party of long tailed tits were in the lane hedgerows on one occasion, at least 8 of them.
I wish you all a very happy, healthy and successful new year.
More next time I hope.

Eric Pithers
20th Dec 2007

Oct - Nov 20th 2007
The barn owl continues to appear in and around the village with one being seen on several occasions over the back field. According to the T V and press this species has enjoyed a very good breeding season with several second broods being recorded in the country. Let’s get the Parton Pool owl box up ready for next year as they can be early nesters. Elsewhere, the Scandinavian invaders catch the eye. As yet, they are only about in small numbers, but I was fortunate to have up to 12 fieldfares in the garden trees on several occasions but no large numbers yet. Redwings have also been around in similar numbers on holly berries. At the moment there are plentiful supplies of various hedgerow fruits but as the bird numbers build up so the food will disappear. Windfall apples will then by very welcome by these very welcome and handsome birds. If the old belief is anything to go by, the large number of fruits on the hedgerow bushes indicates a harsh winter ahead.

Goldfinches also make the headlines with up to 8 seen feeding on nijer seeds on my neighbour’s feeder. Not many greenfinches about and no siskins yet.

The kill of a sparrow hawk was deposited on my drive one morning. The very neat circle of small feathers plus legs and head clearly identified the work of a hawk. The unfortunate food supply was a male chaffinch. Starling numbers are slowly building up with up to 200 roosting in my overgrown hedge.

Eric Pithers
20th Nov 2007

Sept - Oct 20th 2007
“Seasons of mists and mellow fruitfulness” (Keats), and how right it is this autumn. As I write these notes we are enjoying just such a spell, cold, calm, sunny. But the signs of winter are everywhere. Fieldfares, those handsome grey thrushes from Scandinavia have been seen around the village and we said goodbye to the swallows and martins in early October. As far as I know a pair of martins finally finished feeding a family on or about the 6th October and departed almost immediately.

An unusual visitor to stubble on Norton Farm was a red-legged partridge and two others were observed in a back garden in Forge Lane, feeding on chick weed and grass seeds. This species is not a native of this country but bred for shooting activities. These two were so tame and used to people. On the continent were they are wild they are known as French partridges. Alas, our native grey partridge remains very scarce.

A large flock of Canada geese have built up over the summer, with about 150 being counted on one or two occasions in the vicinity of the Tern valley. A single raven flew low over my head calling loudly, its harsh “croak” clearly identifying it as I walked the DEFRA route and about 50 lesser black-backed gulls also got up and moved a bit further away on the winter wheat.

Barn owls continue to make prominent news with two seen sharing an owl box on Brand Hall land (RJ) and a possible third nearby. I hope we will enjoy their company around the village next year as we have this.

Eric Pithers
20th Oct 2007

Aug - Sept 20th 2007

This has been a period of marked contrast in the weather. A late ten day “Indian Summer” with hot sunny days and calm conditions was a welcome change after the miserable summer of June/July. It had a marked effect upon the wildlife of the area. A large number of butterflies appeared in the garden, some unexpected species were seen. A single “painted lady” was feeding on ice plants in a local garden together with several red admirals, tortoishell speckled woods and whites. Another rare visitor was a “comma” also enjoying the fully flowered ice plants. Earlier this year I had commented on the lack of large coloured ‘flies and this late hatching has redressed the balance. Two large dragonflies also flew around the garden for a short time. These were almost certainly common aeshna.

The bird life during the month has been interesting. A tawny owl was heard calling in the vicinity of the church and perhaps more exciting was the presence of a large flock of lapwings in the Moss Lane area on freshly ploughed fields. A rough estimate put the numbers at about 200. Perhaps they will come to Norton fields when the ploughing gets underway. Swallows and martins have been departing all month but some will be seen into October.

Another fascinating occurrence was the appearance of two water shrews at Partons Pool. Unfortunately they were dead, flattened on the footpath. This small mammal is the rarest of the breeding species in Gt. Britain. Perhaps these two were part of a breeding colony?

Eric Pithers
20th Sept 2007

July - Aug 20th 2007

We have now entered a quiet period of the year for wildlife activity. As we are not on a main bird migratory route there is very little to get excited about but the signs of winter are there. An ever increasing flock of starlings appear each evening on their way to roost somewhere south of the village, and I have noticed a reduction in the number of swallows and martins in the air seeking food, and I think many of them have already left for their winter quarters in Africa. Who can blame them???

The barn owl was still around during the first week of August, but I haven’t seen it since. A pair of Jays are in the vicinity of Norton Farm, and a single missel thrush flew across the road in the same area. The over-grown green lane has given the knapweeds and vetches the chance to flower profusely, protected by the lank vegetation. More next month I hope!!!

Eric Pithers
20th Aug 2007

June - July 20th 2007

Nest boxes in and around the village have attracted my attention this month.

I decided to check from the outside three boxes near the bus shelter one afternoon and was pleasantly surprised to find two of them occupied, one unusually so. All three boxes were put up to attract different species, a flycatcher box, a tit box and a bat box. The standard tit box appeared to have been used, but the open fronted flycatcher one was empty. It was the bat box with its narrow slot in the base that was most amazing. As I gazed up at the base, over-flowing with nesting material a blue tit “dropped” out. How the law of gravity was overcome is a mystery!! News from R.J. informed me of the excellent results from his well established kestrel box this year. Five young have been scientifically marked (ringed) and are probably now flying. The box was not used last year but in 2005 a similar number was hatched. Sadly one of that year’s young was found very recently at Sutton on Tern with a broken wing and is unlikely to survive.

I have spent some time at Home Farm, Bellaport this month in search of breeding lapwings and curlew without success. However it was very satisfying to see and hear four singing male skylarks in the course of about a mile walk of farm tracks. Even more notable was a single corn bunting, a male as it uttered its characteristic call flying away across a recently cut silage field. Maybe the female was sitting on a nest nearby?? This once common farmland species is now very rare.

The swallows normally resident in the bus shelter have not returned this year and one reason for this is possible because the old nest was not removed last winter. They always like to build from scratch. The jackdaws on the church gargoyle have successfully reared two young and these have now flown.

Eric Pithers
20th June 2007

May - June 20th 2007

We’ve almost reached the end of the “cuckoo” season and I have heard of two reports of the call being heard in the village area. This is in keeping with the records for the last two or three years, numbers decreasing all the time. As it has been recorded in this country up to the end of June there is still time, but it becomes less likely.

I witnessed a remarkable incident from my back door early this month. Two adult wrens were locked in combat in an overhanging bush when they fell to the ground still together. I was able to pick them up, but they immediately parted company and flew into another dense bush and I lost sight of them, no doubt to continue the claim for territory.

A single swift flew over the bungalow on the second of May, quite an early date and two more followed the same route two weeks later. At least two curlews were to be heard in the grass field for short periods throughout the period, and a pair of lapwing looks as though they will nest in the freshly sown maize field on Norton Farm. They can be seen from the “DEFRA” walkway and along the same walk I disturbed two female wheatears both on separate fence posts. They were not around very long, probably heading for the hills and moor lands to bread.

Eric Pithers
20th May 2007

April - May 20th 2007

At the beginning of this period we had a very brief spell of winter, a sharp oven night frost, minus 2c. for two nights brought in a final flock of our winter visitors, fieldfares. About 50 of these handsome grey Scandinavians were feeding vigorously in the grass meadow behind the main road. This was on the 21st March and none have been seen since. Three days later curlews were active in the same area but are unlikely to breed there, too much disturbance for this timid upland species. At least five birds were recorded. I am sure they will settle on quieter nearby fields.

Young blackbirds and starlings were actually flying in the first week of April. They must have hatched a month before this, making it a very early date to nest build. On the 7th April, two swallows flew north over Main Road, the first to be seen this year. House martins appeared the following day; a pair was inspecting last years nest sites in the lane. We need rain now to provide mud to build their nests.

With the return of warm, sunny weather, a wealth of butterflies appeared with peacock, tortoishell, brimstone, whites and common blues being seen in a three day spell in and around the village.

I paid a few visits to Partons Pool this month and on one of these I found a very rare flowing marsh plant, a snakeshead fritillary. Actually you can buy the corms of this attractive rarity. I expect someone can answer this?? A paid of jackdaws are building a nest behind a gargoyle on the church tower – something to watch later when young arrive. This common species is not often mentioned in these notes but they are always around.

Eric Pithers
20th April 2007

March - April 20th 2007

It doesn’t look as though we shall get any real winter weather this year. Spring flowers are in bloom with lots of fully developed primroses and lesser celandines in the hedgerows and catkins have been and gone. The hawthorn and blackthorn are in leaf and the latter will soon be in flower. Frog spawn appeared on my garden pond on the 25th February but I had seen “frog” activity a week before that date. Looking back to previous years this is quite an early date.

Long tailed tits have been seen in the village gardens for the first time this winter and a common brown hare made short work of getting across stubble ahead of me. Siskins have been recorded on the roadside hedges south of the village. Fieldfares are still around, but a flock of about 150 flew over the village high on the 11th March and I think this was return migration under way. No redwings this winter, or have I missed them???. A common buzzard was lazily circling over the stubble on the 12th March, the first I have recorded for two month; I also disturbed a common snipe from a wet patch in the stubble on the same walk.

Phone calls have brought to my attention the presence of yellowhammers in gardens locally and I thank you for entering into making these notes more complete than they otherwise would be.

Eric Pithers
20th Mar 2007

February - March 20th 2007

Again this month I enthuse over the value of the stubble field off the green lane for wildlife. It is very rare these days to say that you have seen a “flock” of skylarks, but the stubble was providing something to feed on for seven of these now rare birds. At the same time the twenty or so meadow pipits I mentioned last month were finding something to eat among the unploughed field. Even more surprising was the presence of five read bunting on the edge of the stubble field, eventually flying onto the hedge behind.

Another area of great interest was the grass meadow at the back of Main Road/Forge Lane where at least 200 fieldfares together with a similar number of starlings were probing into the roots of the grass for food. Two lapwings landed briefly then flew south.

Still no siskins reported from the places normally visited at this time of the year, but a song thrush has turned up in the garden after an absence of some months, also greenfinches and a wren, also absentees this winter. A gentleman “dog walker” kindly informed me of two goosanders seen on Oakley Hall Lake earlier in the month. These ducks are so distinctive that misidentification is unlikely and they were in the right habitat at the right time.

As I write these notes, the grass meadow is receiving a dose of farm slurry and the tractor is being followed by about 200 gulls, most of which are black-headed, with one or two lesser black backed and herring. Rooks and crows are also enjoying this mobile supply of food.

Eric Pithers
20th Feb 2007

January - February 20th 2007

Its mid winter and what have we got!! Daytime temperatures
often in excess of 50 degrees F., gales, sometimes sever with gusts reaching 100 mph and rooks, woodpigeons and collared doves all seen carrying nesting material. But where are the winter migrants??. I haven’t recorded a single fieldfare or redwing this month, normally the peak period for these species to be seen. One or two interesting species have been seen mainly due to the presence of a large stubble field left unploughed for the winter and now sprouting all sorts of weeds attracting to wildlife.

On several occasions I have walked this area courtesy of the local farmer, in search of birdlife and have not been too disappointed. Meadow pipits have been seen on most walks, about twenty at the most, and a single skylark was a lucky find as I almost stood on it, a yard of two either way and |I would have missed it. Linnets and chaffinches were also disturbed on many visits to the area, but only in small numbers, usually less than ten. Plant life has been most striking with snowdrops crocus, daffodil, all wee advanced. The first wild garlic (ransoms) is showing through along the riverside and lesser celandines will flower shortly together with primrose. I was told by my son-in-law of a flock of about 35 lapwings that over flew the Hodnet by Pass on the 19th January. I have seen the odd one or two I the past month, but 35 would be wo5rth making a special visit to see such a rare sight. My next door neighbour has had up to seven goldfinches on a special nut feeder in the garden and the local population of house sparrows is thriving. But no buzzards or siskins reported: where have they gone??.

Eric Pithers
20th Jan 2007

December - January 20th 2007

The notes this month have relied very much on the keen eyed village residents who very kindly inform me of what may be an unusual occurrence. The weather has been dominated be heavy rain and gale force winds, but still very mild for this time of the year, not ideal conditions for wildlife and I have found very little to record. During a brief bright spell I watched a small flock of small birds in the vicinity of the farm pond and picked out a magnificent male linnet in full breeding plumage, red breast shining in the wintry sun. I presume that the other birds in the party were linnets also. They flock together in winter, feeding on numerous grass and weed seeds.

A phone call, alerted me to a flock of about 25 common snipe feeding on a wet “set aside” area in the Bellaport area and about 6 skylarks mixed in with them. Fieldfares have been very common in the Green Lane area, and the hawthorn berries have disappeared rapidly, the bushes changing colour from red to brown/green. Very few redwings have been with these large grey winter thrushes from Scandinavia, but an influx of blackbirds occurred on the 28th November but very quickly moved away.

Another very interesting record was given to me by a near neighbour, a male blackcap in the garden. These warblers normally spends the winter in warmer climates, but over the last 20 years or so increasing numbers have over wintered in the U.K. It is likely that this species has been overlooked as the female does not have a black cap but a brown one and easily mistaken for a dunnock or tree sparrow. An increasing number of blue and great tits have been using my nut feeders and next doors have provided food for great spotted woodpeckers.

Happy New Year

Eric Pithers
20th Dec 2006

October - December 20th 2006

As was to be expected, the main topic this month has been the arrival of winter visitors from Europe and Scandinavia. As early as the fourth of November I saw the first fieldfare, at Partons Pool. Much to my surprise it appeared to be on its own which is unusual as they are very gregarious enjoying the company and safety of hundreds of other fieldfares and redwings. This happened on the tenth of November when a large flock of 4/500 flew south over the village. I saw what I believed to be the same group on the 12th November from the Defra walkway on Norton Farm and could almost see where they were going to roost, in the large pine trees by Oakley Lake.

A single female bullfinch was almost the only bird I saw on a walk up the green lane on another occasion but a jay was a bit more encouraging as it cluttered towards Oakley Hall making characteristic alarm calls.

A most amazing balancing act was carried out by a male pheasant when it landed on my front windowsill, on a width of about four inches and stayed for a full 30 seconds looking at me and my petrified cat. It then calmly hopped down onto the path to feed. The pheasant in question is a regular visitor to the front and back gardens on Forge Lane and had perhaps sussed it out previously.

Canada geese have been very active all month, usually seen flying along the river valley. A singly curlew flew east to west on 8th November heading towards Brand Hall.

Eric Pithers
20th December 2006

September - October 20th 2006

We have enjoyed a very pleasant but short autumn this year with mostly above average temperatures. The swallows and martins had virtually disappeared by the first week of October, the last date I have is the second and third of October when several hundred were heading south. This is an early date for their departure and I expected more later, but is hasn’t happened.

The signs of winter are upon us as I write. Four large skeins of wild geese totalling about 150 birds were seen flying high over the village in southerly direction, probably pink feet from Iceland and heading for the Severn Estuary, perhaps Slimbridge for the winter. Canada geese have been very active all month with large skeins moving along the river valley, well over fifty being recorded in several small groups.

Three or four stock doves were feeding on stubble near the farm ponds. This small “blue” pigeon is a regular visitor to the area. I enjoyed a pleasant minute or so watching a pair of grey wagtails on the stepping stones occasionally snatching a flying insect that came too near them. The starling flocks are building up day by day and my estimate for them is over three hundred looking for somewhere to roost. Many have settled in conifers behind the school. I have had a report of a green woodpecker in the vicinity of Oakley Lake. This is an uncommon bird here but common generally. Ravens have been calling in various parts of the village and they will almost certainly breed hereabouts probably as early as January. – It depends on the weather.

Eric Pithers
20th October 2006

August - September 20th 2006

It’s that time of the year when we say goodbye to our summer visitors, the swallows and martins, and for a few weeks the skies will seem to be empty. Then we shall have the invasion of our winter residents, thrushes from Scandinavia and northern Europe. The weather has been kind to our hirundines this year, lots of hot calm, warm days which has encouraged a big increase in the numbers and size of the insects that form their main food source and this should help them on their long journey to winter quarters in Africa.

Last month I referred to an unidentified moth brought to me this has now been positively identified as a privet hawk moth (see Norton website). While on the subject of moths, another hummingbird hawk moth has been seen in Napley Drive, watched for quite a long time, its long proboscis probing deeply into flower heads for nectar whilst hovering all the time. No doubt what it was.

A female wheatear was on the fence post on Norton farmland by the green lane and a female yellowhammer was feeding on “Defra” walkway. Two missel thrushes stayed briefly on a roof top then flew off south towards Oakley. Otherwise, bird life has been at a premium this period.

As I hand these notes in for publication, news of another hummingbird hawk moth has been easily identified, this time from Bellaport. This has certainly been the year to see this rare species; no doubt the hot sunny weather has been the main cause. Keep your eyes open, as I am sure more will be seen, especially as we seem to be having an “Indian Summer”.

Eric Pithers
20th September 2006

July - August 20th 2006

The influence of the wildlife of the extremes of weather this period has been quite marked. Some exotic species of moth have been recorded in the county and Norton has not been left out. On the 7th August a humming bird hawk moth was hovering over my honeysuckle but this was not quite the right plant, for it quickly moved away. Most flowering plants in hot sunshine will be visited but the favourite food plant is jasmine. I was brought another very large moth of the hawk variety by a resident of the village to identify and I think it was probably a young convolvulus but as I have seen so few of this species I was not very sure. It was taken away for identification by an expert on lepidoptera, (butterflies and moths).

A hedgehog ventured out on to my lawn one evening, attracted by the cat food. This has been the only one I have seen this year. I commented on their scarcity last month. Tree creeper, a female yellow wagtail, a female bullfinch and a nuthatch have all been recorded in the village this period. All have shown a marked decline over the years. Second and third broods of house martin and swallows are safely on the wing now, busy preparing for their long journey to Africa for the winter. Then will come the invasion from Scandinavia of our winter visitors.

Eric Pithers
20th August 2006

June - July 20th 2006

Are we going to have swifts breeding in the church again? After an absence of many years, a certain amount of activity has been observed around the tower this period. I have seen a pair and a separate group of four wheeling about the church on a few evenings just before dark and whilst I think it is too late for breeding to take place this year it could be a pointer to future years.

Most of the month has been very hot and sunny. Some days have seen temperatures in the high 80’sF., and this has brought about a recovery in the butterfly and moth population. The most exciting of these has been the appearance of two painted lady butterflies, migrants from the Atlas Mountains, North Africa. Other notable species have included quite a few gatekeepers, tortoishell and peacock. Quite large numbers of silver “y” moths have appeared just before dark, enjoying the fragrance of the buddleia.

A mink in Napley Drive was an unusual, if unwelcoming sighting. Unfortunately these mammals are still to be seen in the river Tern. Curlew have been regularly heard and seen this month. At least two pairs are thought to have bred as four birds have been seen frequently. Are we having a return to the numbers usually to be seen some ten years ago?

Finally a question. What has happened to the hedgehog this year? Even road casualties are strangely absent. Perhaps you have one or more in the garden? I hope so.

Eric Pithers
20th July 2006

May - June 20th 2006

Oystercatcher, shelduck, redshank, curlews: are we on the coast this month.?? No, all have been seen within five miles of the village. I was privileged to see most of those species (courtesy of Richard Hall Hales) on a guided tour of the estate in late May. The oystercatchers were in a field at Bellaport seen by Alan H. They could have been a pair. You can add the lesser blackbacked and black-headed gulls to the above list just to add to the costal flavour.

I have had several reports of cuckoo calling in the vicinity of the village this month and a red kite was seen over Betton House flying towards Oakley Hall in early June (Beryl B.). Butterflies are still in short supply in spite of a long hot sunny spell. I have seen several whites of various species also speckled wood, tortoishell and one peacock. I disturbed a common blue in the garden during the hot spell. A pair of robins successfully reared four young. Families of blue and great tit now visit the nut feeder regularly and great spotted woodpeckers have brought their young to feed with disastrous results. One has been killed outright flying into a window and a second one followed suit but luckily it probably survived for it eventually flew off in a somewhat erratic fashion.

Thing back over the period I have not recorded any warblers, whitethroats, yellow wagtails or spotted flycatchers all normally around at this time of the year.

Eric Pithers
June 20th 2006

April - May 20th 2006

For the third year running I have not heard the cuckoo. I know it has been in the area but hasn’t been calling. Four of five years ago it was difficult not to hear it somewhere in the area in May/June. Of course there will be a few more weeks when it could turn up. Keep listening:

The weather hasn’t been too encouraging for butterflies but the occasional calm, sunny warm days have produced a good hatching of orange tips, green veined whites and single tortoishell. The female orange tip is all white so is easily confused with other white species but is generally smaller.

A single swift over flew the village yesterday (19th) being hurried along by a near gale force wind northwards, completing the three species we are likely to record in the area. Swallows and house martins appear to have had a successful winter in Africa, judging by the numbers now filling the skies over Norton.

Kestrels are not using the nest box of R.J. for the first time in eight years. It has been taken over by jackdaws but they are still in the area so must have another nest site. Yellowhammers have returned to Green Lane to breed having spent the winter elsewhere and I am pleased to report that a pair of song thrushes are nesting somewhere in the back garden of Forge Lane. This is still a rare species but is perhaps making a welcome comeback. A male reedbunting is in the vicinity of Partons Pool and a pair of robins have a nest in the same area.

Eric Pithers
June 20th 2006

March - April 20th 2006

It’s the time of the year when the race to see the first swallow/martin in the village takes place. This year it was Graham N. who recorded one on the 6th April on the wires near the old station. I saw my first ones (2) on wires leading into the school on the 10th April exactly the same place and date as last year. A single house martin appeared low along Forge Lane later the same day. None of these sighting were of our resident birds and they quickly moved away.

The drab colours of winter have given way to the bright greens and whites of spring with hawthorn and blackthorn well advanced and the white flowers of the latter making a welcome splash of colour before giving way to their green leaves.

An interesting and unusual wildlife occurrence was told to me by Ron L concerning a juvenile peregrine falcon found on the doorstep of a cottage in Betton Moss lane early in the month. The bird was captured and taken to Gentle-shaw Falconry Centre to recover, hopefully.

A great spotted woodpecker was drumming on a tree at Partons pool and primroses were in flower there along the river bank.

Marsh marigolds were struggling to open up; they seem to be a bit late this year. The bright yellow flowers of lesser celandines are everywhere now. Chiffchaffs were calling incessantly along the river valley early in April, and I heard the briefest of songs from a returning willow warbler at the same time. Perhaps the most surprising slighting of all was the appearance of a tortoishell butterfly on a cold frosty but sunny morning in early April together with several bumblebees.

Eric Pithers
April 20th 2006

February - March 20th 2006

March has turned out to be one of the coldest early spring months for many years and the number of Scandinavian birds seen in the area has been the most I have seen for many years. At the time of writing it is still very cold with the weather coming from the direction of Russia but for a week now (20th March) I haven’t seen any fieldfares or redwings – perhaps regardless of the temperature they feel the urge to go “home” to breed. This seems to apply to garden birds also for during this month blackbirds and chaffinches have been seen collecting nesting material and I know of a completed blackbirds nest but no eggs yet.

Bert R. informed me of a single female goldcrest in his garden in late February. Two weeks later there were two, a male and the female in the same garden. They normally prefer conifer plantations to breed in or any suitable tree of the pine variety so they could stay together and select one of the many conifers that adorn local gardens.

A pair of yellowhammers has been seen regularly near the old station. The most surprising sighting in my garden was a willow tit (or was it a marsh tit). They are virtually in distinguishable unless you hear the song and that was unlikely so early in the year. Willow/marsh tits prefer wet areas with old and rotted alder/willow trees so the Tern river valley is ideal for breeding. A pair of Canada geese together with a pair of coot has taken up residence on the farm ponds on Norton Farm.

Eric Pithers
March 20th 2006

January – February 20th 2006

A somewhat unusual month weather wise with extremes being experienced. It has been very cold on occasions with the temperature down to minus 6°C and up to plus 10°C. However I have seen no real change in the pattern of wildlife activity – we still have large flocks of winter visitors, namely fieldfares and redwings finding plenty to eat in the fields around the village. I have also heard that up to six common snipe were regularly to be seen feeding on grassland at the back of the village, perhaps on a wet area where soft mud occurs. A few teal have returned to river valley and a small number of siskins have been seen in the village gardens. Goldfinches have also been very active in the gardens and widely recorded.

The most noteworthy occurrence of the period was around the ‘set aside’ area by the farm pond where I observed a large flock of small birds and with a little patience was able to pick out two reed bunting, some chaffinches, but the majority were linnets including a lovely ‘red’ male, in full breeding plumage. Walking on about half a mile I was amazed to come across another large flock of small birds, not the same lot, in the trees and bushes on the green lane. They appeared to be all linnets. With the provision of the DEFRA Countryside Stewardship walks on Norton Farm (Courtesy of Paul Parton) there are now areas of weeds and seeds for these sort of birds to feed on and probably explains the large numbers seen.

A single song thrust has been around the garden for some time after an absence of some weeks. I hope it finds a mate:::.

Eric Pithers
February 20th 2006

December – January 20th 2006

Its mid January and the wildlife seem to have got it wrong.
Up to now a robin has been in full song for at least two weeks, hundreds of rooks have been returning to the rookery near Brand Hall to investigate previous nesting sites, wood pigeons and collared doves have been seen taking nesting material to selected trees in the garden, house sparrows have been involved in courtship display and the nest boxes have been inspected by both blue and great tits.

In contrast to this, there are still lots of winter thrushes (fieldfares and redwings) to be seen on the farm fields together with a small group of meadow pipits, (about thirty) and a flock of mixed finches, mainly chaffinches but some greenfinches. Three yellowhammers were in the garden in the village and three ravens have been regularly recorded near the old railway station. A common snipe has been disturbed on several occasions from the farm pond. Nearer to home a female bullfinch has been seen on several occasions in the garden and a very aggressive pied wagtail has been bullying almost everything feeding on the lawn. At least two kestrels are to be seen hunting over the river valley and farmland almost daily.

Eric Pithers
January 20th 2006

November – December 20th 2005

My comments last month concerning the lack of chaffinches and greenfinches in the gardens this winter has been commented upon by several residents. There are plenty of them around and the absence was only temporary for I also have about eight in my garden now, visiting the nut feeders and wild bird seed scattered on the lawn regularly. However, greenfinches still appear to be below previous winter numbers. The brief severe cold spell at the end of November did produce an interesting species a female brambling (Scandinavian chaffinch) feeding with the chaffinches on the lawn. It was a very brief visit and I haven’t seen it since.

Another mystery is the disappearance of the large starling flocks that assembled each evening at dusk around Norton Farm – up to the end of November, a thousand or so could be seen twisting and wheeling about before going to roost, but since then they have gone except for about 20 or so. I was very pleased to see two sparrows. This species is a regular visitor to some gardens in the village but an unusual visitor to mine. Fieldfares are a common sight on the farmland now with up to a hundred regularly recorded and we have one in the garden feeding on the windfall apples. It is very aggressive and spends most of its time chasing off the resident blackbirds instead of feeding. A family party of long tailed tits were observed feeding in the alder trees along the river valley, about six of them but they were so active it was difficult to count them accurately. Here’s to a happy and successful 2006 and I hope you have enjoyed a good Christmas.

Eric Pithers
December 20th 2005

October – November 20th 2005

At the time of writing we are in the midst of a severe spell of weather, perhaps a timely reminder of what is to come in the weeks ahead. We have become a little complacent recently, enjoying some very mild conditions but today the thermometer has barely risen above freezing point, but there has been lots of bright sunshine to partly compensate for the frost. I expect this will have an effect on the wildlife in the weeks ahead.

I have already seen two sizeable flocks of winter thrushes (fieldfares and redwings) and four fieldfares came into the garden to inspect the windfall apples. They quickly moved away to the open countryside to feed on the hedgerow berries, still in abundance. Starling numbers have also built up in recent weeks with several hundred appearing just before dusk seeking safe roosts in the Norton Farm area, Canada geese have also been more evident, with a skein of 20-25 regularly flying along the river valley. Pied wagtails have made a welcome appearance in the lane, three or four have been seen on the house roof tops searching among the clumps of moss that grow there for insects. Blackbirds have returned to the garden after an absence of a couple of months. For some unknown reason they disappeared from the continent and Scandinavia. A pair of sparrow hawks have been terrorising the local garden birds recently and I have watched them sitting patiently in my birch tree waiting to pounce on any suitable prey. During severe weather conditions feeding birds become a little less wary and are easy prey. Finally, at the time of writing, I have noticed a shortage of greenfinches and chaffinches, have you ???.

Eric Pithers
November 20th 2005

September – October 20th 2005

This period has seen the coming together of summer and winter in the natural history worlds; I have recorded swallows and martins on several days up to now (20th Oct.) just odd ones usually heading south.

A painted lady butterfly appeared on red valerian in a village garden during the warm spell in early October. Normally this resident from the Atlas Mountains of North Africa arrives to these shores in thousands in July/August but not this year. Both tortoishell and red admiral have been relatively scarce, but a late hatching righted the balance.

In contrast to these records, a flock of about 150 fieldfares over-flew the village on the 10th October flying high in a southwesterly direction. It was obvious they were not stopping in this area. A phone call from a neighbour informed me of a bat in their kitchen. It was a pipistrelle; our smallest species and I re-located it on the outside of the kitchen window and left it clinging to the framework. Later in the day it had gone. Large numbers of the big gull species, herring and lesser black backed, have returned to freshly ploughed fields of Norton Farm, and Canada geese have been active in the same area. At the time of writing there are about twenty of them. I am pleased to say that our house sparrow population has built up to a healthy twenty or so. Generally, a steady decline has been reported in the press overall, but not for us.

Eric Pithers
October 20th 2005

August 21st – September 20th 2005

My attention has been drawn to the migration of swallows and house martins for almost the whole of this period with the peak occurring between 17th and 20th September. It has been a good year for these species locally, with at least thirteen occupied nests of house martins and three swallows in the vicinity of Forge Lane. The skies seem to be empty now, awaiting the arrival of our winter visitors, i.e. fieldfare, redwing and starlings. The annual influx of large gulls (herring and lesser blackbacked) occurred early in September following the spreading of slurry on the silage fields. Some of the lesser blackbacked will continue south to spend the winter in the sardine rich seas off Portugal.

A very warm spell mid month brought about a large hatching of Crane fly (daddy long legs) just in time for the hirundines (swallows and martins) to stock up with food for the long journey to South Africa. They also provide a valuable food source for many other insectivorous species, especially the wren. A large red underwing moth found its way into my kitchen one evening, attracted by the light. I put it outside but some marauding bat probable got it. Have you noticed a lack of common wasps this summer??. I have a small nest in my garden, but generally speaking they have been conspicuous by their absence.

As I write these notes, large numbers of hirundines are still heading south and I expect we shall record a few well into October. The bird highlight of the period was the appearance of four missel thrushes at the top of the green lane in late August.

Eric Pithers
September 20th 2005

July 21st – August 20th 2005

This is usually the quietest time of the year for our wildlife and this year is very typical of that. Very few birds have been recorded, but the butterfly population has exploded into activity. It has taken a hot sunny and calm spell to hatch them and this occurred in August. Last month I mentioned the lack of our large colourful species but this has now been reversed. The most common species to be seen in gardens has been the peacock, with some tortoishell and red admirals. I can add to these a common blue, a large skipper and a very bedraggled comma. What deserves a special mention is a scarce small copper butterfly, resting for all to see on knapweed in bright hot sun.

Two grey wagtails have been recorded in the lane, both associated with water (garden ponds) and a heron has been causing some concern to those with fish. A singletree pipit is the only migrant of note this month, on a high vantage point on the green lane. The buzzard seems to have had a successful breeding season with three birds seen together regularly over the village (two adults, one young). A small movement of swifts occurred in the last week of July, with five seen heading south. I also suspect that some of our house martins and swallows have departed for their winter quarters whilst others are still sitting on second and third broods. Almost another season gone.

Eric Pithers
August 20th 2005

June 21st – July 20th 2005

What appeared to be a small army of large black birds were feeding on the freshly spread slurry on the farm fields for several days in early July. They were rooks, most of them young ones and probably from the large rookery on the old railway line nearby. This sudden large increase in numbers of these birds is easily explained. The eggs were all laid at about the same time and the young were hatched and fledged accordingly and I reckoned there to be some 400-500 in the fields at the same time. You can add to that number the local crows and jackdaws. This phenomenon only lasted five days and the birds have dispersed far and wide now. When they were in the air the sky momentarily darkened, as they made frequent visits to and from the rookery. A similar thing is happening to starlings. They have also formed large flocks and these are mostly young (brown) birds but they will stay in these flocks throughout the winter supplemented by continental birds later on.

In complete contrast to these large numbers, colourful butterflies have been very scarce in spite of some long sunny, warm spells. A walk up the green lane in a hot sunny spell produced a few gatekeepers, two meadow browns and plenty of whites, small, green veined and large (cabbage). Where were the tortoishell peacock and red admirals that should have been around under those ideal conditions? Perhaps we shall have late broods of these species.

A look at the two farm ponds was a revaluation. I sat for quite a while watching 4 or 5 large dragonflies, common aeshna, skimming the surface and occasionally dipping in the water to feed or lay eggs. Both ponds had a large population of red and blue damselflies. The amount of vegetation on the big new pond is quite remarkable and has a great variety of species; all have come in naturally as far as I know. In three years the pond has become a marvellous reservoir of wildlife for the area.

An interesting observation came to me recently when I was informed of an increase in the number of bank voles and long-tailed field mice in a garden and this links in nicely with my comments last month about the large brood of kestrels in a nest box. The more food available the more birds of prey. Referring to butterflies again, I have just had a lovely bright orange comma settle briefly on clematis.

Eric Pithers
July 20th 2005

May 21st – June 20th 2005

No sooner had I sent in these notes last month when the news of a curlew sitting on four eggs came to me. This species is normally associated with wild moorland locations to nest in, not a grass field beside a main road. I had a look at the area from a distance and was rewarded with the sight of an adult curlew on “guard duty” some distance from the nest. I kept well away from the site so as not to disturb them, there are too any predators hunting over the local fields ready to grab any unprotected eggs or young.

Another unusual nest site was of a robin with five eggs in an over wintering hanging basket. My neighbour had lifted the basket down to clear it out and replant for Norton in Hales Bloom when the discovery was made. That was three weeks ago and the young have hatched and are being fed vigorously. A swallow chose the top of a paint tin in a front porch to make its nest on in another neighbours house. The quite rare tree sparrow has successfully reared its family in a nest box in the village and it seems likely to have a second brood in the same box.

The highly successful kestrel nest box put up by Richard Jones some seven years ago had a very large brood this year, with five healthy young ones almost ready to be part of a scientific scheme to be ringed by a local ringer. A male bullfinch stayed a short time on cotoneaster mid month and an unusual small mammal, a weasel, hurried across the river valley and smaller numbers have been seen from time to time.

Eric Pithers
June 20th 2005

April 21st – May 20th 2005

The question on everyone’s lips this period is “Have you heard the cuckoo”? I regret to say that I haven’t but I know some villagers have. I get the impression that they are much less common now than they were five yours ago. This will be the second year running that I haven’t recorded this species.

The occasional spells of warm sunny weather have brought out peacock. On one warm afternoon a walk along the green lane produced four of these within a distance of 200 metres. Orange tips, both male (with orange markings) and female (without) were seen in smaller numbers. A single cinnabar moth flew low and laboriously up the lane, seeming to be out of place at this time. A single tortoishell was also making heavy going in the face of a stiff southeasterly breeze. Not many migrant birds have passed through up to now. A single spotted flycatcher was sitting on wires on the edge of the village and there was an increase in the number of yellowhammers and goldfinches along the lane.

Occasional buzzards were airborne all month, usually singly. I expect the mates of these were at the nest either sitting on eggs or feeding young. The male reed bunting reported last month in Napley gardens has found a mate and will probably have moved away by now to a suitable habitat to nest in. An unusual garden bird at this time of the year to put in a brief appearance was a pair of long tailed tits. That familiar country saying “The oak before the ash and we shall have a splash, the ash before the oak and we shall have a soak”, the signs are that it will be a dry summer???.

Eric Pithers
May 20th 2005

March 21st – April 20th 2005

Once again the skies seem full of birds. I refer to the arrival of our resident swallows and house martins. My record of the first arrivals was on the 10th April, three days later than last year. What was a little unusual was that both species were together over Forge Lane flying north. I normally record a few days difference in their arrival with the swallow first. At the time of writing, the martins have already started nest building on last year’s sites but not the swallows. Also well advanced in their breeding activities are a song thrush and a greenfinch, both in the same small conifer shrub. Blackbirds have been feeding young for about two weeks now and will be on the wing any day.

An unusual sighting in early April was a brimstone butterfly. This species is a migrant arriving in June or July so this one must have hibernated over-winter from last years eggs. Curlews figure prominently this month with several records from around the village. Three have been seen and heard near Brand Hall and near the green lane.

My thanks to G.N. and R.J. A note from the latter gave me interesting statistics concerning his kestrel box now in its seventh year of occupation. Of these, five have been successful and the signs are that it will be used again this year. Bats have been of the wing on one or two evenings when the weather has been calm and warm.

Finally, something a little unusual – I went to get the lawn mower out last week and noticed a clear plastic bag behind it. There was something in it and I shook it on to the floor, and it was an adult hedgehog in hibernation. I put it back in the bag and kept an eye on it for three days when it finally disappeared, resident in my garden I hope.

Eric Pithers
April 20th 2005

February 21st – March 20th 2005

A sharp cold spell early in the month reminded us that winter hadn’t finished yet. Added to this was the re-appearance of large numbers of fieldfares and redwings. These birds are on their way back to Scandinavia where in a few weeks they will start to breed. I think they will have spent most of the winter further west, probably in Ireland where the climate is less severe. Unfortunately, few berries have been left on bushes so food is scarce. They will not be around long.

Siskens have been very scarce this winter; I’ve had no reports of any to date. A male reed bunting had been a regular visitor to a village garden. This species has become a rare visitor in recent years. Lets hope it finds a mate. The more common garden species have already shown signs of nest building with blackbirds well advances and the nest boxes being investigated for suitability by tree sparrows, house sparrows and various members of the tit family.

Information on barn owls seen in the area would be greatly appreciated by Richard Jones, please phone him on (01630) 658259 of any sightings. It may be possible to put an owl box to compensate for the loss of habitat. Any information about any of the boxes put up in the village would be welcome by R.J. Look up and see if you can see them, or more importantly, their occupiers. As I write these notes, the weather has changed dramatically, with record high temperatures and the appearance of two tortoishell butterflies, a bumblebee and masses of frogspawn on Parton Pool suggest that spring has really arrived.

Eric Pithers
March 20th 2005

January 21st – February 20th 2005

As I write these notes the weather has turned very much colder than of late. The forecast suggests much colder in the near future with the possibility of snow from the near continent or Scandinavia. Up to now it has been a remarkable winter with above average temperatures and this has affected the wildlife. My impression is that far fewer birds have been in the garden and weekend of the RSBP garden bird census January 29/30the was the quietest of all. I expect some of you will have taken part in the exercise.

My walks in the area have been fairly unexciting but one or two interesting events have been worth recording. Meadow pipits were again feeding on wheat stubble and on two occasions they were joined by seven yellowhammers including some brilliantly colourer males. In the larger of the two ponds, known locally as the Pits, a pair of coots seem to have taken up residence having been there all month. These water birds are much more at home on larger lakes and meres and unusually on small areas of water. I hope they stay to breed, but Oakley Lake is much better suited to their requirements and only a few hundred yards away so they could easily move.

Bullfinches have been around all month, but only three at the most, including one male. A missel thrush stopped briefly on the ridge tiles of the bungalow opposite in Forge Lane and a small moth settled on the kitchen window one evening, attracted by the light. This was identified as a “December Moth”. Yes, that is its common name.

I’ve saved the best to last:, A flock of lapwings over flew the Hodnet by-pass as I drove home one afternoon, at least thirty:, this once common farmland bird has all but disappeared but perhaps it is making a comeback.

Eric Pithers
February 20th 2005

December 21st – January 20th 2005

I seem to mention it every year, all the signs are for an early spring and it applies in 2005. The local rookery has come to life with the birds already busy repairing/rebuilding nests, song birds have been declaring their territories and the flora is well advanced. I have heard missel thrush, blackbird, robin, wren and dunnock in song on suitable days and the village gardens are full of snowdrops, crocus, daffodils well up and a few wild primrose showing along the river bank.

Most surprising of all was the appearance of a small hedgehog on my front lawn. I immediately put some cat food in front of it but it was not interested. I brought it into the house and kept it for four days but sadly, I believe it to be dead. Or has it gone back into hibernation???. It is difficult to tell but I will watch it for a little while. A mammal that sleeps the winter away should not be seen until March and certainly not in the daylight so its chances of survival were very slim.

Most bird activities have been centred around the nut feeders and from time to time goldfinches, greenfinches, various members of the tit family and great spotted woodpeckers have been recorded. In the wider countryside a single female bullfinch was seen in the green lane and a small flock of 22 stock doves were watched feeding on wheat stubble on Norton farm. However they were fairly wild and unapproachable. A pair of buzzards were lazily circling over the river valley near Oakley Hall. They are an early breeding species and will have already selected a nest site. The reed bunting, once a very common species in the area has virtually disappeared now so I was pleased to see a male in winter plumage near the sewage plant. I hope it finds a mate locally.

Eric Pithers
January 20th 2005

November 21st – December 20th 2004

I have been watching the steady build-up of the starling flocks in and around the village, particularly at dusk when the need to find a safe roost is the top priority. At the beginning of the month the flock numbered about a 100 mostly made up of our resident population and included a lot of young (brown) birds. At the time of writing, the last few evenings have seen a great increase, probably in excess of a thousand, performing wonderful aerobatics before finally retiring somewhere south of Norton Farm. Meadow pipits have been picking around in the corn stubble on most of my visits, a flock of some 30 or so but could be more, as they tend to disappear as soon as they land. I was very pleased to see the artic Scandinavian wader, the green sandpiper back on the river again, year six as far as these notes are concerned. I was in the area of Partons Pool (Napley Bridge) when it flew off in a northerly direction. I’ve no doubt that it will turn up again somewhere along the river valley. The back garden overwintering fieldfare (last months notes refer) has not returned. Coal tits have been in short supply this winter, but I did record two in my garden recently. No siskins yet, but it is a bit early. A single missel thrush was feeding on hawthorn near the pool but in spite of the bumper crop of berries early on they have almost disappeared and the fieldfares and redwings have moved away to fresh supplies.

Wishing all readers a very healthy, happy and successful 2005.

Eric Pithers
December 20th, 2004

October 21st – November 20th 2004

For the past five years a single fieldfare has resided in my back garden for the winter months and adequate supplies of bramley apples have been provided for its survival and subsequent journey back to Scandinavia. I regret to say that to date it has not returned, but it is not too late yet. It is a useful indication of age for as an adult five years ago it would now be six or seven, not bad for a much travelled migrant. As I predicted in last months notes, large numbers of this species have now arrived in the area and flocks of over two hundred can be seen regularly, feeding on hawthorn berries which are being devoured at an alarming rate. I have also seen large numbers picking around in the stubble while the ground is soft. Severe frosts will put paid to this source of food as the ground becomes too hard. Ravens have been recorded again with a pair along the old railway line near the station and another paid are in the Oakley area. The most remarkable record for the month is the appearance of four waxwings in rowan trees in a village near Norton. Keep your eyes open for this lovely pink/brown, starling sized, crested bird from Scandinavia with a liking for rowan trees – they are usually quite tame and approachable. Woodpigeons have arrived in large flocks, well over two hundred picking around for dropped seed from the old stubble and almost certainly of continental origin. Goldfinches were feeding on burdock along the green lane most days this month and up to 20 longtailed tits were flitting from tree to tree ahead of me as I walked along.

Eric Pithers
November 20th, 2004

September 21st – October 20th 2004
The first signs of winter have descended on the village – two fieldfares and three redwings were gorging themselves on the ample supplies of hawthorn and rowan berries in mid October. These small numbers will increase to several hundreds or perhaps to thousands when the Scandinavian winter sets in with a vengeance. Gulls have been very conspicuous this period, mainly blackheaded, but also quite a lot of the larger herring and lesser blackheaded. They were attracted to freshly cut maize stubble and slurried grass meadow, which had in turn attracted large quantities of insects, leatherjackets etc., and had enticed the worm population to come to the surface. Pied wagtails have made a welcome return to the village; at one time six of these delightful black and white birds with the long tail were searching through roof moss on the buildings across the lane for insects. A green woodpecker was present in trees near Oakley Lake. As I watched, this large green/yellow bird took off calling in characteristic manner, a sort of laughing sound hence its local name of “yaffle”. I think there are more ravens in the area than are reported, and are easily overlooked. One flew over my head calling continuously as it was harried by two carrion crows. The size difference was clearly visible. Partons Pool was visited once or twice and on one occasion a family party of longtailed tits, eight or nine of them, were hunting for insects in the well berried hawthorns. Following on last month’s notes, another two elephant hawk moth caterpillars turned up on fuchsias in a garden across the lane. I have since heard that they have been very common countrywide.

Eric Pithers
October 20th, 2004

August 21st - September 20th 2004
I am sure that most of you have noticed the steady decline in the number of swallows and house martins around the village. I have watched with great interest the activities of migration all month. A short period of frenzied activity around the nest sites precedes the actual departure of the birds for their winter quarters in Africa. I believe this to be a method of getting any young birds still nest-bound to join the airborne adults and young and get some flying and feeding experience before departure. Food is of major importance at this time and they have to get as much as possible to see them on their way. Nature’s timing is impeccable – there being a heavy hatching of crane fly (daddy long legs) at this time, a vital source of much needed food.

The hot sunny weather at the beginning of the period brought more dragonflies to the garden including one unusual species, a broad bodied chaser. The only other species I have seen have been the common aeshna. Local garden ponds are proving their value in providing interesting wildlife. A neighbour brought me a remarkable caterpillar found whilst gardening. My book confirmed it was an elephant hawk moth, not very rare, but overlooked because of it’s colour, a drab brown. It was over three inches long with four “eyes” and a vicious look, but harmless. I photographed it, then gave it to my son-in-law to do more. Other bird migration has been almost non-existent, with only one willow warbler and a common whitethroat in my record book. A single cormorant flew North along the river valley. Not a rare bird, but more likely to be seen on the large meres and lakes.

Eric Pithers
September 20th, 2004

Photographs by Melvin Grey