STOFORD MEADOWS
WEATHER: light clouds, cold easterly wind
Saturday 21st March.
I had busy day in isolation but it started well with two local patch year ticks!! From My window I can see over a nice flat flood-meadow, there is a small rain-water pool and short grass at the moment. Three Little Egrets (tick No. 1) were messing about in the pool first thing and behind them a group of four Common Pheasants were joined by two Red-legged Partridges (tick No. 2).
record shots of distant Common Pheasants and Red-legged Partridge taken from my doorstep
The Buzzard's nest
A pair of Common Buzzards have returned to the nest in one of the trees shown above - towards the left hand end of the trees there is an ivy-clad tree leaning to the right at about 45', above that you can just see the nest. here is a close up, see below
I shall blog regular updates of the nesting activities of these Buzzards throughout April and May
Both Great-spotted Woodpecker and Eurasian Nuthatch were pecking at my peanuts, and Blue Tits were still examining my bird box. A pair of Mandarin Ducks flew up from the river half way along my walk (Patch-tick No. 3 for the year).
At 8am I went for a walk into the meadows which follow the course of the stream, I had good views of many species, particularly locals Wrens who are singing their hearts out everyday.
The Winter Wren - Troglodytes troglodytes - singing his little socks off - in his spare time he builds several domed nests made of bracken and grass, after showing his partner all of the nest she will just pick one them and then later she will change her mind!!!! Need I say more.
He doesn't know which way to turn at this time of the year, he's exhausted! I know, I know, the female does most of the work when the kids arrive to even things out.
At 11am Dawn and I went for a power-walk through the village, (Dawn jogged - I walked) and after that we spent another 30 minutes doing exercises in the flat, help!!
After lunch (and a short nap) we cleaned the car inside and out, fitted a new headlight and new mats. By 4pm I felt like a male Wren, exhausted! I never moved from the sofa from 5pm til bed time.