Too much garden wildlife
7th November 2009, SaturdayA Timed Tetrad Visit in TQ81 J (Brede) this morning began with a bewildering profusion of common species around the mature gardens of downtown Cackle Street, where numerous feeders promote a heady circulation of tits and finches as Starlings whistle from the chimney tops, Collared Doves rush about the rooftops and Magpies chatter in the back gardens.
Following a twitch to the churchyard for Mistle Thrushes feeding on Yew berries, the effort to keep track of each bird and recall whether we’d already noted them or not was such that it was a relief to get out into some nice birdless farmland.
Here, among varied ancient countryside textured with pits, banks, tracks and terraces, we had more time to savour the occasional bird, especially the unexpected Chiffchaff feeding on insects attracted to Ivy flowers.
This serene stretch of the survey concluded when we arrived at a field of maize stubble patronized by dozens of corvids, hundreds of Woodpigeons (oh no, not more Woodpigeons…) and hiding out in a scrubby hedge, the second surprise of the morning: 3 wary and furtive Tree Sparrows.
Wild Hastings
wildRye
