Narroways and St Andrews Park

A lunchtime visit to Narroways produced a Sparrowhawk over the stony path plus a Jay, several Chaffinches, Great Tits, Robins, Wrens and a Dunnock. A hoverfly was my first of the year but I'm having trouble identifying it at present. UPDATE The hover is Meliscaeva auricollis.

Meliscaeva auricollis

 In St Andrews Park there were 15 Redwings, 6 Blackbirds, a few House Sparrows, a Mistle Thrush, 20 Starlings, 3 Pied Wagtails, a Coal Tit, 5 Goldfinches and 2 Great Tits.

Mistle Thrush and Redwings

Pied Wagtail

St Andrews Park

A stroll around the park at lunchtime produced 10 Redwings, a male Blackcap, a singing Mistle Thrush, 4 Long-tailed Tits, 10 Goldfinches, 5 Chaffinches, 10 Starlings, several Blackbirds, a few Woodpigeons and Collared Doves, a gaggle of House Sparrows, 2 Great Tits, a couple of Blue Tits and a Pied Wagtail.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

Today in the garden I recorded Wren, House Sparrow, Blue Tit, Great Tit, Woodpigeon, Dunnock, Blackbird, Blackcap and Robin.

Narroways

A quick visit this morning produced 2 Jays at Simon's Grove, a Fox crossing the stony path, a pair of Magpies nest-building on the cutting, 2 Cormorants over Simon's Grove, 4 Long-tailed Tits, a couple of Great Tits, a Blue Tit and 2 Goldfinches at the Ashley Hill end of the stony path.

St Andrews Park produced Robins, Blackbirds, Goldfinches, Starlings and a Dunnock. One or two Grey Squirrels were also seen.

Grey Squirrel

Blackbird

Robin

Elsewhere, a Grey Wagtail flew over North Road and a Coal Tit was calling near Balmoral Road.

 

Daffodil

A rather sad-looking Daffodil outside the church in Portland Square this morning.

Daffodil

St Andrews Park

A gorgeously crisp winter's morning and a good selection of birds - what more could you ask? The full list is as follows:

Blackcap - up to 3 seen, both male and female birds mainly near the bowling green
Redwing - about 10 birds seen, giving close views
Mistle Thrush - 1 bird seen and song heard
Blackbird - several birds seen
Robin - 2 or 3 birds seen
Wren - 2 seen
Goldcrest - 1 in a pine near the children's play area
Coal Tit - at least 1
Blue Tit - 2 or 3 seen and heard
Great Tit - several birds
House Sparrow - 1 or 2
Woodpigeon - several
Collared Dove - 1 heard
Feral Pigeon - several
Carrion Crow - 1 or 2 heard and seen
Lesser Black-backed Gull - 1 loafing on the grass
Magpie - a few
Goldfinch - good numbers seen and heard
Greenfinch - about 5 seen
Chaffinch - about 10 birds
Starling - several seen

Blackcap

Great Tit

Redwing

In the garden today there were the male and female Blackcaps, a single Long-tailed Tit, a Robin, a Woodpigeon and a Blackbird. Hazel catkins were out in Station Road.

Hazel catkins

Bloomin' Blackcaps

A male and a female Blackcap in the garden this morning along with a Goldfinch and a couple of Blackbirds.

Male Blackcap

A Jackdaw flew over Station Road and at the station feeders there were a few Chaffinches, a Dunnock and a couple of Robins and Starlings. The dominant birds at the feeders were Feral Pigeons, at least 10 squabbling over food.

Montpelier Station

A male and a female Blackcap were hanging around the feeders at the station this morning. Also half a dozen Starlings, 8 Chaffinches and several House Sparrows joined the many Collared Doves.

Blackcap

 

Blackcap

An amazingly confiding female-type Blackcap was feeding in Old Ashley Hill today.

Blackcap

In St Andrews Park there were 3 Redwings, 3 Pied Wagtails, 6 Starlings and 2 Coal Tits. Snowdrops were in flower.

Snowdrops

Redwing

Montpelier Station hosted an impressive 10 Chaffinches and a party of Long-tailed Tits.

St Andrews Park

At least 3 Redwings in the park his morning, plus lots of Goldfinches, about 10 Starlings and a couple of Chaffinches. Both Blue and Great Tits were seen and there were Herring and Lesser Black-backed Gulls hanging around. A possible Sparrowhawk kill was indicated by lots of feathers near the Effingham Road entrance.

Feathers

Redwing

In Fairlawn Road there was a Jay sat in a tree making some interesting calls including a parakeet-like screech, mimicry of a nearby Magpie and some Greenfinch-like trills!

Montpelier Station

Highlights at the station this morning included a conspicuous Wren, a Robin, 3 Blackbirds, a couple of Blue Tits, about a dozen Starlings, half a dozen Chaffinches and a Pied Wagtail.

St Andrews Park

On a murky afternoon in the park the main birds of note were a Coal Tit which showed well, Great and Blue Tits, calling Long-tailed Tits, a Pied Wagtail, 20 Goldfinches, 15 Starlings, several Blackbirds and a flyover flock of 20 Chaffinches. Some Gorse in flower brightened up the scene.

 

Gorse and berries

At the top of St Andrews Road there was a Jay, a couple of Chaffinches, a singing Dunnock and a couple each of Blue and Great Tits.

Jay

Montpelier Station

A Green Shieldbug was basking in the sunshine today - my first insect of 2015! It was quiet bird-wise apart from a couple of Blue and Great Tits, several House Sparrows, the usual Collared Doves and a Chaffinch on the feeders. Nearby, a Pied Wagtail flew over Bath Buildings.

Green Shieldbug