St Andrews Park!

An hour in the park this morning produced c20 Redwings, 10 Goldfinches, a Jay, a Coal Tit, Blue Tits, a singing Great Tit, a couple of Collared Doves, some Woodpigeons, several Blackbirds and a Dunnock.

St Andrews Park!

St Andrews Park was hopelessly crowded so there were very few birds of note today apart from 10 Starlings, 20+ Goldfinches, 2 Jays, a couple of Blackbirds, a fly-over Chaffinch, a singing Dunnock and a few Woodpigeons and Collared Doves. It was good to see the first Snowdrops in flower. I escaped to the more peaceful environs of Montpelier Station where there were good numbers of House Sparrows, a couple of Chaffinches, Blue and Great Tits, several Starlings, a Grey Squirrel and 4 or 5 Collared Doves. A Pied Wagtail was feeding in Station Road.

Garden Birds!

My neighbour's birdfeeder played host to quite a few visitors today, including Blue Tits, Goldfinches and Robins. Other birds seen and heard outside my window today included Blackbird, Dunnock, Magpie, Feral Pigeon and Woodpigeon.

Spitting Spider!

I was absolutely delighted to find a Spitting Spider in the kitchen this morning. This unmistakeable and beautifully-patterned spider traps its prey by shooting sticky venom from its jaws. This is only my second sighting, having seen one a couple of years ago in the bathroom.

I'm happy to report that a pair of Blue Tits are nesting in the nestbox in the front garden. They hardly ever fail to nest each year which is great.

A Swift flew at roof-level over Richmond Road this morning.

More birds!

There's a lot of bird activity around the neighbouring gardens. Coal Tits, Great Tits, Blue Tits, Blackbirds and Robins all appear to be nesting as they are often seen with food in their bills.

Blackbird

Blue Tit

Robin

On my daily exercise walk this morning there were even more birds - a fly-over Raven and a singing Chiffchaff were encountered near Fairlawn Road. At the station there were more Robins and a Dunnock made an appearance. A pair of Magpies were building a nest near the footbridge.

Spot the Raven

Dunnock

Some good insects around too - a Common Carder Bee, my first of the spring plus lots of Buff-tailed Bumblebees and Honeybees were buzzing around the Green Alkanet in Fairlawn Road. A Common Earwig was a nice surprise as I don't see that many on the patch. There was a supporting cast of a Green Shieldbug, Eristalis pertinax hoverfly and a Wolf Spider. At the station there was a probable Chocolate Mining Bee and at Station Road a Platycheirus hoverfly.

Common Earwig

Honeybee

Common Carder Bee

Montpelier Park and Station!

I'm not sure if anybody replenishes the bird feeders in the garden behind the disused platform but this morning a female Blackcap was near them. Also a Blackbird, a pair of Blue Tits, singing Wren and the usual House Sparrows.

There was a Great Tit in the park. A Wolf Spider was basking in the warm sunshine - my first of the spring.

Montpelier Park!

It was a lovely sunny morning and the wind of recent days had died down so there was a bit more common bird activity today. There were a couple of Woodpigeons, 3 Blue Tits, 2 Dunnocks (including a singing bird), a scolding Wren, a couple of Goldfinches, singing Robin and a Sparrowhawk drifted over.

Hiding Woodpigeon

Hiding Dunnock

Narroways!

This morning on the reserve there were lots of Blue Tits and singing Great Tits plus a party of 6 or 7 Long -tailed Tits in the ash wood. A Jay at Lynmouth Rd Allotments and a Grey Wagtail at Boiling Wells. Lots of Blackbirds, singing Dunnocks and Robins.

Lords and Ladies leaves were out in many places, also lots of Lesser Celandine along the brook at Boiling Wells. A Feather-moss on Ash saplings was very striking. Primroses looked a bit battered after the recent frosts I suspect.

Lesser Celandine

Feather-moss

Lords and Ladies

Primroses

In Fairlawn Road there were singing Great Tits and Goldfinches.

Montpelier Park and Station!

There was a very persistent singing Coal Tit in the park this morning and nearby at the station a male Blackbird was looking for invertebrates under the dead leaves while no less than 5 Blue Tits were feeding in one tree and a Dunnock was singing.

Blackbird

In Station Road, some Comfrey was in flower.

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Narroways!

It was very quiet on the reserve this morning apart  from a Grey Wagtail on the brook, some Great and Blue Tits, lots of singing Robins, and plenty of Winter Heliotrope in flower.

Winter Heliotrope

Grey Wagtail

 At Fairlawn Road a Green Shieldbug was enjoying the sunshine.

Green Shieldbug

St Andrews Park!

It was all very quiet in the park this morning apart from a party of 8 or 9 Long-tailed Tits, a Blue Tit, several Magpies, a couple of Black-headed Gulls, 2 Starlings and several Goldfinches. The first Snowdrops were in flower in their usual place.

Snowdrops

Black-headed Gull

 One of my Missing-sector Orb-weavers was running around the kitchen this evening.

Montpelier Park!

Lots of common bird activity in the park this morning, with a party of Blue and Great Tits feeding in the trees, a Jay, half a dozen Chaffinches including a nice male bird, a Blackbird, 2 singing Wrens plus the resident Woodpigeons and Magpies. A couple of Grey Squirrels were searching for food and there was lots of White Deadnettle in flower. 

Jay

Grey Squirrel

Blue Tit

Chaffinch

White Deadnettle

Woodpigeon

Montpelier Park and Station!

There was very little to see in the park other than a Jay, a Blue Tit, some Magpies and a Blackbird. Montpelier Station wasn't much better with just a female Blackbird and some House Sparrows of note.

Blackbird

 

House Sparrow

I had a surprise last night - there was a Flea Beetle on my pillow! It was most likely to be a Cabbage Stem Flea Beetle which are still around at this time of year. I think I must have accidentally brought it in from outside!

Montpelier Station!

A  pair of Ravens flew high over the station this morning, calling.  Not much else of note apart from a calling Wren, a Blue Tit and Great Tit and a House Spider on the wall towards the tunnel.

Montpelier Park!

A nice bit of bird action in the park this morning, with a Robin, a singing Wren, a Dunnock, a few Magpies and Woodpigeons and a party of Great, Blue and Long-tailed Tits feeding in the trees. Several Harlequin Ladybirds were basking in the early sunshine.

Harlequin Ladybird



Long-tailed Tit

Montpelier Park!

It was rather quiet in the park this morning but I was pleased to see a couple of female Chaffinches feeding in the trees. Chaffinches are now mainly winter visitors to the patch, their spring songs have sadly fallen silent in recent years. A brief bit of song from a Coal Tit, a couple of Magpies and a singing Robin were  the only other birds of note. At the station there was a brief glimpse of a Blue Tit, some calling Goldfinches and a flyover Chaffinch were notable.

Chaffinch