Mistle Thrush

A rare visitor to the station this morning was a Mistle Thrush. After briefly sitting in a tree it flew off towards the Cheltenham Road Arches. I wonder if it was one of the St Andrews Park birds? I heard one at Narroways last week too, which isn't far away. Also in the park were 2 Long-tailed Tits, the female Blackcap and lots of House Sparrows and Chaffinches on the feeders.

Foxes and Peregrines

This morning a Peregrine drifted over the station, and last night at about 10pm a Fox was barking outside the window and leapt up onto the wall just below before disppearing.

St Andrews Park

Fantastic views  of a Goldcrest in the park near the toilets this morning feeding on bare branches and another one singing near the pond. Also a Pied Wagtail, plenty of Blackbirds, lots of Robins, 4 Chaffinches, some Goldfinches, a Starling and a Long-tailed Tit and a Blue Tit.



Robin

There was lots of Trametes versicolor fungus on the logs and Strawberry flowers in bloom by the bowling green.

Trametes versicolor

Strawberry

Blackcap and Celandine

A female Blackcap was on the feeders at the station this morning, along with loads of House Sparrows and a couple of Blue and Great Tits plus a few  Chaffinches. Several Long-tailed Tits nearby.

Spot the Blackcap

A single flowering Lesser Celandine in Montpelier Park this afternoon. Normally I would be amazed to see it out so early but lots of people have seen them in various places with such mild conditions prevailing.

Lesser Celandine

Narroways

This morning 10.30 to 12.30: 3 Jays (1 at Lynmouth Road, 2 Simons Grove), 1 Peregrine over cutting, 1 Mistle Thrush singing (stony path), 1 Starling over hill, 1 Goldcrest, a Chaffinch, 6 Long-tailed Tits (1 carrying feather - nesting?), 2 Coal Tits, plus Blue and Great Tits all along stony path. Small fungi growing on cutting.

Fungi

Long-tailed Tit

Peregrine

 

A Jackdaw flew over Fairlawn Road and a Woodpigeon nearby. Yesterday a Bumble Bee species was buzzing around the front garden.

Woodpigeon

Fox

A Fox calling from my neighbour's garden this evening. I looked out the window and it was stood among the shrubs then walked over a lawn then along a wall before disappearing into St Andrews Road.

Tits

A Coal Tit in Montpelier Park and Blue, Long-tailed and Great Tits showing well at the station this morning. When a train pulled in, a mixed flock of about 30 Woodpigeons and Collared Doves exploded from the trees near the feeders. Impressive!

Coal Tit

Long-tailed Tit

Montpelier Station

This morning a Sparrowhawk flew over the station. Also some Long-tailed Tits at the station along with a few Chaffinches. A Syrphus hoverfly was basking in the sunshine and there was also a Common Shiny Woodlouse sitting on the wall - it looks a lot different than the 'normal' woodlice I see.

A Wren showed well along Station Road as it fed among the hawthorns near the Old Vicarage.

Syrphus

Common Shiny Woodlouse

Fairlawn Road

Some unseasonal flowers today: Green Alkanet and Herb Robert, both more to be expected in spring! White Deadnettle also showing well on the verges, although this plant tends to flower throughout the year, A mystery fungus was growing on wood waste - haven't been able to ID it.

Fungus

Green Alkanet

Herb Robert

White Deadnettle

Coal Tit, Blue Tit, Great Tit and Long-tailed Tit were the birds of note.

More Ravens

Presumably the same two Ravens as the ones seen the other day flew over the station this morning.

Pale Mottled Willow

This Pale Mottled Willow was flying around the kitchen this evening. It's one of several moths that can be seen at this time of year especially in these remarkably mild conditions.

Pale Mottled Willow

It's amazen what Ravens can do....

I was walking up Richmond Road on my way to the Gloucester Road shops this morning when a pair of Ravens flew over in the direction of the arches. I suspected they might be heading for the TV mast along Station Road so half an hour later when I returned from the shops I checked out the mast. Sure enough they were both there, but flew off before I could get my camera out.

Pied Wagtail, Starlings and Goldfinches in St Andrews Park.

St Andrews Park

The mild and overcast conditions meant that our Christmas walk wasn't very Christmassy, but there were plenty of birds. The full list is as follows:

Robin - a few seen and heard
Blackbird - 4 or 5 seen
Wren - 1 or 2 in song and 2 seen in a front garden across the road
Redwing - 2 or 3 seen
Starling - a group of up to 10 seen in the 'starling tree'.
Feral Pigeon - a flock of 12 in the children's play area.
Woodpigeon - 5 or 6 around the park
Goldfinch - lots around, many feeding in the plane trees
Greenfinch - a couple seen
Chaffinch - a few around, both males and females
Blue Tit - several seen
Great Tit - 1 heard
Coal Tit - 1 seen by Jon
Long-tailed Tit - a couple of groups of feeding birds seen
Goldcrest - 2 seen
House Sparrow - 2 or 3 in the play area
Carrion Crow - a few around
Magpie - a couple seen
Herring Gull - 2 in the play area

Feral Pigeons

Herring Gull

Micro-moth

Leaf-mine

Some Snowdrops were coming into flower in the park.

Snowdrops

In Montpelier Station there were a few Starlings, Chaffinches and House Sparrows around, plus a tiny micro-moth and a leaf-mine, neither of which I've been able to ID as yet.

Raven

A Raven heard cronking this morning from the station. Also at the station were half a dozen Chaffinches and similar numbers of House Sparrows on the feeders. A Wren, a Dunnock and a Great Tit also of note.

Singing Blackcap

I was amazed to hear a singing Blackcap in St Andrews Park this morning. Spring must be just around the corner! Just goes to show what a bit of mild weather can do to the avian brain. Also in the park was a Greenfinch, half a dozen Goldfinches, 4 or 5 Chaffinches, 15 Starlings, a Pied Wagtail, a party of Long-tailed, Blue and Great Tits, 2 Carrion Crows, a couple of Herring Gulls  plus the usual Dunnocks and Robins.

Carrion Crow

Dunnock

Herring Gull

St Andrews Park

This morning in the park there was a Jay, a few Long-tailed Tits and Blue Tits, a Blackbird, several Goldfinches, 10 Starlings and half a dozen Herring Gulls including this juvenile.

Juvenile Herring Gull

Elsewhere, there was a Coal Tit calling at the top of St Andrews Road this morning and a couple of Pied Wagtails and a Blackbird in Portland Square, St Pauls at lunchtime.

Sparrowhawk

A large female type Sparrowhawk drifted over the station this morning. Also a couple of Chaffinches, a Great Tit and a Grey Squirrel at the station.

Station Road

At the top of Station Road this morning there was a flurry of activity from a mixed flock of tits feeding in the trees including about 10 Long-tailed, a few Great Tits, a Blue Tit and at least 1 Coal Tit. A ginger tom pretended he wasn't interested.