RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch

An hour in Montpelier Park for the annual Big Garden Birdwatch produced the following:

Robin 2
Great Tit 2
Blackbird 3
Woodpigeon 5
Coal Tit 2
Feral Pigeon 3
Dunnock 1
Blue Tit 1
Chaffinch 3
Carrion Crow 1
Goldfinch 4
Collared Dove 2
Goldcrest 1
Jay 1

Narroways and St Andrews Park

This morning on Narroways: 1 Grey Wagtail, 1 Raven (climbing centre), 2 Greenfinches singing near brook, 2 Chaffinches, a few Goldfinches flying over, Great and Blue Tits, a pair of Magpies refurbishing nest, 1 Jay, lots of Robins, pair of Wrens (ash wood). Hazel catkins showing well.

Hazel catkins

Grey Wagtail

Magpie and nest

Robin

In Montpelier a couple of Ravens flew over the top of St Andrews Road and a Dunnock and Great Tit were nearby.

Dunnock

Great Tit

St Andrews Park produced an impressive 15 Redwings plus 20 Goldfinches, several Chaffinches, 2 Coal Tits, Great and Blue Tits and several Blackbirds. Gulls were represented by 10 Herring Gulls, 2 Lesser Black-backed Gulls and 2 Black-headed Gulls.

Redwing

Jackdaws!

Two Jackdaws flew over Richmond Road this afternoon.

Montpelier Station

Not a lot to report this morning other than a single Long-tailed Tit, a Blackbird or 2 and a couple of Chaffinches among the House Sparrows. Up to 5 Grey Squirrels near the feeders - they seem definitely to be on the increase, although the feeders more or less empty so I hope they get filled soon.

Blackbird

Raucous Jays!

Two Jays were chasing each other around Montpelier Park this morning calling loudly. Not sure if it was a courting pair or not.....also Great and Blue Tits, Blackbird and Robin and a 'pinking' Chaffinch of note.

Jay

Blackcap again!

The feeders at the station hosted a male Blackcap again today along with a couple of Chaffinches, 2 Blackbirds, a Robin, 2 Blue Tits, a Great Tit, half a dozen House Sparrows and several Collared Doves. Lots of Grey Squirrels today!

Montpelier Park

A wander round the park this morning produced a Coal Tit, a Blue Tit,  a Great Tit and a Long-tailed Tit plus a couple of Chaffinches and Goldfinches, a Wren, a Blackbird, a Robin, 4 Woodpigeons and a Collared Dove.

Montpelier Station

There were 2 Blackcaps near the feeders this morning, a male and a female. Also a Long-tailed Tit, several House Sparrows, 6 Chaffinches, a Blackbird, a Robin, several Collared Doves and half a dozen Starlings.

Fun guy

I couldn't help noticing an interesting fungus this morning in Station Road. I think it is one of the Crust Fungi, possibly Hairy Curtain Crust Stereum hirsutum.

Montpelier Park

The avian highlights this morning were a Grey Wagtail, a Blackbird, 2 Chaffinches, 2 Blue Tits, a couple of Collared Doves, 3 Robins and a Wren.


There were Great Tits and Long-tailed Tits at the station.

St Andrews Park

A stroll around the park at lunchtime produced 2 Coal Tits, a Blue and Great Tit, a single Redwing plus lots of Goldfinches and a male Chaffinch. A Robin was on the fence near the depot.

Redwing

Robin

Blackcap!

A female Blackcap was loitering near the feeders at the station this morning - my first of the winter amazingly enough. Also an influx of Chaffinches with at least 12 birds present (mainly females), a Robin, a Great Tit, a Dunnock, 5 Collared Doves, half a dozen House Sparrows, a Blackbird and at least 1 Starling.

Narroways and St Andrews Park

A fairly birdless tramp around the reserve this morning - just a Dunnock, Robin, Goldfinch and Blackbird near Lynmouth Road, and 2 Jays and a Great Tit at Simons Grove. A few Grey Squirrels around at the latter location and ash wood.

Narroways snowdrift

Grey Squirrel

St Andrews Park was even quieter, just a few Starlings, a couple of Blackbirds and a Robin seen during a brief visit.

St Andrews Park

There were a few Goldfinch, a Blue Tit and a group of House Sparrows at the top of Station Road, Montpelier and a couple of Bluebottles (probably Calliphora vicina) on Ivy at the Hurlingham Road end of the rainbow bridge.

Bluebottles

Fleet Foxes!

A Fox barked outside my window last night and when I looked out he was scrambling over the ivy covering a neighbour's wall! Rather an undignified performance!

Montpelier Park

Nothing much to report - a Jay, a Great Tit, a Blackbird, a Robin and a few Woodpigeons were all I could manage. Also some White Deadnettle in flower. At the station there were a few Long-tailed Tits and a Chaffinch near the feeders.

Robin

White Deadnettle

At around 6am Foxes woke me up, making lots of noise just below my window.

Herons 'n' Ravens

This morning a Grey Heron flew over the flat chased by an angry gull -  still a scarce bird in Montpelier with so little standing water in the neighbourhood. At the station the Raven pair flew over and sat on the TV mast. Also at the station were 8 Starlings, half a dozen Goldfinches, a Chaffinch, Great and Blue Tits and lots of House Sparrows. The bird feeders were taken over by Feral pigeons!

St Andrews Park

A drizzly stroll around the park at lunchtime produced 1 Mistle Thrush, 3 Redwings, 50 Starlings, 30 Goldfinches, 3 Chaffinches, 2 Pied Wagtails, 10 Herring Gulls, 1 Lesser Black-backed Gull, 1 Black-headed Gull (uncommon in Ashley!) a Jay, Blue and Great Tits, a couple of Robins and 6 Blackbirds.

Redwing

Chaffinch

Herring Gulls

Pied Wagtail

Black-headed Gull

Montpelier Station

A motley collection of birds this morning, the most surprising of which was a fly-over Cormorant! Also a Jay, a Great Tit, a singing Dunnock and a fly-over Raven.

Jay

Last night the Foxes were very noisy outsside, with a male barking continuously for several minutes.

St Andrews Park

A stroll round the park at lunchtime produced my first hoverfly of 2017 - a Meliscaeva auricollis was basking on a leaf near the pond. Also the first Snowdrops were in flower.

Meliscaeva auricollis

Snowdrops

Birds included a Goldcrest, Blue and Great Tits, a Jay, 10+ Starlings, a good number of Goldfinches, a couple of fly-over Chaffinches, singing Coal Tit and Dunnock, several Blackbirds, a pair of Collared Doves and several Woodpigeons.

Goldfinch