Song Thrush!

I was delighted to hear a Song Thrush at the station this morning and just clocked it as it flew out of the tree heading in the direction the park - I will chase it around Montpelier until I get a decent photo. I rarely record Song Thrushes on the patch these days, so it was a treat to hear it.

RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch!

This morning I spent an hour in Montpelier Park doing the annual Big Garden Birdwatch. The weather was dull and breezy so birds were thin on the ground, but totals were as follows:

Wren 1
Woodpigeon 4
Collared Dove 1
Blackbird 3
Jay 1
Carrion Crow 3
Chaffinch 4
Great Tit 1
Robin 1
Pied Wagtail 1
Goldcrest 1
Blue Tit 1
Magpie 1

Montpelier Park!

A Jay, 2 Blackbirds, 2 Collared Doves and 3 or 4 Woodpigeons were the only birds of note in the park this morning. Near the station a Dunnock was singing and there were lots of Hazel catkins on show.

Hazel catkins

St Andrews Park!

An afternoon stroll through the park revealed up to 10 Redwings munching on berries near the bowling green with 4 or 5 Blackbirds as companions. Nearby there was a party of Long-tailed Tits, several Goldfinches, a Chaffinch, Blue and Great Tits, a Robin and a female Blackcap. A gaggle of Starlings were in their normal tree by the church - they've been in quite low numbers this winter I reckon. A couple of patches of Snowdrops were in flower.

Redwing

Snowdrops

Starling

Narroways!

A couple of hours on the reserve produced the usual suspects - 2 Grey Wagtails (1 on brook, another at Boiling Wells), 1 Raven on the tower, 1 Sparrowhawk over the hill, a Jay near Boiling Wells entrance, single Goldfinch at Boiling Wells plus a few Robins, Great Tits and a calling Dunnock. Winter Heliotrope in flower at usual place near Ashley Hill entrance.

Robin

Raven

Winter Heliotrope

Grey Wagtail

St Andrews Park!

A quick walk through the park on a bitterly cold day revealed about 10 Redwings, 3 Pied Wagtails, 10 Goldfinches, 2 Chaffinches, 10 Long-tailed Tits, a couple of Blue Tits, 3 Blackbirds and a Robin.

Redwing

Pied Wagtail

New Year Plant Hunt!

I did a New Year Plant Hunt today. The Botanical Society of Great Britain and Ireland are collecting records of all plants in flower so I thought I'd target Montpelier. I recorded 16 species in flower:

White Deadnettle
Daisy
Annual Mercury
Groundsel
Wood Avens
Ivy-leaved Toadflax
Ivy
Red Valerian
Petty Spurge
Dandelion
Smooth Sowthistle
Annual Meadow-grass
Cocks-foot
Hazel
Sweet Alison
Common Nettle

Alyssum

Groundsel

Petty Spurge

Redwing

There were a couple of Redwings between the top of St Andrews Road and Fairlawn Road.