Grandma's House in North Wales

 Since it was Christmas I took a visit to my Grandma's and I wasn't surprised that it was a nightmare getting there. Many of the fields were flooded and the rain had eroded big ruts in the track. When I got settled into the house I soon started opening my presents and got lots of useful, exciting and interesting stuff, including a bird counter

There were plenty of birds about dashing in and off the feeders; the Great Spotted Woodpecker was showing up quite well today. (My Grandpa Peter even saw 3 all together at one point). This is the most common woodpecker in the UK. This male Woodpecker was attacking the nuts really energetically.

Sorry about the pictures they are a bit hazy because of the weather. The Nuthatches were occasionally visiting the feeders, same with the Coal Tits. There were only probably a couple of Nuthatches visiting the feeders, however I still got some good views . 

  

There were plenty of Chaffinches dancing across the floor and unfortunately 1 or 2 had a disease called bumble foot.

Robins were everywhere today, mostly feeding off scraps of seed that my Grandpa had put out.

This Coal Tit was using the nut feeder for a change, since most of the time they are either in a bush hiding away or fluttering up onto a seed feeder then dashing off into a bush or tree.

In this picture you can obviously see my Grandma and Grandma get a lot of bird life, especially Tits. 

Goldfinches were thriving, however no Siskins.

Back home again now and having another look through my presents.

I have lots of birding planned for the rest of the week though!

Five Christmas Wishes

Today I have decided to tell you about the 5 wishes that I want to happen in the New Year (2013). I am also adding in 5 of my favourite pictures from 2012. Here they  are:.....

• I would like every one to at least have one bird feeder the garden, since in the hard Winters birds will struggle to find food. Also, if people feel that excitement when a bird first lands on their feeder, they might just learn to love nature a bit more.

• Try and keep factories and new building sites away from the county side, so pollution won't infect the wildlife in these places. 

• I would like more people to realise how important nature really is, because every body really needs every part of it. I learnt that even wasps play an important part after watching The Secret Life of The Sparrowhawk by David Culley. The wasps clear the nests of the left over scraps of meat that are fed to the young Sparrowhawks.

• I would like no further discard, because dead fish are just being thrown away when really they could be used for useful things. I don't understand how throwing dead fish into the sea is protecting them.

• And finally I would love Kingsmead FC to win the cup final without it going to penalties.

Linking to Wild Bird Wednesday

Spot the Bittern

Today I had an enjoyable visit to Marbury Prak and as soon as I got to the first hide there was a very secretive bird lurking in the reeds.................. a Bittern.

Can you spot it?

What a lovely bird to see on the last day of the weekend. I am one of the first people to see one here this Winter, so for me it is quite an achievement, however I wouldn't have viewed it so well if it hadn't been for a helpful man and his telescope.

As I was walking back to the hide I was originally in, I spotted a feeding party of Long Tailed Tits. I recon if this Tit didn't have this lovely long tail, it might be as small as a Goldcrest, as it's body is tiny.

The Heron was stalking in the reeds today since the lake was frozen.

And when I got to the first hide I noticed three Mallards skidding about on the ice.

I saw loads of Robins today at Marbury; however I saw a few more in my garden. Infact there were three at the same time fighting and squabbling. I almost managed to get one to feed out of my hand.

I just wanted to mention the other great bit of the weekend, my football yesterday. It was the semi-final of a cup match. Once the game had finished, we were drawing, so that meant extra time; however it was still level pegging when extra time was finished, so we went onto penalties - a bit scary as I am the goalkeep. I saved two penalities and the other keeper saved one. So we are through to the final. I hope we win the cup.

Our World Tuesday

Wild Bird Wednesday

Guest Blog for Mark Avery

It's been another exciting week, as I have been giving a brilliant opportunity to do a guest blog for Mark Avery.

In case you don't know, Mark Avery spent 25 years fighting for birds working for the RSPB. For a long time he was Conservation Director with the RSPB.

If you would like to read it, the link is:

http://markavery.info/2012/12/11/guest-blog-future-safe-hands-findlay-whilde/

I am really interested to know what people think about my ideas and see what they think will happen in the future.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Nature Days In Primary Schools - Can You Help

Today I had an enjoyable visit to Burton Mere even though there wasn't too much birdlife about apart from the odd Black Tailed Godwit and a few Redshank. (No Smew). 

I saw for the first time at Burton Mere a few Siskins which were really nice, but I wonder how many children and adults would know what one is? Since watching the recent David Attenborough programmes I keep thinking more and more about what wildlife will still be around when I grow up. I no longer just enjoy wildlife, I now really want to protect it too.

This wonderful male Chaffinch was just sitting fluffed up on a branch; you may think they loook a little boring since they are common, but the bird world wouldn't make sense without them.  Sadly it looks like this one had quite bad bumble foot on both feet.  I learnt all about bumble foot at a recent BTO ringing demonstration.

I saw plenty of rats, which were nice to see even though people dislike them. Every part of nature has a part to play in natural life cycles; trees, birds and even ants. People shouldn't dislike rats as they are an important part of the food chain. I bet a few raptors would like a juicy rat to chew on!

Possibly one of my favourite garden birds, the Great Tit was really thriving today.

As I was walking round today, I couldn't help think about the nature days in my school which I am trying to set up. I have already told my head teacher about it and I am really interested in getting young people  interested, not just for the fun of it, but for the future of it too.......... 

Would anyone like to be my first guest speaker in school to help me really get this going.

My Favourite Artist

I just had to do this blog before school today, even before going in my bird hide. You may remember this recent picture I took of the Shell Duck and the Pintails:

Well the brilliant artist Sharon Whitley has painted the best picture of my ducks:

Thank you so much Sharon

http://sharonwhitleytheramblingartist.blogspot.co.uk

Hiding Away

Unfortunately I have been poorly this weekend, consequently it meant I could not go to any birdwatching places, however I still got to see some birds, since I was allowed to go around the field and go in the hide.

I saw plenty of Fieldfares and Thrushes.

Plenty of garden activity today, especially Tits, as we had Blue Tits, Great Tits and a single Long Tailed Tit. I'm not sure where the rest of it's feeding party were.

 The usual Starlings were taking all the fat and seed that I put out for the Chaffinches.

And I had two new visitors this morning, just in my local field and the field next to it; first of all there was a Deceit of Lapwings in the field next to my house, a flock of about 50. They hung around all day feeding in the field and then taking off and circuling round every 20 minutes or so.

Then in the third field next to it there was either a Woodcock or Snipe, however I couldn't tell properly what it was. The field had cut corn and really muddy tracks. I couldn't get a picture, so I will never know for sure what it was. Any ideas?

Wild Bird Wednesday