As most of you are aware my birding opportunities are a bit limited at the mo, so I have been spending a bit more time watching my garden wildlife. During the 9 years that Bev and I have lived in this house we have transformed our long narrow terraced house garden from concrete and lawn into a wildlife haven. Yet ironically for all the feeding of birds, nectar rich plants we have put in I have been guilty of not monitoring it as much as I perhaps could/should. Anyway below is is a break down of interesting garden wildlife snippets from the past week or so.
This morning there were now 3 overwintering Blackcaps (2♂ & 1♀) visiting the garden feeding station.
Tuesday 21st February 2012
The first 2 Common Frogs returned to our small wildlife pond.Wednesday 22nd February 2012
2 Blackcaps (1♂ & 1♀) present at Garden feeding station.
Thursday 23rd February 2012
One of the overwintering Blackcaps was heard singing for prolonged periods on this mild sunny day. 3 Hoverflies (2 Drone Fly and 1 sp) noted. There were now 10 Common Frogs present this evening.
Friday 24th February 2012
One of the visiting Starlings was heard mimicking a Common Buzzard and a Green Woodpecker. A Blackcap was heard singing again and 2 Common Frogs were seen mating on the evening.
Below is a sound recording I took of the Starling mimicry from the 24th. If you listen closely you can hear the mew of a Common Buzzard, the beep of a car immobiliser setting and the yaffle of a Green Woodpecker.
Starling Mimicry - Kidderminster, 24th Feb 2012 by Shenstone Birder
Brilliant, Jason. The most mimicked call from the Starlings around my garden is Wigeon. The birds obviously spend some time across at the Old Moor.
ReplyDeleteThere's a Starling here who does the keeewick call of the Tawny Owl, very passably Jase :-)
ReplyDeleteDean - Cheers mate. Its amazing what they will mimic. The loal starling flock spends a lot of time at the nearby (fairly large) cemetery where there are Green Woodpeckers present, so I presume thats where this bird picked up it call.
ReplyDeleteWarren - Starling mimicking a Tawny...thats one to hear! Interestingly enough I have heard Song Thrush mimic that keeewick call in the past
Well done Jason! They really are brilliant mimics, they are pretty good at car alarms and telephones round here :-)
ReplyDeleteWe usually have Blackcaps in our garden in Winter but I haven't seen any this year, mind you I am guilty of not watching too closely lately, too much time on the computer I think!
Jan - I love listening to Starlings...you never quite know what you may hear.
ReplyDeleteP.s. Your not the only one who spends too much time on the computer ;-)