Birding in March 2010

After this hard winter we are glad that spring is not far away. The final weed and left over grain seeds are being ploughed under by the farmers. They need to start now in order to plant spring corn in time. So just as last year’s weed seeds on roadsides and in waste places are running out, the seeds in the fields come to an end too. Of course, many farmland birds mainly the finches will succeed in surviving the next difficult month or so. We however can help improve their chances by continuing to feed them in our gardens. Amongst these species are chaffinches, goldfinches, greenfinches and sparrows.

My wife Julie particularly delights in the little colony of goldfinches she has attracted to her feeder station throughout this icy winter. They are charming birds with their red, white and black heads and their flashing gold wings. They consume vast quantities of their favourite sunflower hearts and nyjer seeds. As a reward they make faint tinkling notes combined with sweeter, liquid calls, and nasal sounds. At any one time blackbirds, thrushes, their redwing cousins and collared doves compete for food. A trio of hen pheasants joined the fray fussed over by the cock resplendent in all his finery. Meanwhile three cock robins spent most of their energy fighting off each other in-between feeding. Maybe this is one of many protective strategies. Leaving our lone resident grey wagtail free to feed in peace.

With the slight rise in temperature, our three resident magpies are starting to build their nests around the garden. They perch on the very tops of trees, but now they descend into the thin twigs or into our shrubbery. They sway about or even slip and tumble as they try to tear off a long twig and they may try with several twigs before they get one. Then they fly off with it in their beak, looking even clumsier in the air than they usually do, with their long tails and this encumbrance at the front. They usually build a large, domed nest in a tree, but this takes quite a long time and they have many breaks. Eventually they will lay their eggs at the end of March. We have noticed a few blackbirds and robins starting to build their nest however most of them will begin nesting in the middle of April, provided the weather is warm. The cock robins are continuing asserting their territorial rights in between their distinctive song-a sharp burst followed by a sweet, trickling afterthought that fades away in a smooth decline.

D.H.