Birding in July 2010
Our two observed robin families’ broods safely hatched; hen and cock are diligently feeding the fledglings until they are ready to fly. The blue tit family have also fledged six youngsters. Mr Pied has at last produced offspring’s we are awaiting with interest if the mutant progenies emerge. Today decided to review our Birding jottings having settled down with our cups of tea we were pleasantly surprised to see mother & baby grey squirrel appear on top of the box hedge directly under the bird feeders enjoying the spillage from the finches dropped seeds. Then the Cock Pheasant arrived looking slightly dejected head and tail down (he has not much to do just now) scrapping around on the ground discovering yesterdays leftovers.
Then suddenly out of the blue, Wow, ‘Shock & Awe’ at ramming speed flying along at the side of our hedge then flipping around the herbaceous border never further away from the hedge than six inches. I had a lightning-fast second glimpse as she, I think it was a female, because it was a pretty chunky bird – went barrelling on so close to the ground that her wingtips almost swept the surface of the lawn. This is what Sparrowhawks are all about: speed, stealth, ambush, manoeuvrability. Fizzing through the narrowest of gaps; the greatest of sneakers. They are highly skilled at grabbing on the wing and sure enough, later the evidence of blooded pale dove feathers scattered across the grass.
Our everyday treat is watching the goldfinches. Among the adults with their red, black and white heads their fluffy fledglings are flapping to keep their balance on our bird station. Most birds are by now starting to moult, and in this state they do not want to draw attention to themselves, especially if they are changing their flight feathers. Even the blue tits, great tits and coal tits, which are very loquacious at other times of the year, are now less vocal. However there are still some goldfinches singing, often at the very top of our trees. They have a song that can continue in a casual way for several minutes, full of tinkling sounds and occasional wheezing notes. When they fly, the gold bar on their wings is conspicuous on a sunny day — even from below when the sun shines directly through it. They also draw attention to themselves in flight by their light, bell-like notes. The first thistles are turning to seed, and goldfinches will soon be coming down to balance on them and pluck the seeds from the downy tops. Where thistles have rampaged, large flocks of goldfinches will sit in nearby trees, and go up and down from the thistles, alternately eating and resting.
As we move later into this month most bird song begins to die away. Blackbirds and song thrushes have been singing intermittently this month, but during the first week of July many of them will fall silent, and the few that go on singing for a week or two. We will miss their melodic, song even on a grey day their song filled our ears with sunshine.
The most noticeable singer now is the wren. The song is still coming from higher up than it does in the winter, from high branches and even our rooftop. It is a rapid, impassioned outburst, quite remarkable for such a tiny bird, starting with a few arresting, sharp sounds, then going into a string of clicks, trills and rich, beautiful notes. The wren trembles with the effort as he pours the song out. He will continue singing well into this month, with his mate incubating eggs from a second brood in a hole or hollow somewhere down below more will be heard mainly at dawn and dusk. Most robins are silent now. However, out in our fields yellowhammers and corn buntings will be in full voice well into August.
D.H.