Birds and other
wildlife recorded in December 2024
Birds: A
Common Pheasant was spotted – one that got away! Another unexpected sighting
was a flyover Little Egret. Red Kites were seen quite regularly, gliding
magnificently over the wood and neighbouring houses. There were also several
sightings of Common Buzzard. Three
species of gull were recorded flying overhead: Lesser black-back, Herring Gull
and – most commonly – Black-headed Gull. Many Woodpigeons were observed, and
the occasional Collared Dove, but no Stock Dove. Great-spotted Woodpeckers were seen - and heard but no Green
Woodpecker recorded this month.
The
corvids were observed fairly regularly: Magpie (8 on the 11th), Jackdaw,
Carrion Crow, and Jays and two Ravens flew over on the 11th. The Rooks are
nowhere near as common as they once were, and their nests are now reduced to a
mere two - in the newer woodland by a side path leading to the bridleway.
Rookeries do move but they were once such an important feature of our wood!
Goldcrests
were encountered in the conifers and the tit family was well represented: Blue
Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit (less frequent always); and their very distant
relative the Long-tailed Tit – including a flock of nine on the 11th. Nuthatch
was heard and seen, as was Wren. Starlings were also recorded. Blackbirds were
about and so were some of the winter thrushes: Redwing, including a group of 8
birds on the 11th. So far nobody has recorded Fieldfares.
Robins
were fairly regularly recorded as were Dunnocks, and – nearer the houses –
House Sparrows. A flock of 15 Skylarks
feeding on an adjoining field was put up by a Red Kite. Finally, the finches:
there were reports of Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch (quite a rarity these
days), and Goldfinch, often in small groups.
The
mammal records this month were: Roe
Deer and Red Squirrel
Please
send in your records – and a Happy New Year to all you nature lovers!
