Comments on: Trisha’s About Page

By: Linda morris

Linda morris — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:00:27 +0000

How can you tell the difference between a large crow and a raven?

By: David Woodmansey

David Woodmansey — Tue, 14 Apr 2009 11:34:12 +0000

Despite some miserable weather over Easter it looks like the bird migration is underway. I saw my first Swallow perched on the wires over the bowling green here in Langtoft on 7th April and have seen one nearly everyday since. They are also appearing in ones and two elsewhere locally including Cowlam and Kirby Grindalythe. For the last couple of weeks there have been Chiffchaffs in suitable habitat everywhere. I heard my first singing males at Weaverthorpe and Sherburn a couple of weekends ago with more at Sledmere and Cowlam over Easter. The first Willow Warblers came in over Easter with birds in scrubby patches again at Cowlam and Sledmere. The first local Blackcap was at Haverdale Lane near West Lutton on Easter Monday.

By: Trish

Trish — Sat, 28 Mar 2009 17:41:43 +0000

Hi David, thanks for this. You have such a lot of knowledge that I don’t have. I know, and like to see, butterflies, but must admit I don’t know all their names.

I remember a lot of them from my childhood and now it is always great to see them about the garden. Thanks for telling us. We get a lot of different wildlife in a garden don’t we. Butterflies, birds, worms, slugs, rabbits passing through and I don’t know what else. Trisha

By: David Woodmansey

David Woodmansey — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 12:32:23 +0000

The five Small Tortoiseshells in the garden on Saturday were my first of the year. They were nectaring on a number of flowers. Although none were exceptionally brightly coloured, they were also not damaged so they may have come out of hibernation somewhere. A sulphurous yellow male Brimstone also flew through the garden three or four times.

By: David Woodmansey

David Woodmansey — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 12:56:44 +0000

Just to let you know that at 7am yesterday (Thursday 12 March) there were three Barn Owls at Tyre Eye. One was in the field above the sewage works, one was in the dale beside the big quarry and one crossed the road in front of me. Although it was at windscreen height it got across safely. During the winter we have had the odd sighting from home mainly at dawn and dusk. At one point we were beginning to think one was roosting in the incomplete garages on the building site opposite. Three is the best count of barn owls I have ever had in the village.

A few weeks ago, the weekend after the big snow fall when the village was supposedly cut off, there were three Common Buzzards over the plantation in Sowersby’s Dale almost opposite your farm. Again this is a village record although I did have a single along Kilham Road a week later. Friends have reported seeing a Red Kite in that area while driving in January but not since. That would be a personal first for the village if we got one of those.

In our garden the Blackbirds have been collecting nesting material for a couple of weeks now while the Blue Tits have been showing an interest in our nest box again but not yet taking it any further. The pair of Coal Tits which have been visiting throughout winter appear to have moved on in the last week or so, as they do every spring. Lots of birds singing, including all the common species. Loudest at the moment are the Song Thrushes.

David Woodmansey