Small Bird. Big World

sunlight through trees

Where's my mum?

First came the rabbit -

Can you see the rabbit?

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 Then a blackbird joined the rabbit -

Bird and Mammal

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Now the party starts.  A hen pheasant in the background. Next to it a Raven.  Then a rabbit and a blackbird.  Hen pheasant, Raven, Rabbit, Blackbird

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Hen Pheasant,  Crow, Wood pigeon, blackbird, rabbit -

Four birds and one mammal

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Hen pheasant, raven and wood pigeon all eating the same grain.  then a rabbit eating grass -

This was very early morning and we have had to take some old fencing down.  This must happen every morning, but it is hidden from view by the fence.

They all meandered about together for about half an hour.  The rabbit picked the freshes dandelion leaves.

It reminds me of when I used to go picking dandelions for our pet rabbit when Iwas about 6 years old.  Now I remember picking dandelion leaves when I was six years old BUT what did I do yesterday!?

I will try and get better photos – but it’s hard.

This is why I feed birds.  They have to face such fierce weather and the only shelter they get is what they find

Hopefully we have seen the last of the snow and I hope a lot of birds have survived this snow bound world

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Fieldfare in Winter

Fieldfare in summer

Fieldfares are from the Thrush family.

Usually they stay in fields in the countryside.  This harsh winter seems to have brought a lot of fieldfares into gardens and given people an opportunity to see them close up and also help them survive by putting bird food out.

As I’ve said before this winter their food has been locked under snow and ice. If you looked around the countryside when it was at its coldest you wouldn’t see many green fields (if any).  The ground is frozen solid.

Fieldfares often stay in flocks

They arrive in October and overwinter here.  Some Fieldfares come from Scandinavia and are winter visitors and migrate to Britain in October / November. These Scandinavian Fieldfares  don’t nest here. Other fieldfares are European fieldfares

FEEDING 

First, I’d like to say that providing an open, soft patch of lawn or soil is a good way to feed birds. Also in freezing weather (NOT, of course,   when there is snow on the ground)  I sometimes put hot water on a small open area of grass /soil.  This softens the soil.  I always get birds pecking at the soil.  It means they can at least try and get to the worms! 

Fieldfares eat animals and plants – so they eat worms or berries and fruit. 

If you put out some apple or pears, or any fruit  it is best to cut up small first.   Then they can easily carry / eat the food.  If the fruit is large they may drop it when they fly off with it. Among the berries they eat are Pyracantha berries off bushes and hawthorn berries.

I’ve also heard that they have been seen eating ground blend bird food.

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Gardens can be a life saver for birds.  To survive they have to go in search of food – and have found food in our gardens . So the extreme weather conditions have driven them to our gardens and our food. Bird feeding does work and help birds survive the winter.

I know we have had flocks of fieldfares in the fields near us at certain times.  When birds are far away and flocking together it’s hard to see what bird they are.  But certainly flocks of birds wheeling overhear in the skies are a part of the English Countryside.

Trisha

 PS Idid not take these photographs.  Photographs from istockphoto

Early one morning

I like this photo.  I may print and frame it.

If you have any photos you would like to send me I would like to see them.

Trisha

Here are some photos  (apologies for the space inbetween the photos – I can’t seem to get rid of these gaps!)

I think I don’t have a choice when you see the conditions that have been in this area over the last few days.

And here is a reminder of a lovely day

Long Tailed Tits

Long Tailed Tits

 Aren’t these wonderful photographs. I wish I could take such photos.  Thanks John for sending them in – it’s ages ago I know.