| I know the blog is all about birds seen but .... My garden today was again full of birds at the feeder, some 20 Goldfinches, at least 30 Chaffinches, 8 Siskins, 6 House Sparrows, the pair of Great Spotted Woodpeckers and Nuthatches, Blue Tits, Great Tits, Coal Tits, two pairs of Robins battle for ownership of the garden whilst 2 pairs of Dunnocks seem to live in harmony, a couple of Treecreepers visit as does a Marsh Tit and several Greenfinches. The Blackbirds have reduced in number from the winter high of 13, a Sparrowhawk makes a regular fleeting appearance, Jays, Magpies and Crows attend throughout the day whilst Buzzards, Red Kites, Herons and Ravens appear overhead and a pair of Stock Doves keep checking out the Barn Owl box in the field. Thankfully the Canada Geese fly over without pausing at my small lake whilst in the trees down the road both Mistle and Song Thrushes call, their sound having to compete with the incessant Nuthatches and Great Tits. Over the last week with the warm weather the garden and field has been alive with bird song YET one familiar and uplifting song has been absent for some four months now, that of the Wren. Last year I know of at least three territories in my garden / field so they survived the hard winter of 2009/10 but must have perished during this last winter. Lets hope the Summer assists our small birds and that the remainig Wrens make a strong recovery, the garden is not the same without their song. Alan Lyne |