So here I am back home in Exeter after a wonderful trip and wildlife experience to my favourite destination! As the week goes on I will post a gallery of the exciting photographs taken in Southern Florida during my trip. These will include Ospreys, Redish Egrets, Scarlet Tanagers Killdeer chicks and different Sandpiper species. But first my news from the garden and elsewhere around my home.
I returned to discover a 5 foot high fence dividing my garden and my neighbours! This was quite a shock! Along with some quite heavy pruning in the adjoining garden this is going to impact on the immediate environment and habitat, but we will have to wait and see what the impact is. Blackbirds are sitting on eggs in the garden , their nest is in a Leylandia hedge, so often criticised as bad for gardens but certainly provides a good screen and nest sites for garden birds. I am pretty sure that the dunnocks have a nest somewhere but havn’t found it yet. A quick walk to the post box a few minutes ago and a mental bird count included all the usuals still around, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Starlings etc. One notable sighting was a Song Thrush in the street feeding on the grass verge yards from my house. I have not had a song thrush in the garden for at least ten years so I am very surprised and pleased to see this species in my locality.
I took this photo today of my Collared Dove and do you agree that it looks absolutely freezing! The temperature here is 9 degrees. When you consider that the temperature was 11 in January then it is pretty dreary and even the birds seem to agree. Now compare it to the same species photographed in Southern Florida last week and see the difference in both light and attitude of the bird. I thought that was quite an interesting comparison to make.

A walk to Aylesbeare Common yesterday afternoon resulted in the sighting and photographs of a pair of Stonechat

I have always liked them, they make a pretty picture when they perch at the top of attractive lichen covered branches as they are likely to do. I didn’t really get as close to them as I would have liked but I will go back and see if I can get better pictures when the weather is brighter next week.

I have mentioned before about my dislike for cats and the irresponsible behaviour of owners who seem to accept that their animals will hunt and kill garden birds at every opportunity and just accept this as a fact of life without taking any action or responsibility. Well I am sorry to say that the carnage has begun, the first casualty of the season found in my garden today. A young Blackbird freshly fledged and immediately predated, the mauled body floating in my wildlife pond. I will spare you the picture!
Enjoy the picture instead of a hen Stonechat taken yesterday. Please check back tomorrow for another post!