Poyningsgull
Well-known member
- Apr 12, 2007
- 1,697
The Henfield Peacocks are alive and well.
These nightingales seem earlier than usual, which I guess is down to weather/temperature or maybe strong prevailing winds for their journey over. My guess is cuckoos are likely to be a couple of weeks earlier than usual too.Cuckoo should be heard soon !! I live near a wood and they are usually here nowish maybe a little later.
We sometimes get those in the Garden. They hang upside down on the bird feeders to get at the seed.
Reminds me of many years ago Mrs Wz phoned me at work to say we had a parrot with a green body and red head in the garden. A couple of weeks later she saw it again and I was in the house so took a look. It sat on the lawn eating ants
View attachment 137595
Had a Cuckoo’s Saturday ( and a male Ring Ouzel)These nightingales seem earlier than usual, which I guess is down to weather/temperature or maybe strong prevailing winds for their journey over. My guess is cuckoos are likely to be a couple of weeks earlier than usual too.
We had a Green Woodpecker in our gardn a couple of months ago. Feeding on ants nests, very kindly aerating the lawn. The same one?
Throughout the long wet winter we had a charm of Goldfinches feeding on a load of Teasels I’d allowed to remain. So tiny, it was my daughter (young eyes) who spotted the Greenfinches initially.
UK Chaffinch numbers down 30% between 2007 and 2018 and I suspect a lot worse in the last 6 years.We get Green woodpeckers on the lawn fairly regularly during summer, but the Greater Spotted are far more common, one drinking from the pond only yesterday. We always have loads of goldfinches (niger seed feeders) but lately greenfinches have become rarer and Chaffinches have all but disappeared from being the most common 7/8 years ago.
That's a new one on me - are you in Sussex?Had a Cuckoo’s Saturday ( and a male Ring Ouzel)
HiThat's a new one on me - are you in Sussex?
We get Green woodpeckers on the lawn fairly regularly during summer, but the Greater Spotted are far more common, one drinking from the pond only yesterday. We always have loads of goldfinches (niger seed feeders) but lately greenfinches have become rarer and Chaffinches have all but disappeared from being the most common 7/8 years ago.
Thanks.Hi
No in Norfolk now but I used to see them quite regularly in Brighton on migration - best place is on the cliffs up by the Belle Toute Lighthouse ( at Birling Gap) in March/April or September/October. (Or Ashdown Forest if that’s nearer for you)
On my local patch yesterday pre-dawn I had 14 Nightingales in full song. Poor old Blackcaps are now being drowned out by them. Had first Common Cuckoo 2 weeks ago. Whinchats & Western Subalpine Warblers, along with all the other warblers back and singing. Sadly though numbers seem to be down particularly with the Chats, Warblers and other insect dependant birds, 3 years of drought, too much insecticide is having an effect. According to my records our Red-necked Nightjars should return next week - fingers crossed.These nightingales seem earlier than usual, which I guess is down to weather/temperature or maybe strong prevailing winds for their journey over. My guess is cuckoos are likely to be a couple of weeks earlier than usual too.
We have some that make a right racket outside our office.The Henfield Peacocks are alive and well.View attachment 180246
Great isn’t it - had a small flock of Swallows and House Martins on the Nature Reserve at work last week - still too early for Swifts - when I hear those screaming then I know summer will have arrivedMore summer visitors are here...