Home is in the hedgerow

A wander along the field margins at East Holywell, gave me numerous encounters with the new residents in the hedgerows.

What was nothing but barren twigs just 4 weeks ago, is now alive with Whitethroats, Yellowhammers and Greenfinches.

And the Dandelion, persecuted by our culture of tidiness, is a corner stone of the hedgerow ecosystem - feeding the many insects that in turn feed the birds. In a parallel universe, they would surely be coveted blooms?

Bluebell - sometimes they're white!

Hoverfly

Black Ant

 Greenfinch pair

Yellowhammer

Whitethroat

Blackcap

What colour is your heron?

Purple Heron

After doing my Breeding Bird survey at Widdrington, it seemed sensible to pop along to East Chevington to see the Purple Heron. A cracking bird, showing well, but at half a mile away the 2x convertor went on the camera. This hazy shot was the result.

Sedge Warbler

Then, came a  report of a Great White Egret at Hauxley, just a couple of miles up the road. On arrival I was told it was in front of the Ponteland hide. It's a long walk to the Ponteland hide, and even further to then get to the Eric hide, where the bird had decided to move to after 'interacting' with a Grey Heron!

Interaction!

Great White Egret

Blue-headed Wagtail, Whitley Bay

Wagtail fest on Whitley Bay beach, right now! A superb Blue-headed Wagtail, a dozen or more White Wagtails, a Yellow Wagtail and even a Pied Wagtail completing the cast. Just park at St Marys and walk a couple of hundred metres south down the beach. The wagtails are feeding on the flies around the seaweed. Another reason not to clean seaweed off beaches.

Lucky Dip

Having dipped on the Pectoral Sandpiper at Backworth, a potential garden tick had I ventured onto my roof, I choose to have a wander around the patch to see what I could find.....

Golden Plover in their finest summer suits

Reynard looking bright eyed and bushy tailed

The Small and Mitey

Red-tailed Bumblebee & cargo

Finally, a bumblebee in the garden, rewarding my wildflower bulb planting. A Red-tailed Bumblebee taking nectar from a Grape Hyacinth. Unfortunately it has a few unwelcome stowaways, mites; the little pink things on it's 'neck'.

Goldcrest

A couple of other small visitors today included a Goldcrest, most likely just passing through on its way back to Scandinavia, and my first Willow Warbler of the year.

Willow Warbler

Wor Jackie

Wor Jackie

Jackdaws are putting the finishing touches to their nest, in the box that was supposedly for Little Owls. Not sure where they are nesting, but we hear them calling every night at the moment. Wor Jackie watched me checking the moth trap - best catch so far this year, not difficult considering the long winter and recent gales. 10 Hebrew Characters, 2 Common Quakers and this handsome Early Grey.

Early Grey

Meanwhile, in the rest of the garden, a Wren is nesting in my compost heap, a Woodpigeon is nesting behind the Gazebo, Blue Tits and Tree Sparrows are in nest boxes, and Swallows are swooping into the barn. Oh, and the wind is still and the sun is shining!!!!

Common Quaker

Bang! And the Winter's gone!

Spring has arrived with a bang, with gales rearranging garden furniture, trees, and I fear tiles! Still, it's far more spring like than it was this time last week.

Toads and frogs are finally spawning, Swallows are hawking insects across the fields, and my winter gas bill has arrived on the mat. Ouch!!

Winter may now be gone, but there are lingering winter visitors in the front paddock, or could they be staying as a new breeding species for Northumberland?

Fieldfare

Tsunami Warning!

After the eternal winter, the arrival of warm southerly winds this Saturday is likely to cause a massive tidal wave of arrivals. In fact there's a few trickles starting right now, with my first Chiffchaff on patch yesterday. This weekend could be quite a spectacle!

Chiffchaff

Spring forward

A early start in the garden today (too early thanks to the clocks going forward), but worth the effort as the urge to nest gathers pace amongst the feathered neighbours.

Tree Sparrow?

 A twig hanging from the Little Owl box is a sure sign that Jackdaws have claimed it, while a piece of straw hanging out of a nest box must mean that Tree Sparrows have moved in.

And then there was this Long-tailed Tit chasing a feather. Just before it start snowing!

And talking of tits, the farmer managed to take down the phone line on Friday, so no phone or Internet. Thankfully I can get online using my mobile phone, but it's painfully slow :(

Ready for Spring?

Holly enjoying the Spring weather

The winter, yes the one that simply won't go away, has been spent preparing for the season that once was found between winter and summer, spring! To think that last year it was shorts and t-shirt weather, and frogs were in a spawning frenzy.

No Wheatears, Wagtails or Ring Ouzels, just frost!

The main tasks have been hedge rejuvenation and planting, border de-nettling (nettles are good, just not everywhere!), nest box installation - gone a bit OTT with 10 boxes for Tree Sparrows, a Swallow cup, a couple of artificial House Martin nests, and an open-fronted box for Robins.

Tree Sparrows - large colony here, hopefully to get even larger now :)

Even snow doesn't stop prospective tenants

Lots of wild flower seed has been sown, and native bulbs planted.

The biggest job, however, has been putting a Green Roof on my container, to create a high rise wild flower meadow, and nesting opportunities for birds within.

On top of an 8 x 10 container.

Joisting and boarding Out

Green Roof Substrate

Waterproof liner and Geotex liner down and substrate going on top

Gravel drainage around the perimeter, and lashings of tea!

Job done!

The Green Roof involved joisting out the roof to carry the weight, boarding it out to create a floor, covering with a waterproof pond liner, filling with a substrate (topsoil is too nutrient rich!), and sowing with wild flower seed. The design and construction of this roof, using new materials, worked out at roughly £100 per square metre, inclusive labour. Get in contact if you want one as we have the know how and the expertise.

In between digging, cutting, planting, construction etc. I've added a couple of garden ticks, Short-eared Owl was nice hunting around Fenwick Pit, and Eurasion White-fronted Goose amongst Greylags heading to the flooded fields at East Holywell. And let's not forget the moths that have ventured out on the few nights when the mercury hasn't dip below zero......

Pale Brindle Beauty

March Moth

Dotted Border

Until Spring arrives I'm joining Dill and Holly!

Cosy!