15th Feb 2015: Quiet?

Today was the first time I have managed to visit this week. It was rather quiet, in that there was nothing of particular interest. However, that is a little unfair because it certainly wasn't quiet and there were birds singing in most parts of the site. It is Song Thrush and Chaffinches that are the most noticeable but other species are singing more and more.

The five Great Crested Grebes on the reservoir are now fully in their spring finery. The Black-headed Gulls were calling and chasing each other around and the Canada Geese are mostly in obvious pairs now.

In the wood I couldn't find the Willow Tit or the Chiffchaffs, but there was still quite a busy roaming feeding party. Although generally all of the birds are still being sociable, the tensions are obviously running high the closer it gets to spring. At one point I was watching three Great Tits feeding together in a tree, when all of a sudden two of them started quite a ferocious battle. Chasing each other around the tree and eventually forcing each other to the ground. It didn't last long but I assume they sorted out what they needed to.

Walking back the gulls were gathered in the cattle field and this Common Gull was quite confiding. It was 'paddling' the ground to get worms to come up to the surface.