Monday 27 December 2010

Wintery Wildlife

Woodcock [Hull]
Kestrel & Starling (c) 2010 Peter Stead [North Ferriby]
Kestrel (c) 2010 [North Ferriby]
Great Spotted Woodpecker [Hull]
[above] Fieldfare (c) 2010 David Ware [Wetwang]

Brambling (c) 2010 Chris Cox [Keyingham]
Brambling (c) 2010 Chris Cox [Keyingham]
[above] Bramblings (c) 2010 David Ware [Wetwang]
Redwings (c) 2010 David Ware [Wetwang]
Pied Wagtail (c) 2010 Chris Cox [Keyingham]
Roe Deer (c) 2010 Chris Cox [Burstwick]
Hedgehog (c) 2010 Janet Whitchurch [Hornsea]
Leucistic Blackbird [not Reversed Ring Ouzel] (c) 2010 Les Waby [Pocklington]
ditto
Mistletoe in flower [Hull]
Woodcock probing with head shape & tracks [Hull]
Woodcock tracks [Hull]
Because of the prolonged wintery weather unusual wildlife has been turning up in people's gardens. The Kestrel was seen with its wings spread out lying on a hedge with its talons plunging into the depths of the hedge. The reason this sight was spotted was the sound of screaming Starlings coming from inside the hedge! This behaviour, which is more expected from Sparrowhawks was forced on the Kestrel because of the difficulty of locating voles under the snow! The other birds seen in gardens are more expected at times of snowy weather, although none of them have turned up in my garden so far!
There were 3 Woodcock near home this morning, two of them under the same tree. The second one flew along the length of a long brick building, so I was able to snatch a couple of pics of this speeding bird through the gloom. There was plenty of evidence of disturbed leaf letter which the Woodcocks had turned over looking for food. There were many tracks, and then there seemed to be signs of where the Woodcock had probed into the snow looking for another hidden cache of leaves, covering some more worms. Thanks to everyone for sending in their wintery wildlife pics.

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Also a Lapwing sat in the middle of Hedon Road the other day.