Three New Entries Into The Charts!

New Entries into the Charts today have been Lesser Redpoll, House Sparrow and Wren bringing the total species seen now up to fifteen, not forgetting my small rodent of which there has been no sign of today, don't blame him with the weather as it is, however, I have been told in the past not to get too attached, as he could well be an Owl pellet by Now !!! Oh well we will see! I was desperate to see what was visiting the feeding station and started my watch at 8.00 to 8.30am within this time I had 6 Goldfinch, one Wren, 5 Lesser Redpoll, a good couple of dozen each of Great and Blue Tits, Chaffinch, Robin and 4 Long-Tail Tits, had to tear myself away from my viewing area as I needed more Bird Feed and as the numbers are getting greater I now needed to get another pole so I can have more feeders out there. Back from my shopping trip and continued the count at 11.00 until 11.15, by now there is just a fine drizzle, in this time I had 3 Dunnock, one House Sparrow and the Lesser Redpoll number had increased to eight. There was a lull in numbers at this point with the drizzle turning into driving rain, so thought it would be a good time to go out and re-fill all the feeders, got absolutely soaked, hope they appreciate my dedication!!! By 11.30 even with the pouring rain the Redpoll, Goldfinch, Blue and Great Tits, were feeding really well and undisturbed, with Chaffinch feeding on the Bank, but with no further increase in numbers. Sometimes they are quite happy to share or wait their turn in the bramble bushes, other times it looks like a really complicated game of tag, with them all trying to get onto the same feeders all at once, so the new pole will be put out tomorrow which should help the congestion some what. My viewing area is the only window overlooking the back of the property, the picture window in the bedroom however unfortunately it does not open and I was keen even with a very dull dank day to get a couple of record shots, the ones below were taken at around 8.15am through glass, not my greatest but as I say a record shot never the less and not one's used from my previous encounters elsewhere.

A Very Busy Week!

It has been a very busy week for both myself and my feeding station, I started by helping out the agency I am with on Monday, travelling a little further than I like to do, ending up doing four days there, I was amazed by my little cars fuel consumption and I know that is helped by having a longer journey but I think it may have something to do with the new boots fitted. While at home I have had to fill the feeders every evening when I have arrived back, with leaving while dark and not having much daylight left when arriving home, I have not been able to see what numbers have been arriving but it must be good numbers because there is shelter from any strong winds, so there is very little wastage, luckily a neighbour has been able to keep an eye open for me and has confirmed they have never seen so many visitors before, and estimated at certain times there was numbers up to around 60 birds at anyone time and was certain that Brambling's were sighted as well!!! On the embankment. You can imagine this has excited me and as I have tomorrow off, my first job is to buy more seed and then I will be glued to my viewing window to check out what I can add to my count of visitors and even though the weather may not be favourable, I will try and post some photo's.

Now Have New Laptop!

Thank heavens I have my new laptop home, after it being away having all data etc.. transferred from my old one, also now have the Cloud back up system instead of having to rely on external hard drive, anyone wanting to safeguard data should look at the offer currently available at P C World you can get 5 years subs to the Cloud for less than the price it would usually cost for one years subs and your system backs up automatically. Well less of that and more on my feeding station, have to say after having nothing at all I now have really good numbers of Blue Tits and Great Tits, along with Coal Tit, Robin and Chaffinch. These have now been joined by 4 Long-tailed Tits,5 Goldfinch, a pair of Collared Dove and Dunnock, all coming down daily, the embankment has also had good numbers of Carrion Crow, Blackbirds and Magpie. I also have a small rodent which I need to photograph and I D, not sure if it was already resident in the large tree trunk and could not believe its luck when it found I had put food right on its doorstep or whether it has moved in because of the readily available food being put out, I hasten to add this food has been put there for the woodpecker, but as yet have not enticed one down yet!!! Also hopeful of getting Brambling down as my neighbours assure me they have been seen here most years!!

Under The Moon Light.

I have an almost ceiling height picture window in my bedroom which is great for watching clouds and birds floating by in the mornings, found out last night its not so good when there's a full moon, was like having a spot light trained on you, so as I was awake thought I may as well get up and put it in the spot light instead, took these just from my French Windows and by the time I got back to bed the moons axis had moved away from the window and the bedroom was again in darkness.

A Little Sunshine At Last!

If you were to place the first four photo's below side by side you would have a panoramic view of my rear garden and it gives you a glimpse of the embankment at the back, no result on the scout camera but as an Adult Fox can travel around 6 miles a day in search of food, I am sure they do not take the same path day in and day out and if I do not have a resident Fox in my area, I am hopeful of a young male moving into the area as they are the greatest dispersers, I am hopeful that with time and patience there will be results. New visitors to the feeding station today have been Great Tit and Goldfinch. The last photo is fungus found on the large fallen tree and looks like a face screaming for help!!

Splitting Time Between Jobs!!

Although still having to split time between getting straight inside and wanting to be out in the garden, have managed to do both. I have inherited a great metal shed with electrics and lights in there and todays job was to wash down the inherited freezer inside and out and make sure it worked, result it did!! I have also inherited a fantastic fallen tree to the left rear of my property and have baited that ready for a passing Woodpecker and a Treecreeper, hopefully. Also assembled my first metal holder and got it into position, luckily within half and hour of it being put up I had a group of Blue Tit's brave enough to venture down (it's a start). I am able to sit in my armchair by my window and view my neighbours feeders and so far have only seen Blue Tit, Robin and Chaffinch, not a great variety but I think that is due to the fact they don't but out a great variety of food, I have also been up on the embankment trimming an area and the Scout Camera has been deployed and the area baited hopefully for a fox!!! Hope to get some photo's posted tomorrow, if the weather men have the forecast correct.

Will This Rain Ever Stop!!!

I am sure I am not the only one who wishes this rain would go away, even the frost and snow would be preferable at the moment, my garden is water logged, but still intend getting out there at some point today to start planning my feeding stations and re organisation of all arears, also need to do some trimming and pruning on the embankment as I want to put out a digital scouting camera tonight, very kindly on loan from a good friend, also on the way to purchase bird food etc....

Onwards And Upwards!!

Not looking backwards but forwards, I could go on with loads more metaphor's but suffice to say this is the first week of my new life. I now have a small detached Des-Res with gardens all round, my rear garden backs onto Bosley Reservoir hence the change of name on my blog, I will have to check the exact co-ordinates but going by the sun rising in the East and setting in the West I reckon I face the South/South West corner of the Reservoir and although there is a lot of width to the rear garden there is not a lot of length, hence why I intend to utilise the embankment, there is only three strands of barbed wire with a drop of around five and a half feet separating the two which would repel boarders far more than the Barbed Wire!!! This will be a record of the setting up of my feeding station etc... I also intend to track any visitors to the embankment not of the feathered kind. So I am really excited at the prospect.