Birds
Birds
On the Bird Feeder can be seen: Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Willow Tit, Nuthatch, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, House Sparrow & Great Spotted Woodpecker.
As well as nesting boxes for the Tits & Finches, this year we plan to place Great Spotted Woodpecker nesting boxes in trees up the drive and behind the house.
The Great Spotted Woodpecker is black and white with striking white shoulder patches and a bright red under tail. Males have a red patch on the nape which distinguishes them from females. Their characteristic drumming noise has the same function as a bird’s song, which is to proclaim their territory. They have long been associated with water and some people believe that the sound of a woodpecker drumming away can indicate that rain is on its way! Amazingly they strike a branch with their bill over 40 times a second to create this distinctive sound.
Grey Heron – have often been spotted flying down Newlands Beck.
Further information about British Birds can be found by visting the RSPB website: http://www.rspb.org.uk or, if you’ve spotted a bird but aren’t sure what it is, try the RSPB ‘Bird Identifier’ search facility: http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdidentifier/form.aspx and remember to record your sightings in the Wildlife diary. Thank you.
