To start us off what about a little teaser? Not one of my better photographs but what do you suppose this is? I took it one morning on my way to the shop and basically it was a 9 caret gold cock-up. The answer will be in the next newsletter.

We have had two visits from the BTO to do some ringing of the birds that have been into our nature area. They first came back in late December and the experience was phenomenal….. some 84 Blue Tits among many others birds were ringed. The ringers returned again on Thursday 20h January and the first bird into the mist net was a female Brambling. A further 34 Blue Tits were caught and of those only 3 were found to be already ringed. We are looking to make this an event where you can come along and see how this vital work is carried out in the field. Watch this space! Just to whet your appetite here are a few shots that Joe took in the shop where the actual ringing was done.

I embarrassingly forgot to thank those kind customers who donated clothes and school equipment for me to take to the Gambia last December, the joy and gratitude on their faces when I handed over the case was heart warming. Unfortunately I left a pair of my “ Matalan pilot super shades” over their so I am popping back in February to pick them up. Again if you have any old t-shirts or summery clothes you are thinking of *outing* please bring them into the shop by 23rd Feb.

Our Nature area over the road is turning out to be nothing less than spectacular, many visitors coming in to see the Brambling, Siskin and the amazing numbers of Goldfinches. One couple were thrilled to see 21 different species in the two hours they spent in the hide and when offered a nice warm cuppa by a very handsome, charming and polite young man they remarked that they just couldn’t be happier.

We again have a full page advert in the “What’s on” magazine this month, as it is National Nest box week from the 14th of Feb. We are offering some of our nest boxes at half price, because it is St Valentines day I have been a very thoughtful, loving and kind husband and booked a table for Fennella and I, sadly I am not sure if she likes a game of snooker.

Again I would seriously like to thank you all for your support, Joe and I absolutely love this place and it is truly a pleasure to come to work.

Allan

Birds of a Feather

It still seems amazing that after 8 months and over 70 species that we've added new ones to the list each time I write the newsletter. Last month I was wondering what the 70th bird might possibly be and after perusing through the list I noticed we'd missed two species we regularly saw on the farm; Moorhen and Common Gull! So that effectively boosted us up to 71 and after popping over to the hide to top up the feeders I noticed a rather large white object in the field behind the Nature Area and none other than a Little Egret was wandering about before soon picking up and flying off, so to date we're now up to 72.

Well I hope everyone had an enjoyable Christmas and that the new year has atleast been a good one so far! January always seems to be a miserable month in most ways but it seems to have flown by this year. Radio 2 announced it was only 11 months til Christmas on the 25th and that the sprouts should be put in the over in April, I think I'll worry about that nearer the time!

This weekend is of course the RSPB's Big Garden Birdwatch. All you have to do is spend an hour of your time watching the birds at any point this weekend and record what species you see and how many of each at any one time, something I think is a fairly enjoyable way to spend an hour! You can find out more on the RSPB's website here.

Another less known and more recent survey is the BTO's Big Garden Beak Watch. With more and more people not only feeding garden birds but now reporting what they see, the BTO are now interested to know of any beak deformities on garden birds you see. Speaking with Dave, the ringer, he stated that beak deformities can be as high as 1 in 1000 in Blue Tits, and considering we've had over 100 ringed here we're not talking a hude radius before you hit 1000 birds. Keep your eyes peeled and if you do see any oddities, please report them to the BTO here. This Rook caught my eye last week when it was feeding on its own, unusual for a bird that is normally gregarious. I took a shot from the hide and even on full zoom it wasn't great, but you can easily make out a decurved upper mandible, which inevitably will be affecting his feeding. I will keep a look out to see how he's getting on but judging by the fact he's on his own it's not a good sign. Reporting birds such as this allows the BTO to keep track of numbers of birds affected and hopefully this Rook will be one of very few!

I've recently updated the website, just a few bits of text to change it from a 'brand new shop' to just a shop but the main thing is the Gallery. We're getting lots of pictures being sent in so please keep them coming and I'll keep putting them on. I've updated 'Our Gallery' to become just photos from the Nature Area so please give it a look, there are some interesting ones in there such as a Leucistic and Xanthochromistic Goldfinch, I'll leave you to find them and look up what those words mean after!

Joe