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We
started to feed the birds in November when the weather became
colder and after just a few days the word got around.
We saw a flock of birds flying one morning, they kept swirling
backwards and forwards coming from the direction of the river
and getting nearer and nearer to our house. I was perplexed
as to what breed they were. They were too small for
starlings (although they flew in a similar pattern when they
all flock together). After a spectacular fly past the bedroom
window they landed on the trees and bushes in the garden.
I was astonished to see that they were Blue Tits and estimated
that there were about forty in the group. I have never seen
so many Blue Tits flying together and never in a swooping
and diving formation. Long tailed Tits in our garden, pretty
in their pink and grey plumage, go around in groups of about
eight and feed together hanging down from the seed and peanut
feeders.
The other regular visitor
to the garden during December and January is the Muntjack
deer. In December the buck sported short straight up horns
between his ears. (The Roe deer has spreading branching
horns) but these have now fallen off. He is beautiful
with large eyes, a soft nose, and is about the size of a sheep.
He also has a slightly rounded back and he doesn't show
a white rump to his tail. He is also less inhibited
than the Roe Deer who will sprint away at the slightest sound.
He just stands very still and watches you, as you get out
of the car etc and only bounds away if you walk towards him,
I have seen the Doe with him on one occasion but mostly he
is on his own. They are very hard to see during the Spring
and Summer months as being so small they hide in the long
vegetation. They are not a welcome visitor as they eat most
of the green plants that are surviving the Winter although
our buck has been seen eating the fallen leaves off of the
trees. We have had to protect our Roses with a fleecy material
that is meant to guard against the bitter spring frosts that
we seem to get nowadays. The Muntjack deer, unlike other species
of deer can mate at any time of the year. They have a hoarse
barking call which can be confused with the Dog Fox but it
is distinctive enough when you know what to listen for and
you've heard it a few times.
On two occasions recently
I have seen a Dog Fox in our garden twice within a few days
about 10.0 o'clock in the morning on Frosty days.
He was a splendid specimen being quite large with a thick
orange coat with the white tip to his tail, I assume that
he was a dog as the vixen is smaller in size. He sniffed
around the pond at the back of the house and then went to
the front to see what food could be found under the bird table.
I managed to get a photo of him through the window but he
saw the flash of the camera and was off clearing the fence
with the wooden rails - no problem and lolloped off across
the field. Personally I don't have a problem with
foxes as I believe that they are an important part of the
food chain, being a top predator. They help keep the number
of rabbits, rats and other vermin down and clear
up road casualties but then again I don't keep poultry.
We are just about to clean
out the bird boxes in readiness for the Spring breeding season.
The box we placed facing north was not used but the one facing
east was used to bring up a brood. The other box will be moved.
It is said that the birds wedding day is on St Valentines
day. The next job is to put up an Insect box and a Bat box
that we had given to us as Christmas presents.
When we write the next dairy
the Spring bulbs should be coming through and the days should
be longer.
All our best wishes for the New Year
Diana & Richard Terry
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