In the Garden in Forres

 

The first unusual visitor to my garden this year was the Common Pheasant. It certainly brightened up a dull, wet day. It constantly came in and out at various times to feed on the seeds on the ground under the bird feeder. I am not sure if it hangs around the gardens in the area or flies back to the woods or fields a short distance away. I have seen it more than once in the garden this month. It runs when you go outside but soon comes back again.

The Blackbird with the white tail feathers is always in the garden but is more timid than the other Blackbirds. At this time of year, we usually have a higher number of Blackbirds then normal as many Blackbirds come across here for the winter from Scandinavia. The apples from our apple tree are neither good for eating or cooking but we always have a good crop so we store them for the birds over the winter. The Blackbirds just love them. On previous winters, we have had the odd Fieldfare or Redwing joining them but although I have seen them in their hundreds out in the countryside none have so far visited the garden this winter. There has been one Blackbird with an injured leg and no tail in the garden. It tends to come in when things are a bit quieter in the garden looking for food. It can still fly and will land at our feet when we go out to the garden shed. We keep a little store of food for it where the other birds cannot find it.

Two Siskins have come into the garden at various times over the month. It is months since I have seen any Siskins here. I am hoping that more will come in, as along with the groups of Siskins you sometimes get the occasional Lesser Redpoll in the garden also. Perhaps it is too early as it was April last year before I saw one.

A Rabbit has been coming into the garden for months now. We often have some Rabbits in the summer but we don’t usually see them in the winter. We decided to put out a carrot for it to see if it would eat it. The carrot kept disappearing but I had not actually seen the Rabbit eat it. However, one morning the Rabbit came running across the play area, straight into the garden and proceeded to eat the whole carrot right in front of the window at which I was sitting. It was really cute. Again, we did not see the Rabbit for a few days but as the carrot was disappearing I assumed it was coming back. Then, one morning as I looked out the window there was a Red Squirrel busy munching away on the carrot. So now I am not sure if they are both feasting on the carrots.

About the middle of the month a large group of Chaffinches came into the garden. I looked very carefully and found what I was looking for. In amongst the Chaffinches was a lovely Brambling. You really have to look carefully because unless you know what you are looking for it could easily be mistaken for a Chaffinch. Although it was around most of the day I think I have only seen it once more this month.

At one point this month there were six Tree Sparrows coming into the garden. They usually feed on the ground seeds or on the feeders. They never go near the suet feeders. They have completely different colouring from House Sparrows and have rather attractive autumn colouring. They have a small black spot on each cheek. They are not always easy to photograph as they blend in with their surroundings quite well.

The frosty and sometimes snowy weather has brought in more birds than normal. A Yellowhammer was feeding on the ground one morning but I have not seen it again. The Great Spotted Woodpecker is often at the suet or peanut feeders first thing in the morning and the Sparrowhawk flies in and out regularly. It did not notice my husband one morning and landed just beside him. There have been up to six Long-tailed Tits coming in daily for the whole of the month. They flit in and out regularly during the day. Also, the Treecreeper comes in occasionally. One morning I spotted a Magpie in the garden. Unfortunately, only one but it was a rare visitor!

The same day as the Brambling appeared a Goldcrest came in and has been coming in daily all month. Devilishly hard to photograph though! At the end of the month a male Blackcap came in for two days and then disappeared. It was feeding from a suet candle.

Away from the birds for a moment I heard the sound of warring cats. I found these two squaring up to each other in the garden across the road. More noise than action I decided.

Around Forres

One morning while walking up at the Enterprise Park I saw these two metal sheep on the roof of the Horizon building which I had never noticed before. It looked quite effective. I did see two Magpies flying around up there and on the way back I saw a Great Tit singing loudly. The birds definitely think Spring is just about here.

I have had a few visits up to Sanquhar Pond recently hoping to see any Grey Wagtails or Dippers but nothing so far. There has been a solitary Tufted Duck there most of the month, two Moorhens and a Grey Heron as well as the Mallards and one Mute Swan. The woods around the pond have lots of Great Tits, Blue Tits, Siskins, Treecreepers and Goldcrests. A Water Rail had been seen across from Sanquhar Pond but I have not seen it.

Moyness

I still sometimes see the Peregrine Falcon at Moyness. On one of the days there, it was perched on a tree close to the road and stayed there while I took some photographs.

 

There have been lots of Redwings and Fieldfares in the area and as we walked up to the Reservoir at Lower Broadshaw woods we saw them all flying over.   At the Reservoir recently there has been a large group of Tufted Ducks as well as the usual Mallards. On one walk there as we came back to the car there were six or seven Bullfinches flying around the same tree in the sunlight although the sunlight is short lived these days.  We have also seen or heard Jays on every occasion we have gone there.

 

One frosty morning at Moyness when we drove along the road there were masses of cobwebs on the bushes all along the road and the cobwebs extended right across the road and we had to drive through them.  Quite an unusual sight!

 

Darnaway

No matter where we have gone this month we have seen Buzzards. At this time of the year they are often perched close to the roads looking for prey. They vary in colour, some are dark and others quite pale. Most of them have a white band across the top of their chest. They always fly as soon as you stop the car to take a photograph. This one was sitting on a fence post at Darnaway. Nearer the end of the month there were two together in the same place. Once you see one you are almost certain to see them again n the same area.

Towards the end of the month there was a large group of Fieldfares and Redwings just as we turned off towards Darnaway. I am beginning to see more of them feeding on the ground now as earlier in the month they were always up in the trees or bushes.

 

On the Dava

There are still large groups of Fieldfares and Redwings to be seen near Dunearn also. There are always plenty of Red-legged Partridges running about in that area too. This is another area where there are always Buzzards.

Alturlie

One day when we were through at Inverness we stopped off at Alturlie. It has been quite a while since I have been there. There were plenty Scaup, Mallards, Scoters and Wigeon. It was a dull day so the light was poor on the water.

Along The Coast

This month the exciting event along the coast was that two Humpbacked Whales were seen off the coast of Burghead and Hopeman. Unfortunately, I did not see them but it apparently brought lots of visitors to the area to see them.

One day when I was at Hopeman there were a pair of ‘confiding’ Stonechats flying on the grass at the car park. One of them actually flew on to the car. I am sure if I had had some bird seed with me and dropped it on the ground beside the car they would have eaten it.

There have been quite a few groups of Eiders coming into the harbour at Burghead. There are plenty Eiders and Long-tailed Ducks out at sea but I have as yet not seen any Long-tailed Ducks in the harbour. On one occasion I saw a Goldeneye just off the bay.