September round-up

Being that I havent posted much in September, I thought I'd give an overall update on whats been happening.

The tawny owls (both are side by side in the second photo, look carefully) are still around in the small copse. I'll have a new improved nest box for them very soon.


































At least 3 juv kestrels are very vocal and active in the area. I'm converting and moving the old owl box to a taller tree for the kestrels. I think these juvs are from a successful nest up near the A59.















At 10 am today with a cold northerly blowing, I saw the first (approx 20) redwing migrating back from Siberia and Scandinavia. This is an early arrival for redwing. Theyve been gorging on hawthorn, sloe and elderberries.
Also saw 5 swallows just beginning their migration south to Africa.


Great tits - have been feeding in the hedgerows. I heard an quiet tapping noise in the hedgerow, expecting a nuthatch or finch to be the perpetrator, it turned out to be Great tits trying to open the large hawthorn berry seeds.
Bullfinch - 1 female also feeding on the haws.
Collared doves - 1 pair visit the bird bath but have been less common than usual.
Nuthatch - has visited the peanut feeder again recently.
Longtailed tits, coal tits, goldcrest and treecreepers have formed hunting parties and are seen daily, once mobbing the owls.
Jays - have been very numerous this autumn. They have also been seen daily and also annoy the owls frequently.
Little owl - seen across the road in the deserted hut again. First sighting for a while although I do hear it calling at night.
Grey Heron - a young bird has been visiting the ponds at dusk and successfully taken a couple of goldfish. Just caught him on infrared as he swallows the evidence!
















Mammal wise, the woodmice are still common in the garden. We also saw one in the beer garden at the De Lacy pub in Whalley. Grey squirrels are hanging around in the owl corner. This is a concern as I dont want them to move into the new owl box. Plenty rabbits around and a healthy population of pipistrelle bats hunting at dusk.

Insect wise, not been a good year for dragonflies. Very few seen flying in September. Red admiral, speckled wood and small tortoiseshell butterflies still seen daily. We found a few Peacock butterflies in hibernation in the woodpile.