Nature Notes: the 2022 edition

[ErrolTheDragon]

Happy New Year to all nature lovers!
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Please join us to add your observations throughout the year. Urban or rural, there's always something going on throughout the year, even if it's a bit quiet right now.

Signs of spring everywhere. The first two pictures are in my garden and the last was in the local park. Very uplifting in times where things seem bleak

I spent all day yesterday birdwatching. Too many exciting things to mention, but I can confirm that the skylarks have started singing here, the avocets are back, and the marsh harriers have started work on building their nest. I also saw not one, but two owls hunting AND they were different types. A stunning barn owl and - a new one for my “list of birds I’ve seen” - a short eared owl.

Gorgeous spring day ☀️🌸

It's gorgeous here too. Our walk started from an NT property with carpets of crocuses, as well as snowdrops still out and daffs starting - and a small glasshouse with a blissfully fragrant large flowered jasmine. One tree - willow? - had spectacular orange stems against the clear blue sky. In the woods, lords and ladies joined by the first shoots of wild garlic, enchanters nightshade and bluebell leaves emerging.

Isn't it a bit early for skylarks? I always associate them with late March.

It's wet and rainy here in Devon, I did spot some blackthorn blossom on my commute to work this morning.

I thought I spotted a blackthorn starting to flower up here in the NW too.

I started to notice some real spring vibes on my lunchtime walk today. In spite of the miserable grey weather, there were so many small birds around, singing their little hearts out 🥰 And I saw not one, but two (maybe even three) greater spotted woodpeckers. Having not seen any of those around my town for the past year, they were a nice surprise!

So many daffodils here. Also got frogs and tadpoles in our pond. I also keep seeing blackbirds going back and forth with bits in their beak. There is a low wall the length of our kitchen windows and they perch in the exact same spot even though theres about 5metres of wall to choose from, cock their head as if thinking about it, then fly into a bush. We have blackbirds nesting every year can't wait!

Lovely walk here today. Seen a little yellow/green bird today while out. No idea what is was. Bit bigger than a sparrow and it was mostly brown apart from yellow/green down the sides. I've also found mice in my shed which was a shock and a shock for my neighbours when I started screaming 😆

Was it a greenfinch @Thirstquenching? They can look quite brown, especially the females (see photo)

I heard and saw the first chiffchaff of the season today 🥳 Spring’s here!

Yeah could have been. I'm terrible at recognising birds. Got the feeding station all topped up in the garden aswell and put out some sheeps wool

Morning all the black birds are busy too. I also heard a woodpecker and a skylark yesterday when it was warm and sunny.

I'm jealous of your frogs @Plantsandpuddlesuits, we created a pond last year and still no sign of any

The garden was very busy this morning during my coffee before work. The robin made an appearance and I was thrilled to see a couple of tits showing an interest in our bird house. Anyone who was around this time last year will know we had chick's but the parents abandoned them and I was gutted. Can't make it out from the pictures but both birds went in the house

That’s lovely @Thirstquenching 🥰 Fingers crossed these two will have a more successful nesting season than the ones that visited your garden last year.

On my walk today, I saw what I thought was a leaf falling off a tree. When it landed right in front of my feet though, I could see it wasn’t a leaf at all, but a tiny gold crest.

With the way it dramatically dropped in front of me, I thought it might be hurt. But after it spent about 10 seconds looking at me, it fortunately flew off confidently.

I wondered if it might have been exhausted after being on the move for a while? If I’m not mistaken, a lot of gold crests migrate, which is a fact that blows my mind every time I hear it! How does a bird that small travel such distances?! 🤯

@Thirstquenching

Yeah could have been. I'm terrible at recognising birds. Got the feeding station all topped up in the garden aswell and put out some sheeps wool

Where do you get your wool from @Thirstquenching I'd love to provide some nesting materials

@Plantsandpuddlesuits I just collect it from fields and fences when out for a walk. There is usually lots stuck to the fences where sheep have rubbed up against it

@Plantsandpuddlesuits also if you have a dog brush them outside and collect the hair the birds will also use that

Didn't think of just getting it from fields 😂 live fairly rural so should do that! No dog here although that's my dream!

Five minutes after topping up all the feeders. There was alot more in the bushes and up the tree next to my house

High excitement at mine today. We've just seen a barn owl gliding across our back garden

I can’t quite match your barn owl in terms of excitement @blackteaplease, but we had a red kite fly over our garden yesterday. That was pretty good too, but not quite barn owl territory 😯

I'd be very pleased with a red kite@Crazzzycat. I've seen barn owls locally but never seen one in or near my garden before

Haven't posted for awhile. The birds around here are really waking up. I have seen many robins (the North American kind) and they are clearly either starting or getting ready to start nesting. Lots of singing.

I was awake early this morning and the dawn chorus is just starting. I also hear a very very noisy group of Canada geese flying over. Honk honk honk. I love their V formation.

I am not entirely sure, but I think I saw a Rufus Hummingbird at our feeder. The Anna's are here all year but the Rufus go south for winter and come back here to breed.

I watched a bunch of crows, the mean nasty birds that they can be, attacking and harassing a bald eagle, they create quite a racket and an aerial show. It is usually about ten crows harassing one eagle.

We have tons of daffodils blooming now, and some rhododendrons.

The pollen counts from tree pollen have been very high, but better since we got one of our big rainstorms off the Pacific. The Pineapple Express strike strikes again!

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pineapple_Express

Just catching up! Masses of celandines now, and the dog violets which appeared under my arbour seat last year are starting to flower.

I'm not sure I've ever seen a red kite. We've plenty of other birds in this area inc occasional tawny and barn owls, but kites haven't spread hereabouts yet.

Sounds like I should adjust my red kite excitement levels! They’re definitely not a regular thing around where I live, so it’s lovely to get the occasional sighting, especially when they appear so close to home. I am a little bit spoiled though because in pre-COVID times, I used to have regular meetings in mid Wales, which would take me past a red kite feeding station. The area around the feeding station was just full of them!

I’m starting to see new flower popping up here too. I’m not the best at identifying them, but Google Lens turned out to be very useful for that purpose last year. I’ve seen wood celandines on my walks and a plant with tiny purple flowers and hairy leaves that I have yet to identify. I keep forgetting to take a picture of it, which would help 🤦🏻‍♀️