Bird, wildlife and flower log, 21-27 October 2013

Yesterday I spotted Master Black having a big splash around in one of the drinkers. He was certainly making sure he was all spruced up. And that has been my only sighting of a blackbird this week.

Not many squirrels have shown their faces, a couple this week. A nuthatch popped in, otherwise it has been the usual's listed. The lawns are still covered in lots of different types of fungus, and that really is all there is to say!

As I've not been out with my camera this week, I've picked a photo I took back in the spring instead. The flowers have long gone and the berries turned black and have now gone over. I think this shrub certainly looks its best in the spring.

Mystical Black St. Johns Wort © 2013 Natasha Forder

Birds	Wildlife and Insects	Flowers
Great spotted woodpecker - female	Grey squirrels	Rose
Chaffinch, male, female	Slug	Coreopsis grandiflora rising
Greenfinch - male, female		Coreopsis sunray
Blue tit - adult		Gaillardia sunburst yellow
Great tit - adult		Sedum
Dunnock - adult		Begonia
Robin - adult		Aster
Magpie - adult		Gaura cherry brandy
Crow - adult
Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile
Collared dove - adult
Nuthatch
Blackbird - juvenile

Bird, wildlife and flower log, 14-20 October 2013

It is a short list for what has been around. No sightings of blackbirds, and earlier Sunday the first sighting of a couple of squirrels. The only thing that there has been lots of is fungus, from little delicate "fairy" types to bigger with frilly edges and more "meaty" looking varieties!

As the flowers fade and the rain now seems to be replacing the sun, I've included a photo that I took in the spring of these beautiful sea pinks in order to remember the better weather!

Sea Pink © 2013 Natasha Forder

Birds	Wildlife and Insects	Flowers
Great spotted woodpecker - female	Grey squirrels	Rose
Chaffinch, male, female		Coreopsis grandiflora rising
Greenfinch - male, female		Coreopsis sunray
Blue tit - adult		Gaillardia sunburst yellow
Great tit - adult		Sedum
Dunnock - adult		Begonia
Robin - adult		Aster
Magpie - adult
Crow - adult
Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile
Collared dove - adult

Bird, wildlife and flower log, 7-13 October 2013

A rose which Steve cut back a couple of months ago is doing really well. It had needed a real cut back for a while and now it is out in flower again and has lots of new buds on it! I was going to take a photo today but the weather isn't that great for photographs, I wonder if it will stop raining at all today...

So a scrapbook layout today instead of a photo. This kit was created by Gill, Seaside Crafter, for a Daisytrail challenge and is fantastic, it is called Wild Autumn. The photo is one I took a few weeks ago.

Wild Autumn at The Brambles © 2013 Natasha Forder

Mr Black has been round with his youngster, but I've only seem them a couple of times this week. Again lots of chaffinches and greenfinches. Although I've not noted a youngster crow, I think there has been one. We now seem to regularly have family crow visit. I think there are two adults and one youngster. The thing that strikes me about them is how large they are! They are also quite skitty and fly off at any movement. Luckily I haven't seen them eating any other little birds. A few years ago my parents saw two crows pulling apart a robin. This is something I hope I won't witness in the garden.

Birds	Wildlife and Insects	Flowers
Blackbird - male, juvenile	Grey squirrels	Lobelia x speciosa fan salmon
Great spotted woodpecker - female	Snail	Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Chaffinch, male, female	Slug	Coreopsis grandiflora rising
Greenfinch - male, female	Peacock butterfly	Coreopsis sunray
Blue tit - adult		Gaillardia sunburst yellow
Great tit - adult		Sedum
Dunnock - adult		Begonia
Robin - adult		Sunflower
Jay - adult		Aster
Magpie - adult		Rose
Crow - adult
Nuthatch - adult
Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile
Collared dove - adult
Coal tit - adult

Bird, wildlife and flower log, 30 September - 6 October 2013

Spotted two blackbirds this week, just the once. One I think is master black, his feathers are now all black, but he still has his dull beak. The other I think is the Real Mr Black, with some new feathers! All the blackbirds are keeping a low profile at the moment, but they are still around.

It's been a lovely sunny and warm day today. I have been out chopping back the herbs, lavender and a few other things before grabbing my camera to make the most of the sun before it disappeared to get a few shots. I was lucky to find a couple of bees buzzing around in the sedum. They were the same type and I think it is a common carder bee.

Common Carder Bee on Sedum © 2013 Natasha Forder

There have been two nuthatches in the garden this week. One is the usual and the other is quite large. Like last week there has been lots of chaffinches and greenfinches. Otherwise not really much else to report, except I am pleased with my photo!!!

Birds	Wildlife and Insects	Flowers
Blackbird - male, juvenile	Grey squirrels	Lobelia x speciosa fan salmon
Great spotted woodpecker - female	Snail	Ceratostigma plumbaginoides
Chaffinch, male, female	Slug	Coreopsis grandiflora rising
Greenfinch - male, female	Crane fly	Coreopsis sunray
Blue tit - adult	Common carder bee	Gaillardia sunburst yellow
Great tit - adult	Lily beetle	Sedum
Dunnock - adult		Begonia
Robin - adult		Sunflower
Jay - adult		Aster
Magpie - adult		Rose
Crow - adult
Nuthatch - adult
Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile
Collared dove - adult
Coal tit - adult