Thanks to everyone who has give their time, support and records to Gloucestershire Centre for Environmental Records during 2012: here’s to a biodiverse (and hopefully a bit more clement) 2013!
We are currently enjoying some armchair recording of the birds in Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust’s wildlife garden here in Robinswood Hill Country Park. It’s lovely to see the birds from the office window, but I can’t help feeling they’re a bit depleted in diversity, if not numbers. Not seen so far: Greenfinch, Starling or any kind of thrush (although Fieldfares and a Songthrush have been spotted nearby).
We’ve had one unwelcome visitor: an apparent case of Avian pox. Earlier this week a Great tit turned up which appeared to have a growth on its face, about peanut-sized, next to the beak. I chucked out a couple of old, grubby feeders yesterday and gave the remaining ones a good clean with dilute bleach. I haven’t seen the bird since but will try to get a picture if it turns up. It’s such a nasty condition; we need to remind everyone to keep bird feeders as clean as possible to reduce the risks.
Seen on our feeders, apple tree and bird table in December:
Goldfinch, Blue tit, Great tit, Coal tit, Dunnock, House sparrow, Chaffinch, Jay, Rook, Blackcap (only a male), Collared dove, Blackbird
The Jay is great fun: almost worth seeing the peanut feeder get trashed just to watch him/her figuring out how to get the lid off!