Wednesday 4 March 2020

Birds, Trees And Sand


When all the paths are deep with mud after a wet February, the place to head for is Sandy in Bedfordshire where the paths are, well, sandy. Up on the greensand ridge to the east of the little town the land is free-draining and supports a different kind of scenery. What's more it's also the headquarters of the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds).



A few species which I rarely see in my home area are plentiful here, like the "masked bandit" above, otherwise known as a Nuthatch.



At present some of the conifers are being removed to return the area to a mix of heathland and deciduous woodland. I read that Exmoor ponies are going to be used to graze the land, when they arrive you can be sure I'll share some photos of them.



The area shown above is the site of an Iron Age hillfort and the ditch and embankment can still be seen to this day.



This part of the reserve is a great place to see birds of prey; Buzzards and Hobbies nest here and Red Kites, Kestrels and Sparrowhawks often patrol the skies.



I must admit that I rather like photographing trees of all sorts, whether they are native to the area or not.


I'm not always successful when I try to flip back and forth between looking for photographs and looking for birds; sometimes I end up failing on both counts.


Blue Tits seem to be everywhere this year, probably because it's been relatively mild and higher numbers than usual have survived the winter.


I rather liked this exotic-looking dead tree....


….and these logs which have been left to decompose naturally and provide homes for insects. I should think it was only sawn up because it had fallen across the path.


Part of the wall which surrounded the estate belonging to the house which is now used as the RSPB's headquarters.


Silver Birch trees always look good whether they are thriving or being recycled by fungi.


There's time to call into the hide and see what's on the bird-feeders....



I eventually managed to get a shot of this little Coal Tit. They have a habit of rushing in to the feeder, grabbing a single seed, then flying off again. I intend to take a more leisurely meal in the pub at Eaton Socon.


A birdwatcher's list:
Magpie, Buzzard, Wood Pigeon, Sparrowhawk, Great Tit, Blue Tit, Robin, Blackbird, Black-headed Gull, Carrion Crow, Rook, Jackdaw, Wren, Dunnock, Red Kite, Green Woodpecker, Pheasant, Chaffinch, Nuthatch, Coal Tit.
Also a grey squirrel, rabbits and a mouse.


Take care.



21 comments:

  1. What a fabulous area to explore, John. Love your birdphotos as well as the ones of the trees.

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  2. Wonderful shots, particularly the birds.

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  3. Such a great place for a wander. That sixth photo is my favourite.

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  4. It is many years since I went to Sandy John so it was nice to have your tour.

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  5. What wonderful images of your stroll. I can't pick a favorite: the stand of birches is lovely and the fungi on the fallen tree is exquisite to see!!Wow!


    Feel free to share at My Corner of the World

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  6. I love to watch Nuthatches on our feeders and enjoy the way that they hang upside down stabbing their beakers into the seeds and nuts.
    That is interesting news that Exmoor ponies are going to be used to graze the land at Sandy, I shall look forward to seeing your photos of them when they arrive.

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  7. I think bluetits and great tits have had a good winter. They are plentiful on my bird feeders. I love watching them.

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  8. Those birches are so lovely, birds too!

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  9. Looks like a lovely walk there. The birds are beautiful as are the trees. I love seeing that fungus on the Silver Burch.

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  10. Wonderful countryside and photos as always. Thank you for sharing.

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  11. After a very busy and stressful day I am grateful for this heart balm. Thank you.

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  12. Well thank you. Funny, living in London I never seemed to "go bush" in this county.
    Herts, Berks, Bucks,yes. But not here.

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  13. This is sure a nice set of photos...I love them all, but really find the birch with all the fungi interesting.

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  14. We always have a pair of nuthatches on our property. We have two types - a white-breasted and a red-breasted. We normally have the red-breasted but sometimes have both. They are very territorial so you only usually have one pair, though you might have a pair of each type. I love their soft little cheeps and the way they creep head down, down the tree trunks. They like the sunflower seeds at the feeder and blend in well with the chickadees (that look a lot like the Coat Tit). The chickadees are super friendly and will land on your hand if you stay still for a few moments. For some excellent videos of nuthatches, check out LesleyTheBirdNerd on youtube. She has super videos of local birds in Newfoundland. She is a true bird whisperer.

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  15. Wonderful photos, John. I love seeing the various birds and the trees. I love the one with the dead trees, they have so much beauty even at that stage.

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  16. A super collection of birds and trees. A lovely place to walk too. The straw colours are interesting

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  17. Nice that you were able to "escape" from you window and take us outdoors again, John. I especially liked the photo of the blue tit which merged well with the muted background colors. We have quite a few birch trees here in New England, but hardly any have been seen in the large city park we walk near our apt.

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  18. A very nice place to wanter around from the look

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  19. Your photos are wonderful. It looks like a great place to visit:)

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  20. A lovely collection of photos. I spent a pleasant day here last year and would love to revisit.

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