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Sunday, 3 April 2011

The over-looked Treecreeper


Recent evenings have seen a pair of diminutive Treecreepers visiting the Sallows and the old Apple tree at the bottom of the garden. They've livened-up the birding at a time when most visitors (especially Redwings, Finches and Wood pigeons) have now migrated northwards and there's little sign of spring migrants to replace them. We've had just one solitary Chiffchaff so far.


The image shows how the birds use their stiff tail feathers to aid tree-climbing in the same way as Woodpeckers do, although I still find it easier to imagine that the bird is simply sliding down the branch and not climbing up it!

Other interest at the moment is provided by local Little Owls who are noisily arguing over territories, and making occasional flights directly over the house at dusk. Under torch light, the garden ponds have good numbers of Palmate and Smooth Newt, but sadly no sign of Great Crested Newts or Frogs.

1 comment:

Clare Gillatt said...

Envious of your Newts - our one & only Newt was left for dead by 2 Mallard thugs - pond now has a net to keep ducks out!