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Garden Wildlife - Birds

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COMMON NAME

INFORMATION

This is an unmistakable bird, the male is black with a bright yellow beak whilst the female is brown. A pair managed to build a nest in the greenhouse,  being frightened off when people appear. However, they did breed successfully and of course their song is beautiful at the end of the day.

Seen a few times up the wood this warbler is greyish in colour. The male has a black cap, whilst the female has a chestnut one. They are only present from May to September and we do hope they breed.

2001: Easily seen, one pair breed well, producing at least four young in a hole in the stone wall above the front door. This pretty little bird stays with us all year round. We provide peanuts in a hanging cage as they usually fly off and bury them under trees for the mice if left out on the bird table.

2002: Observed flitting across the Rhododendron Dell, searching out branches to land on, a family of 6 or 7 Blue Tits are keeping down the greenfly population.

Year after year they successful raise their young in the hole in the stonework above the front door.

2004: In February this year a pair were seen over the Conservation area. One glided beautifully down to a telegraph pole in the middle of the field. A sight to behold. We look forward to perhaps hearing them call.

Fantastically, we see more and more of these birds in the area, every year.

2001: A pair of Canada geese were seen on grassland and marsh by the Conservation ponds for several weeks in spring.

2002: Seven Geese were seen in early Spring and one pair have produces three goslings.

2003: We have observed around ten adult Geese and at least four young.

2001: This devil of a bird is highly intelligent and will steal eggs and chicks of ground nesting birds. It nests in the very tall pines in the woods. Controlling these birds is very difficult. We have too many in the area.

2002: Although attempts have been made to keep numbers down they still reproduce prolifically.

2001: With us throughout the year the Chaffinches give our tea room customers great pleasure when fed cake. They breed very successfully in the conifers and woodland.

2002: The fathers are watched as they feed their bobbing youngsters when seed is put out for them.

This common bird lives, breeds and feeds here in the conifers in our woodland yet is always seen at the bird table throughout the year.

This lovely, buff-coloured bird with it's black collar tries desperately to raise young in the conifers in front of the house each year yet it is always harassed by the Magpies. It is seen and heard throughout the year; its monotonous cooing gives its presence away.

2002: Nesting amongst the reeds by our Conservation Ponds our fist pair have produced at least two young.

2003: Seen again this year.

2004: Heard briefly in May, we don't see much of these birds and don't know if a female manages to lay any eggs in other birds' nests.

2005: Heard on the 1st of May probably in the fields.

The call of the Curlew is both wonderful and eerie as it heralds in Spring, gliding over the fields around us for months. We reserve several acres of grassland for these birds to nest. Happily, numbers are rising all but slowly. 

Rarely seen, this bobbing bird nests under a small waterfall in the Rhododendron dell. It hops from rock to rock in the fast flowing stream entering the water to catch food.

2003: Seen at the waterfall.

A promiscuous little bird, commonly seen at the bird table, it nests in the thick undergrowth provided in our woodland.

Always audible when flying around the fields and trees, their chatter alerts us that there is a flock about. They strip the hawthorns and rowans of berries in the Autumn.

This musical bird stays well Rhododendron in our shrubby woodlands, it's beautiful song heard in the Spring and Summer from out of the foliage.

Not often seen, this lovely little bird with a yellow stripe on it's head is easily distinguishable. It builds a basket of moss for a nest high in the conifers.

2003: One sweet little bird was seen flying with the Long-tailed Tits in December.

2004: We only see one at a time; mid February at the rear of the house.

2002: Disturbed on the top fields, will fly off with the Lapwing. A beautiful bird we hope to see more of.

2003: Very few seen on the top fields but hopefully they are hiding in the rushes.

This very colourful finch has been breeding in our gardens for several years now. It's song is extremely beautiful. A seed eater it feeds on thistle and teasel before migrating south.

2003: Flocks of these birds have been seen feeding on the Yellow Rattle in our meadows above and east of the Gardens.

With it's flash of red on its underside this lovely bird is seen hanging on the peanut feeder. The male has a distinctive red patch on the back of the head and young birds have a red crown. He has a very sharp call and it's drumming is heard from up the wood. It appears to be with us all the year round.

2003: Unusually, heard and seen in June.

Recognized by the dark central stripe this is the largest of the tits to visit the bird table. It has a varied song and is commonly seen in the garden and woodland.

The large male finch is instantly recognized from it's beautiful green colouring. It comes regularly to the bird table flocking with other finches. It perches high in the trees to sing.

2003: Nesting in the variegated ivy clinging to the front of the house.

Seen visiting the ponds and streams, the largest of our birds fishes for the indigenous brown trout and frogs. It does not appear to nest with us.

2002: Fleetingly seen on the house roof, this lovely little bird may be attracted to our stream; we hope they will breed here.

2001: Each morning we lit fires in the wood burning stoves to deter these birds from nesting in the chimneys but one pair managed to, with one of the two youngsters falling down the chimney when we realized it was time they left home and we tried to extricate them. Reunited with their parents they left the vicinity. We've now wired the pots but are sure they'll try again next year.

2002: Although their calls can still be heard in the area they have not nested in our chimneys this year.

2003: These squawking creatures decided to make their homes in the horse chestnut tree at the back of the house waking us very early each morning.

This noisy visitor started visiting the bird feeding area at the back of the house in September. Although beautifully coloured, the smaller birds chase it away as they know he is a bad a thief as the Magpie.

2001: Successfully raising three young this year which would sit at the roadside allowing us to see how wonderful these creatures are. They must have nested in Dunge Clough avoiding the menace of the crows which attack the nests built high in the pine trees. Unfortunately one of the Kestrels preferred to snack on the easy prey of our small birds at the back of the house instead of the vast numbers of mice and voles in the fields which have been left untouched for the wildlife.

2002: We have unfortunately only seen fleeting glimpses of these spectacular birds this year.

2003: Four birds were seen gliding around the skies in May.

2001: With it's wonderful call and it's conspicuous erratic display flight this bird is a sight to behold. Also called a Peewit it is seen displaying on the top fields in spring. Hopefully it breeds there too.

2002: Seen on our bottom fields, we are not sure whether they have bred successfully this year.

2003: Viewed for a few minutes at the back of the house in April we are not 100% sure of its identity. It came to feed with the Chaffinches but was distinctive with its pink chest and bright red cap.

2002: Seen on fencing posts along the drive this little character is a welcome addition to the owls in the area. It bobs about watching as we pass in the car.

2003: A flock of eight or so birds tunefully flew amongst the Hawthorns in the Conservation Area in December.

2008: Delighted to see a flock of 6 regularly on the peanut feeder at the end of March. We hope they will stay and nest in the Gardens.

2001: Unwelcome in the Gardens this thief will steel eggs and chicks from smaller birds' nests. This is definitely one predator we try to control but it is very wary and keeps away from human presence.

2002: Only one pair is present near our entrance this year.

2001: A pair became quite tame in the Spring when we threw bread onto the pond for them. The male brought the female around the back of the house to eat bird seed chattering for her to hurry up, not eating himself. The female would disappear for long periods. One morning I saw her leading 7 or 8 chicks towards the pond but after that nothing at all. Their fate is unknown as we know we have foxes in the area.

2002: This year preferring the bottom fields and the Conservation Ponds we have seen 6 or 7 ducks at any one time.

2003: A pair come up to the back of the house from the pond for corn when we are quiet.

2001: Often seen with the blue tits visiting the feeder for peanuts this sleek bird has a lovely rusty chest and grey back.

2002: Seen in Winter and early Spring these birds seem to have moved away.

2003: Glad to say they are back again at the peanut feeder in December.

2001: The male pheasant brought three females to feed at the back of the house in spring, one of which later introduced three youngsters. At the beginning of September another of the females brought six chicks. Pleased with them nesting in our shrubbery it is amusing to see them fly up into the thick conifers to roost.

2002: One of last year's sons has dominated the area to the back of the house displaying, strutting and calling to his girlfriends. He chases off his bedraggled father who tamely comes for a daily feed of peanuts and bird seed. Now we have 13 birds coming to feed...none will feed us at Christmas.

2003: There are now 16 females and one male coming for corn at 8am and 5.30pm.

These comical little visitors bob around the lawn catching flies. We believe they nest and breed on the farmland near the stream.

2003: Nesting in the variegated ivy clinging to the front of the house.

Loving the Gardens and the open farmland these beautiful little birds nest in holes left in the stonework in the barn. Distinguishable by the quick flicking of their tails.

The gardener's favourite we find them breeding successfully near to the house. Singing throughout the year they are always around the benches feeding on bread, cake or seeds.

The unforgettable song of this bird as it rises higher and higher into the sky is varied and sustained. It nests in the very top fields where the sheep have been excluded in the Spring.

A bird with a white belly and zigzag flight, it dives from the sky at 45º and is seen in the wet areas in the top fields and around the ponds in the valley. It's call is low and rasping. It has a 2½" bill to burrow for invertebrates in moist soil. We aren't sure whether it breeds successfully with us.

2001: Sitting on the very top branch of a conifer in the centre of the front garden this bird with it's spotted chest sings beautifully in the Spring and Summer. They happily reduce our snail population.

2002: At first one bird amused us with it's repetitive song but after 3 months of the same tune we are being driven mad by it!

Seen by many visitors up the woodland walk this bird flicks it's tail and flies from post to post. It has a lovely song early in the Spring.

2001: Spring does not come to Dunge Valley Gardens until the Swallows return. Two pairs nest in the barn whilst a pair favour the garage at the entrance to the Gardens. They made a mud nest on a shelf we erected and waited for it to dry out before laying eggs. Five healthy chicks amused our customers by sitting on a wire outside the garage when they had fledged, the parents swooping round heads going to feed the young.

2002: This year the Swallows have chosen to nest in the attic of the house and in the barn.

2003: The same number seem to return year after year; nesting in the same places and leaving for Africa in September.

2001: We have consistently had a pair of Tawnies nesting in the horse chestnut tree behind the house. These beautiful birds are wonderful to hear at night with their hoots and toowits. They come out in the daytime when they have young in the summer and are mobbed by blackbirds and smaller birds.

2002: Adults were heard at night with at least 2 young calling them for food.

This lovely little bird can be seen making its way up and down tree trunks looking for insects and spiders to eat. It has a long, slender, down-curved bill, is speckled brown above and mainly white below.

2001: Observed at the Conservation Ponds but not recognized.

2002: Seen again and definitely identified this year, a welcome pair were happily paddling about in the ponds during the Spring and Summer.

This greenish bird is often seen and heard in our woodland, nesting amongst the scattering of shrubs and trees.

Loving the boggy, wet ground in our wood, this bird is usually nocturnal but we do see it sometimes flying agilely through the trees.

With it's song of rapid succession of very high, clear notes and trills, this lovely bird can be seen darting around the stone walls eating insects or collecting spiders' webs, etc. for it's nest. They nest in the ivy at the corner of the house; the family of five or six returning to roost at nights.

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