The winter crew

I know I’ve said this before: winter may not be the most interesting time of year in the garden as far as plants are concerned, but it is the best time for birds.  Maybe it only seems that way because the hustle and bustle of spring and summer activity is followed by a much quieter autumn when birds are moulting and mostly keep themselves to themselves, and then the appearance of the winter crew seems much livelier by comparison; but we do get a wider range of birds in the colder months.

The winter migrants, redwings and fieldfares, were here in October, even though the weather on the Continent (and indeed in the UK) has been mostly mild so far.  October here was very wet, with gales late in the month and into November, and this month has been largely damp and chilly but with only a couple of very light frosts.  Some of our other winter birds may well be incomers, either from the Continent or quite possibly from elsewhere in the UK, though I’m not sure why British birds would choose to migrate to a windy site 260m (about 850ft) above sea level – they must be able to find somewhere more clement, surely? – certainly we see more blackbirds, for example, in winter than in summer, and I suspect that some of them have come from elsewhere.  One influx this year has been collared doves; there were hardly any in the garden over the summer, whereas at the moment there is a huge flock of them around, and at one point we had over 20 sitting in the plum tree alone.

Collared doves in the plum tree

As usual we have at least two, and probably three if not more, robins; lots of sparrows and starlings; several dunnocks; and good numbers of blue and great tits as well as a coal tit.  The goldfinches, which were frequent visitors over the summer, are still around, as is at least one nuthatch.  Woodpeckers (great spots) are still coming to the peanut feeder, and to the fatballs when they feel brave enough, although they are nervous of us.  There are a great many woodpigeons in the fields around, and some (including our lame friend Lefty) come to the garden from time to time, although we haven’t had the large numbers that we’ve seen sometimes in the past.  And there is quite often a pheasant or two hanging around; shooting has been suspended at the moment because of the lockdown, so they are safe for the time being.

More noteworthy visitors have included a pied wagtail which called by a few times; they’re not at all uncommon but they rarely come into the garden except in very cold weather.  One day he was accompanied by the rarer grey wagtail, which I’ve only seen in this garden once before; they are birds of fast-flowing streams, and there is no stream of any description (and certainly not a fast-flowing one) anywhere near here.  It was raining at the time, but not enough to attract a water bird!  I’ve also seen the first bullfinch visitor of the winter, a handsome male checking out the winter honeysuckle, which is already in flower (they like to eat the buds).

Admittedly our garden holds a considerable attraction for birds at this time of year.  While I don't keep the feeders full all of the time, there is usually some food put out for them, and the cooking apple tree still has plenty of big apples, both on the tree and windfalls underneath, which the larger birds enjoy.  It has been a very good apple year.  (I haven't seen a green woodpecker on them this autumn, though.)  There are also still quite a few insects on the wing, and seedheads on the plants; and the ivy is starting to produce berries.  The redwings have been working their way down the holly tree, with only the lower branches still showing berries; we cut some today for Christmas decorations, and have put them in a bucket of water in the summerhouse.

Four-legged life is presumably also around, but less conspicuously.  We had a little harvest mouse come to the patio a few times.  I will need to plug the gaps around the greenhouse glass to keep the place mouse-proof; apparently mice can get through a gap only 6mm (a quarter inch) wide.

Also part of the winter crew, although not actually in the garden, is the little flock of sheep in the field beyond our bottom fence.  Usually this field has been home to horses in the winter, but it has changed hands this year and the new owners are renting it out for the moment.  The sheep are doing a good job of keeping the vegetation down under the big ash tree, which should improve the view a little (fewer nettles in the picture, I hope); the other day a couple of them were eating the ivy from the bottom of the ash tree trunk, precariously standing on their back legs to reach as high as they could.  They’re properly woolly sheep, very appropriate for the winter!

The woolly sheep (in the summer)