A couple of weeks ago we had the return of snow and frost which brought an influx of birds back into the garden.
Our star species in the garden is the Reed Bunting and we had at least seven visiting some days.In addition four Redpolls and five Robins were also coming daily to what is a very small garden. The secret of course is providing a multitude of feeders and having lots of cover nearby to hide in when the Sparrowhawk visit. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
When you have been filming birds for more than 55years there are not many local ones that you have not captured on film. However, last week one of our smallest birds called a Firecrest turned up in a Manchester park. I visited several times and eventually obtained several shots of what was one of the fastest moving birds I have ever seen – it just never paused in its frantic feeding. It would be good to go back for better quality photos but as Firecrests only breed in southern Britain our bird will soon be heading back south.
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The first breeding bird of the year is usually the Heron. It is always a delight in February to spend time at my local Heronry and capture on film the comings and goings of our local birds. Some sticks are picked up from the ground while others are broken off nearby trees. www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
One of the delights of our recent visit to the Dee valley was the discovering of a garden that had dozens of Yellow Hammers coming to feed on the ground under some bird feeders.It is a bird that I have only ever filmed some years ago on Islay.
When I was growing up in Bury and then Rochdale the song of the Yellow Hammer was one of the signs of Spring. Now they have all gone, along with their song, and of course their spectacular eggs which gave the bird the name “the Scribbler”.
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An advantage of going to Rivercatcher in the Dee valley is that vast pine forests of Wales are all around you.One of the most colourful inhabitants of these forests is the Crossbill. They can be hard to find but last week we came across some fabulously coloured female birds but no red males. Perhaps an excuse to go back? www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife
Where else but Rivercatcher, on the river Dee in North Wales,could you sit in the bubbles and steam of a Hot Tub and watch a Little Egret feeding below you? Last week-ends superb weather was made full use of by a long weekend at Rivercatcher – Many more photos to follow!! www.facebook.com/gordonyateswildlife