Finally Sunshine

Driving to Reading along the A414 we see flooded fields and deeper than we have seen for a long time. The view is stunning with the bright sun reflecting off the moving water in the flooded fields. Everywhere is bright and light – it seems ages since we have seen sunshine such as this.

There are so many catkins showing with the sunlight on them. Because the winter has been so cold and so wet the trunks and branches of the leafless trees shine moss green. On the grass verge, just before the big Tesco store at Hatfield, sat a big grey rabbit in the sunshine. He was just sitting, meditatively chewing and, I imagine, enjoying the sun’s warmth.

On the edge of the M4, approaching Slough, I watched a crow or rook mobbing a red kite.

Fifty Goldfinches

The wind picked up the brown, crispy, dried winter leaves and danced across the lawn with them.

Yesterday the moorhen spent all day in our pond.

We are still experiencing days of cold with sudden snow flurries; today is no exception.

Each afternoon between 4 and 5 we are entertained by charm of goldfinches flying to and fro, back and forth, around, over and through our garden briefly settling every few minutes , then up and off again. It is a large number – upward of fifty. How good to see so many.

Now we are in the middle of a snowstorm. It is settling so thick and fast you cannot even see beyond the end of the garden into the fields beyond.

Tough Winter for the Birds

I recently read a report on the death of birds this very cold winter, especially mentioned were wrens and dunnocks, so I am very happy to note that it is rare that I don’t see both of these each time I look out of a window. We are so lucky to have not lost these particular inhabitants of our garden.

Jean told me, on the telephone, that they have lost all the blue tits visiting their garden and maybe the robin as well.

Corvid and Seagull

It is a dreary, grey, drizzly day. On the drive to Reading, we passed a stretch of road along which shrubs had been planted between trees, although leafless, this stretch was beautiful. Several trees were bedecked with hanging catkins in shades from pinkish to cream and yellow. There were bare stems of red and yellow and small trees covered in small fir cones.

I watched a large corvid and a seagull tussling with each other: chasing, wheeling, diving, swooping, swiftly turning on each other until eventually the seagull chased its large black aggressor away.

Freezing January

January remained throughout an extremely cold month with much snow, sleet and rain, freezing nights and grey days. The first sound to greet me each morning was the plaintiff trill of the robin sitting by the window, patiently waiting – some mornings impatiently as he has flown to the bird table, whilst I am still in the process of filling it. One morning I delightedly watched a covey of eight red legged partridges at the end of the garden, such pretty birds. I always feel an inner glow when I watch them, especially through binoculars and am able to pick out their fine markings. They are a striking looking bird as is the moorhen, this year only one; wandering all over the garden and helping himself to the bird food when he happens near it.

The pond has been frozen for much of January, but now it is liquid again and the moorhen spends most of his day in it. We are also visited daily by a charm of goldfinches, beautiful little birds with red faces, they are drawn to the seeds on a patch of lemon balm plants, Every summer I forget how valuable these plants are and because they seed so well, I cause most of them to be weeded out, forgetting that if I left them in, I would have much more pleasure at this time of year and the birds would certainly profit much more.

Last autumn, two new squirrels found our garden and for the first time this has happened built a drey, it is high up in the silver birch tree, almost on top of a pigeons’ nest. Today I watched the pigeons, the female settled on top of the drey and, as if taking revenge for the placement of it so near to their home, proceeded to mate, after the fourth time they flew to a nearby branch and settled down leaving the drey looking decidedly squashed. The squirrels remain a constant source of interest and pleasure, one morning I watched one eat a goodly amount, then taking the next piece of food with him, he climbed about 25 feet up a leafless tree and sitting on a bare branch ate it, afterwards stretching out along the branch, he fell fast asleep. It was a sunless day with a biting wind and the temperature below zero -- amazing he could sleep stretched out in those conditions with just his fur coat to keep him warm. We have catkins, primroses, aconites, hellebores, the beautifully perfumed viburnum bodnantense and camellias all blooming, so spring must be coming.

Winter Squirrels

Another cold day, the fields at the end of the garden are still flooded, but at least the pond had no ice on it this morning.

There are less small birds about now. I have noticed a dwindling in numbers the last week or two despite topping up the bird table all day long.

The squirrels have been very hungry also, although I realize they hide food for later. Today, I peeled and chopped up apples for the blackbirds and thrushes. Tits and robins also like these. It was interesting to watch the squirrels. They picked over the peelings and flesh, choosing to eat the cores instead. I suppose the pips contain protein amongst other nutritious things.


One little chap was very busy all morning. Finally after nearly three hours, he climbed a tree clutching a piece of food. 25 feet up on a bare branch he sat to eat it. When he had finished, he lay down along the branch and went to sleep.

Although it is not icy today, there is no sun and a bitingly cold wind, yet he slept high up in a leafless tree on a bare branch. How did he keep warm? It must be due to his thick fur coat and also other factors like his high metabolic rate.

I did some internet research and apparently studies on summer and winter squirrels show that winder squirrels have significantly lower levels of bile acids and lecithin in their liver as compared to all other groups. A difference between squirrels that hibernate and those that do not may be gall bladder contractibility. Fasting normally results in suppression of gall bladder contractibility. The studies were on American squirrels, but I suspect they would prove much the same if done on our English grey squirrels.

Moorhen in Pond

The moorhen continues to enjoy the garden, and now the ice on the pond is melting, spending much time in the water.

The Pigeons’ Revenge

Last autumn two new squirrels came to the garden, built a dray high up in the silver birch. They constructed it almost directly on top of a pigeons’ nest. Today I watched the pigeons taking revenge. They mated four times, each time right after the last, all on top of the squirrels’ dray, which has been left looking decidedly squashed and sad.

Goldfinches and Lemon Balm Seeds

We are daily visited by a charm of goldfinches. They are so pretty, and are drawn to the garden mainly because of the lemon balm seeds. Every summer, I forget how valuable these seeds are to the goldfinches, and because these plants seed so well, I pull many of them up. I do this with great satisfaction, if only I could be mindful of the value of lemon balm seeds to the goldfinches, then I would have much more pleasure during this time of year and the birds would certainly profit more.