The weather forecast was accurate and overnight on Thursday the snow tiptoed in on cat-like feet, silent, soft but with underlying cruelty. It continued all day, fine flakes blown sharply on a biting wind, piling up in corners, swirling around barriers, dancing off the roof in a cascade of ice crystals.
Redwing foraging under beech hedge
All day the garden was filled with the flurry of little wings, birds flying to the bird table from wherever they could find shelter. It was a pity that it was not garden Birdwatch Day as Blue Tits, Great Tits, Long Tail Tits, Marsh Tits, Coal Tits, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Nuthatch, Robin,Wren, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Bullfinch, Jay,Magpie,Kestrel,Crow,Jackdaw, Pheasant, Song Thrush and Redwing all put in an appearance at some point.
Many of the larger birds just forage around the edges of the garden or across the lawn while most of the smaller ones tend to use the bird feeders. The little thrushes and the wrens prefer to hunt under the hedges, vigorously turning over the fallen leaves in search of insects and other small creatures.
Today was the first time we have noticed Redwings in the garden, the smallest of the European thrushes and mainly winter visitors in the UK. At first I saw only one, but after a few minutes I could see several dispersed under the beech hedge, all busily looking for food. It was a timely reminder of the value of a hedge for birdlife and there is an interesting article on the RSPB site here.
Now I am hoping for a good attendance on Garden Birdwatch Day over the weekend of 26-27 January 2013, although I am not anxious for a repeat snowfall! I hope you are all tucked up warm and the birds in your gardens are bringing you enjoyment.
Plenty of birds flittering around here too, and a large pheasant who flies up to stand on the top of our rather rickety bird table.
But no snow. A little Thursday night, then rain yesterday turned it all to slush. It is, though, bitterly cold.
Just curious – what is “bitterly cold” in your area? Celsius or Fahrenheit reply is okay.
A pathetic -2 to-4 C by day. East winds from Scandinavia make it feel worse. I am feeble! The temperature falls to -6 or -8 on very cold nights, can get down to -22 but that’s rare. We feel it because we live in mild, maritime climate and don’t really prepare for hard winters.
What an amazing variety of birds, we’ve not had anything nearly as varied here, just sparrows and blackbirds… Plenty of snow though!
Hi Janet, we don’t normally see quite this many in a short time but the weather was so inhospitable and our bird table so well stocked they arrived in flocks.
Stay warm!
Hedges are important to all of wildlife – providing places to hide from predators, rest, forage, protect them from wind and snow, and provide shade in summer. I enjoyed reading about the birds you have in Herefordshire.
So many birds I`ve never seen! Either way, that bird at the top is so cute. He found a little hidey hole
I’m envious of all your bird species – I hope they stick around for next weekend’s garden birdwatch!
Me too! Loving your snow pics- I think you had more than we did.