What have you seen

Very sad to hear about the 2 White tailed Eagles.  Have had our local Buzzards displaying and a couple of days ago the male was actually doing loops in his flying display not seen that before amazing to watch.

When out the other day we came back via some smaller roads and in one field were Herons Little Egrets and Great White Egrets and Cattle Egrets so surprised to see so many, did wonder if there were frogs non the move as no water in the area at all.

Are you all certain these Eagles were SHOT. The report suggests that the cause is BEING INVESTIGATED. Lets wait the results before once again maligning Gamekeepers and the like. Could it be that these TAME  birds were  unable to adapt to so called " rewilding". I reserve my judgment.

Just been watching a wood lark around our field and looked up to see 2 Black Kites flying over and going north from us so they are on the move from the south.

I do sincerely hope that the unfortunate Eagles have died of natural causes as the alternative is too horrific to imagine. Their deaths are unexplained at present but multi agencies were involved in searching for them.

Had a fantastic day of birdwatching by the River Dee on the Wirral today.

Everything from large birds such as Great White Egrets and Marsh Harriers to the smallest, a Goldcrest. From Winter migrants like Pink Feet Geese to potential summer ones like Chiffchaffs, albeit with one of them seen being a Siberian Chiffchaff, presumably finding the Wirral warmer than Siberia.

I know some Chiffchaffs over-winter in the UK but normally it's in the more clement South or South West. Never seen one in Cheshire before this early. Usually our first ones arrive second week in March.

I think Carlsberg sponsored the day!😂

I made a new blue tit nest box yesterday and put it up this morning. Much to my surprise, less than two hours later there was a blue tit on it, peering in through the hole for a good minute or so but didn't actually go into the box. I thought it would take the birds far longer to get used to it.  To me the hole seems a bit small at 25mm (I thought 32mm) but 25 is what the RSPB recommend so that's the size I made it. They should know best.

We have cleared out two old boxes last week and have added a new one so all three are up, had to get rid of one old one as the Greater Spotted Woodpecker has had a go at it holes over most of it so that has gone.

Did see our local Pheasant and his mate on Saturday so he has been missed by the hunt.

Did not realise until I looked at the local hunt web page that there is a short season for shooting Badgers even foxes as well, at least our local Badger is out and about with holes dug and latrine areas, I did a lot of volunteer work with Somerset Wildlife Trust with the local Badger group many years ago.

Had a Male Hawfinch and male Brambling on the window feeder this morning whilst the rain had stopped.

GSWs are right old *****s when it comes to drilling through nest boxes to get at chicks. Try to protect around the hole with a ring of metal.

You do have "exotic" birds on your feeders RK!

Hi WN we do put metal around the hole and the one repair OH did he has put a new roof on made of non wood decking which we have a few spare pieces so much harder so will be interesting to see what GSW does with that.

Now got two cream/beige Magpies only thought we had one but two were about in our field yesterday.

No further news on the death of the Eagles? Could it have been natural causes. I notice no one commented on news the same day, that the largest numbers of Mountain  Hares, Curlews and Lapwings in Yorkshire are on keeped estates. Wonder why?