Submitted by Grace McCarron
I happened to look out my kitchen window and there six feet away on the fence was a beautiful sparrowhawk. I ran to get my camera and thought it would be gone when I got back. In my panic I forgot how to work my camera and only managed to get blurred images. Then the batteries went dead and I had to go get a refill. I moved to the full length glass door to get this picture. Meanwhile, cheeky boy just sat there and pretended I didn't exist!
Picture below as promised!
Submitted by Sheila Pearce.
I was most interested to read the recent newsletter, especially the item from Grace about the redpolls in Cumbernauld.We have also had them in our Lenzie garden since before Christmas, in ever increasing numbers until a week ago, when we counted 21. We have also seen siskins, from the beginning of October, again increasing until last week there was a flock of 33. However neither species has appeared since last Monday(1st March), perhaps they sense the weather is improving and don’t need our feeding. In addition to the usual peanuts & seed feeders we have two nyger seed feeders which at times were covered with these attractive little birds, and are also loved by our goldfinches. Apparently we are lucky to see the redpolls as they are listed by the BTO as ‘scarcer’ birds. I am a member, and do the garden-bird-watch list every week. In the bad weather we had a fieldfare which continually bullied our blackbirds (whose numbers varied from 14 – 8 each week), so the silly bird didn’t get much feeding done for itself. Like Julie we have also enjoyed bramblings, redwings and bullfinches and very rarely a few longtailed tits which are one of my absolute favourites.
Submitted by Cathie Corner.
Was interested to see the sighting of a sparrowhawk in a Cumbernauld garden. I wonder if the lady lives near me in Abronhill. I've had a regular visit from a sparrowhawk for two years now. He first appeared on February 5th 2008, waiting patiently above the peanut feeders.I was concerned that I hadn't seen him for a few months until this past two weeks, when he reappeared. He has now realised apparently that if he doesn't have any luck straightaway it isn't worth sitting for ages waiting for the fast food to reappear. He used to sit for ages before giving up and searching elsewhere.
I was excited to see the blue tits showing an interest in the nest box this week. Spring is certainly in the air.
My biggest thrill, apart from a flock of siskins about 40 strong and an equally huge flock of chaffinches which are there on a daily basis was a group of twelve goldfinches on the worst snowy day last week, all fighting for space on the birdfeeders.
Submitted by Valerie Sherrington
I have been keeping a wildlife diary over the last few years as my husband and I like to walk around Lenzie Moss and also watch the birds in and around our garden. I thought I would let you know of the sightings we have had over this period: in brief, of course!!
2008 We watched the Sparrowhawk with three fledglings as she flew them through the trees on the Moss
2009 Hearing screeching above us and watching two swifts mating in the air above us one warm clear early summer evening
Large flock of Red Polls (30-40)
Redwings, Fieldfares moving through the Yew trees around about us.
Two Goldcrests that we observed for two days on the hedges beneath our bedroom window, we had wonderful views of
them looking down as we are in an upper flat so didn’t have the sun and light behind them.
2010 February this year we observed, for at least 15 minutes, one Great Spotted Woodpecker in our garden in Lenzie,
pecking at the bark of a tree very close to the house, we almost didn’t need binoculars.
We also had a small flock of Goldfinches in the garden in February.
This weekend we were delighted to see two Great Spotted Woodpeckers in the tall Wych Elms at the bottom of the
garden which we watched again for about 15 minutes (until my arms got too sore!!).
We put food and water out during the winter and have a good number of the normal garden birds in the garden. We had Blue Tits and Great Tits nesting last year. We also see the Bullfinches regularly, not only feeding on the new buds but during the year on our bamboo plants!!