Springtime at Goodenbergh.
The season starts with the birds busy looking for a mate, the frog spawn sits on the top of the pond waiting for the slightest movement. Dashing from the undergrowth a Brown Hare runs when i startle it. All around the sound of nature and in the distance the new born lamps jump high on the green meadow. Sitting high in the pine tree the Song Thrush sings his melody of songs, and Mr Robin sits on our decking waiting for me leave the door open so he can sneak in for a peep. The nest boxes are vacated and the Tree Sparrow goes form one to another tempting the female with straw. The 2 young Roe deer from the year before graze on the bulbs and shrubs aware of me stalking them with my camera. From the woods the sound of the Tawny Owl calls for his partner, and the Great tit and Blue tit collect goats fur for their nests. The Nuthatch sings high in the tree tops whilst below Chaffinch chase each other around the Silver Birch. You can hear a high pitch call of the Tree Creeper echo form the Oak tree as the scurry up to the top and back down again never stopping for a picture. The Jay comes to fill his crop with nuts and fly’s away to stash them for a later date. Its so quiet in the hide when my friend the Pheasant creeps in slowly aware of another male trying to take his place. He feeds well and creeps away into the undergrowth. Knock Knock Knock comes form Redstart wood its Mr Woodpecker calling for his girl, will he tempt one in who knows?. Goldfinch and Redpoll sit in the trees behind the hide waiting for me to fill the feeders up with Niger seed, its late in the afternoon and they need lots of food to get them through these cold Spring nights. I watch as the Sun goes down over the Lake and see that the pair of Swans are back, a splash and the Wigeon are off followed by the Mallards but the Koot and Moorhen make there way into the reeds. The load call of the Oystercatcher calls out over the site and i am hoping they use the new nest boxes i have placed for them on the lake. The nights get lighter and under my feeders i see the Reed bunting, Blackbird, Starling and Dunnock all feeding well. The Siskin taps away at the sunflower on our window feeder only to be chased off by the Coal tit. Rabbits feed on the Apple that was thrown out and Pete the Peacock eats whats left of the Peanuts that fall out when i fill the nut feeders. There must be a Tawny about as the Blackbird is going mad, whats all that noise the Collard Dove says to the other. An eye breaks the surface water of the pond at the hide, up above he can see a large grey shadow of the Heron. Watch out lads he is here again, keep your heads down there’s not many of us left. Jenny Wren hops along the mossy log just posing quickly for the camera. Mr Magpie and the Rook wait till i have closed the hide gate and make swoop down when i am out of site for a quiet feed on whats left from the Jay. Sitting relaxing i here the Curlew from the field behind me, but i never see it. All this on my doorstep so lets have another great season, so sleep tight my little feathered friends and be sure that the food will be there for you when you awake in the morning.
Owl Man
