Birdwatch update 11
Nature has become more important to us during lockdown but as we emerge and start to see the light again will it last? Our members certainly think so as we have had a bumper number of entries sent in recently as people start to go outdoors more to enjoy the spring weather. These are a mixture of pictures taken both in and out of lockdown.
Please continue to send us your sightings through our Birdwatch form – we love sharing your photos with other u3a members.
Graham, Leigh Estuary u3a, sent us a wonderful selection of photos of birds taken to prove that a garden can provide many opportunities for nature photography even in a lockdown! Clockwise: A pigeon, goldfinch in the snow, a young starling being fed in the garden and a young starling being fed on a fence.
Edwina, Limebrook u3a, was surprised to see in mid-February approximately 40 to 50 Fieldfare sitting on the tree in her garden. Over the next week they stripped the holly bush of all the berries and then moved on.
Edwina’s garden was also recently visited by a female Sparrowhawk who had caught a pigeon. The next day this male Sparrowhawk was sitting on the fence devouring a sparrow.
Trust u3a member Catherine took a photo of this beautiful sparrowhawk who took a starling from the bird feeder in their garden near Lingfield, Surrey and then kindly posed for the picture.
There has been a pair of these Goldcrests in Bob’s (Stockton on Tees u3a) garden for the last couple of weeks. They don't sit still for long, but Bob has managed to get a couple of pictures of them.
We would love to hear from more members about your sightings and for you to share any photographs you have managed to take of your feathered visitors. Find out more about Birdwatch on our Birdwatch page, and submit your sightings through our form.
Mary Gibbons is our Birdwatching subject adviser for the u3a movement, Mary has a lot of information on her Subject Adviser page to help with this and can help with any individual enquiries.