BIRD NEWS:311

Further around the park, I heard a familiar sound - a robin singing. In fact, this little fellow was heard quite plain and loud, once the cathedral bells had stopped ringing. He followed me around for a few minutes - along 2-3 borders - before disappearing behind the hydrangeas.

I then pottered along the other two main streets and grabbed a coffee to go, before going to my usual park. As I sometimes do in Arundel at Christmastime, I stopped to take a photo of birds that were not real displayed in a shop window. This time, I caught a heron and a hawk.

I arrived at the park I generally favor and sat down to finish my coffee shortly after spotting a couple of longtailed tits disappear into this tree - however, I cannot seem to find them in the photo...

Regular readers will maybe recall that 'Chichester' and 'park' generally mean my stopping at an aviary containing budgies. Yes, I stopped there on this trip, too! Alas, most of my pictures did not come out too well - the weather was dull and so the birds did not contrast the wire as well as usual.

BIRD NEWS:310

Before my next trip, I took two shots of Chackie the jackdaw - standing on the feeder munching suet ball. From 6 thru 10 March, I was off work from my evening job, and from the afternoon of the 10th thru to the afternoon of the 12th, of my morning job. Therefore, I took the opportunity to go out on the Saturday to Bognor and Chichester. This also allowed me to take several photographs.

Yes, pigeons were the first birds to get their picture taken. Here are a quartet who seem to be at home in the wall of the Bognor Cinema!

I stopped to stroll around a little, popped into onw store to stop for European goodies and another for coffee, then went to wait for the bus further West, to Chichester. Pigeons were hanging out at the bus stops, too.

My final picture to share for today's post is of a blackbird. I arrived in Chichester, and after wandering around the markets and then along 2 of the main 4 streets, I popped into a park. The blackbird was in the park, watching me watching him.

BIRD NEWS:309

This shot of mallards and another species was taken back at the lake next to the cafe. Also adjacent to the lake was yet another Duty Duck sculpture - the Springtime one.

I did not drink my coffee outdoors this trip, due to the icy cold strong winds - but inside, where I did not bother taking pictures as I did not have a table next to the window. I began my trek along the moat side avenue towards the bus stop in Arundel town.

Moorhens, coots, ducks, pheasants and seagulls frequented the marshy fields beside the avenue on the opposing side to the castle on this trip. There were also a few geese on my current excursion - which is unusual. I assume some were looking for nesting grounds or had flown further afield due to mating season.

Back home, and the starlings were hanging out on the feeder pole. If you wonder why there are peanuts on top of the feeders, that is because I washed out the peanut feeder - so placed some of the peanuts on top while doing so, to allow peanut-eaters to continue to dine.

My last couple of shots for today's post come from early March and are of Curio - the tame female blackbird. She has begun collecting nesting materials and taking them to the pittisporum tree outside my bedroom window! I am delighted to say that with the new month, quite a few birds are collecting debris and preparing nests - blackbirds, robins, wrens, sparrows...

BIRD NEWS:308

I then passed another of the Dusty Duck displays - the Hawaiian one - directly after passing a live Hawaiian goose.

Everyone seemed to be preening at the pondside insert just before the cafe - maybe because it was a 'no feed' day, whereas public can usually obtain a handful of duck food to hand feed the birds. I am not sure if it was the weather or the threats of bird flu virus that caused the prevention of hand feeding.

This cafe-side lake area has a large mixture of birds. usually, you can spot a few pigeons, multiple ducks, geese and the occasional swan. It is the best chance of observing the eider ducks.

Mallards are everywhere - so yes, they too inhabit this lake-pond area adjacent to the cafe tables.

Back home, and the news for the final days of February are that the starlings have finally decided to frequent the feeder pole once more after several weeks of limited visitations. Mr Bob has been popping in and out of the shrubbery below the trees behind the laundry line. Mr Black and Curio have been whooshing about the yard. Pidge and the sparrows have been visiting on and off most days, as have the blue tits.

BIRD NEWS:307

I pottered along the path, passing a group of ducks performing their mating ritual - but was only able to get the camera to capture the tail end of the display. During the main part, the ducks head feathers were raised and their calls were sounding, as several males and females swan about in a frenzy. I then passed an inquisitive goose.

Across the lake, another one was standing, amongst various other aquatic birdlife. I then made my way past the group of pigeons, this time hanging out with the Nenes and a seagull. Jackdaws, moorhens, etc were also present at the feeding station. The pigeons were also displaying mating behaviour, which seems to be the in thing for late February.

This pair of pigeons were resting just in front of me, so naturally the camera pointed towards them.

I will end today's script with a picture of a pair of ducks who seemed quite golden in their pre-mating feathers.

BIRD NEWS:306

The long tailed tit and blue tit did not seem to mind one another as they shared the feeder in my first shot for today's report. Next, a shot showing a wood pigeon below a great tit and blue tit at the same feeder.

Here comes another one... I only spotted 2 at one time, though as they left and returned there might have been 2 pairs or just the one set. My next shot shows a blue tit, great tit and 2 long tailed tits all in one picture!

I took quite a few pictures of the tits on this trip. The long tailed tits make perfect photographic subjects and the blue and great tits are in abundance as a rule. In the second photo below, you can see one of each.

Maybe one day, my own feeder pole at home will be as active and busy as the ones at Arundel Wetlands reserve.

BIRD NEWS:305

In the woodland hide, I caught a few more photos before moving on. This male chaffinch for example, shown in the first picture above. My next photo shows the female chaffinch - observing a blue tit.

I was about to move along to the outdoor observation point when I spotted the robin staring up at me from the ground. I did eventually move on and took a shot or two of a great tit munching seed on a sliced trunk.

I was contemplating returning to the woodland hide or leaving after a coffee, as there was a very strong icy cold wind blowing today and I did not feel like staying as long as I might otherwise have done. There was a mallard couple on my path which slowed me down, though.

I stayed a little longer at the outdoor feeder station and spotted a blue tit where the great tit had formerly been. Back at the woodland hide for 5-10 minutes before that coffee called me onwards, I encountered a few long tailed tits but I did not see the water rail on this trip as I have done at this hide for the last 2 months. Maybe it only appears frequently in December and January.