Fen Town list

[caff]

Down a tree lined avenue there are many hidden treasures, to me anyway

Blackbirds
Song and Mistle Thrush
Great Tit, Blue Tit, longtailed tits
Dunnock
Wren
Robin
Chaffinch
Starlings, many,youngsters love the live food
Goldfinches, increasing, love the Teasels and Evening Primrose seed
Goldcrest, always at the pond in spring
Tawny owl, hearing them less, now the Council have taken down a couple of big trees
Sparrowhawk and Crows, in the last 5yrs or so, the crows actually keep the Hawks away from garden, lots of fighting in air, Crows here first.
Greenfinches, increasing every year
Green Woodpecker, came to cherry tree before council cut it down, now I hear them only.
Greater Spotted Woodpecker visited my Silverbirches last year
Linnet, one summer, singing heart out on chimneypot
House Sparrow
Female Blackcap last year
Jay
Magpie
Peacock, one year on fence, cat ran in house.


I also share my garden with many hedgehogs,frogs,wood mice and on occasion the odd grey squirrel, still finding peanut case in garden buried.

[70007]

That is a very impressive list from an area many seem to think is almost devoid of wildlife.

My father lives in Downham Market which is not really fenland but I have to go through them to get there. I was amazed one day when driving near Manea to see a barn owl come swooping across the road some yards ahead of the car.

There were few trees and no hedges of any description but obviously there is enough prey to sustain these birds.


John

[caff]

Thankyou John.

You're right, this area has many Barn Owls. We go out at dusk in spring/summer evening to catch a glimpse, of course when I take the camera, nothing appears.
But you reminded me of the sighting this year June time, we saw a Barn Owl hovering over the drains, so we slowed and stopped the car, I don't know If I can express what we saw, but he was flying/hovering toward us following the line of the ditch/drain, he saw us, kept his head and eyes on us and moved slowly away, whilst still eyeballing us. It was errie and for a moment I had the feeling he might attack us, If I could of caught him on film, that would of been fantastic, oh never mind I have the memory.
We also see little owls, there's one spot where we always see them, and they are not shy at all and are easy to catch on camera, although it's usually dusk, and the light is bad.

[Jandy]

Exciting to hear about your Little Owls, Caff. Any chance of posting a pic or two, or were conditions just too bad?

[caff]

Hi Jandy, here the Little Owl photo, ha,ha, I mean silhouette. It is a Little Owl, I promise!
Iv'e added a few more photos I found on the way, a little Ahhhh factor!

Any captions, much appreciated, Iv'e got one already for the baby starling

"Where's MuM?"