One for the birds
Well, I promised to look at some of the species we began to see around the garden of our new tied cottage; So let’s start with our little feathered friends.
Opening up the landscape
The garden was perfect for observing the birds. As mentioned before the farm next door had an old orchard area that abutted the garden; opening up the landscape by lowering a boundary hedge allowed many species to spill into our space foraging for food. Our most exciting new neighbours were a family of bullfinches and many old favourites appeared too: Blue tit, Great tit, Green finch, Dunnock, Hedge sparrow, Blackbird, Song Thrush, Robin, and House Martin.
Barn Owls, Jackdaws and Jays
Observing the garden, the landscape around it and, indeed, the sky above when opportunity allowed we became aware of the local Green Woodpeckers, clouds of Rooks morning and evening as they left the Helmingham rookery to feed and returned to roost, Jackdaws, Jays and numerous Magpies visited the periphery of the garden. A Barn Owl regularly hawked the valley beneath us and we frequently sighted majestic spiralling Buzzards..
Protecting the veggie patch
It wasn’t all a delight however, being a shooting estate we soon found ourselves protecting the veggie patch from Wood Pigeons, Pheasants and Red-legged Partridge!
Oh well, everything has a place!
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