Catkins, snowdrops and winter birds.

Its a cold day with strong winds and wintery showers. In spite of this there were quite a few birds around and some continuing with courtship behaviour.

During a walk along Caldon Canal to Stockton Brook and back across fields I was surprised to see about 12 Teal on the small wetland adjacent to the Caldon Canal at Stanley Moss. This is the first time I have seen Teal there. Along witht eh Teal were at least 2 Snipe a species that I have seen there before. Along with those less frequently seen overwintering visitors were 5 or 6 Magpies, about the same number of Carrion Crows, about 4 Mallards, a Moorhen or 2, 2 Pied Wagtails. In the surrounding fields were a flock of Redwing and feeding along with them a couple of Mistle Thrushes, a welcome sight these days.

Its a shame that whoever owns that piece of land is letting it be filled in with, what looks like, the waste associated with landscape gardening.

The wetland today - Teal are visible in this photo. 

The waste infill of the wetland that can host Teal, Snipe, Reed Bunting, Mallard and many other bird species (taken 09.01.2015). 

Further on along the canal 2 pairs of Canada Geese were standing in the field beside the canal edge - this is a sign that pairs are spending some of the daylight hours at least away from the winter flock in preparation for the breeding season. And on the way back along the railway I saw a male Woodpigeon chasing a potential mate (last weekend I saw a Woodpigeon carrying nest material) 

Part of the flock of about 250 Canada Geese that overwinter in the Endon area.

In spite of the wintery weather Robins were singing today. 

Some Hazel catkins and Snowdrops flowering this week.

Snowdrops on the John Emery Land (Endon).

Blue Tits and Great Tits were very vocal in my garden yesterday. Three or four Great Tits were giving their "scolding" calls alongside a pair of Blue Tits that were in courtship mode - with one at the hole of one of my nest boxes. Were the two tit species both interested in the nest box I wonder?

This is one of two Schwegler nest boxes that I installed last year in the hope that they would be used by Tree Sparrows, however I saw a Blue Tit at the hole of this box yesterday. The hole is large enough for Great Tits too.