Author Archives: Karen

A Lump in my Throat…

With this new February Snow, am keeping an eye open for new Birds etc and am pleased to report that the Yellow Hammer has made an appearance for the first time at Tulloch this morning and that we have two Tree Creepers in the garden.

I have also been watching our Wee Buck on a daily basis.
Other Fallow have now appeared in the field to find food, so was interested to see how our Wee Buck would react to his fellow Deer.
This morning has seen a fresh Stag appear, very grand he is.
After hanging around grazing all morning, the fresh Stag has led the way to find shelter for this afternoon, watching them all jump the fence one by one, there was one hind, a younger Stag and our Wee Buck left, as I type, it looks like the hind and younger Stag are trying to encourage our Wee Buck to jump the fence also and I can’t but help feel a wee lump in me throat, is today the day he leaves us to join the herd???
– Karen – x

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Our Wee Buck

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Another Stag we saw, notice his Antlers!

Loch Tulloch …

Christmas and Hogmanay have just flown on by, it seems to have been nothing but constant work and there hasn’t been enough hours in the day and I ended 2016 feeling a tad frustrated at been behind the schedule in my head, but, today has seen GREAT progress.

AT LAST, work has begun on the wildlife Pond (Well now actually a Loch).
We have a builder here at present and his work required the use of a mini digger, I said brilliant, as I had just the job for it!

Now this pond Loch, has been in my mind for sometime, Alistair and I had discussed it, planned a size etc.
Our builder (Who we shall name as Bob), got the digger into position and would begin the scraping, he had soon gotten round to working round the wee island, I halted proceedings and said I thought that we should go bigger.
Off Bob went to get stakes etc and the new size was marked out, he began to continue and I would go to make us a Coffee.

Coffees in hand, I returned, he had pretty much got it done.
Bob jumped off the digger for his beverage, saw my face and said; ‘You want to go bigger don’t you’?
I said, yes, just a wee bit.
It was 15minutes later, when the pond then became a Loch!

There is lots more work to do yet, but am filled with joy at todays progress and my mind is full of excitement and am already imaging the Flocks of Ducks and Skeins of Geese which will visit us in the future (Unless Barclay claims it as his very own Swimming Pool)
– Karen – x

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The Digger Arrives

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Hmmm, think it needs to be bigger

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Bit bigger still

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Bob

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Yes, I was allowed on said Digger 😃😃😃

The Badger tit …

After the Siskins and Chaffinch dominated the garden here in Spring and Summer, September, October & November heralded a new leader and that was the Coal tit – Parus ater.
I have never seen as many together in one place and there could be up to 2 dozen in the garden at once!

The Coal tit, is one of Europes smallest Birds and is the smallest of the British tits.
It is easily recognisable due to its black head and white nape patch.
And I was told the other day, that in Lincolnshire, it is known as the Badger tit, which really does suit this wee character.

The hierarchy, is changing yet again in the garden here at Tulloch and I am really looking forward to see what birds winter will bring us.
– Karen- x

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On Top of the World

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Loves Suet Feeders

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Coal tit on Fir

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Watching the snow

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Dining Together

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Compare its size to the Chaffinch & Great tit

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A Wee Beak-full

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With the Greenfinch

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With Female Chaffinch

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Coming into feed

You can take the lass out of Gamekeeping …

… But you can’t take Gamekeeping out of the lass!

We have been getting some new visitors to Tulloch, so of course I have had to accommodate them.
The Nature Cams have picked up some of them, here is just a random selection of our Pheasants and Red-legged Partridge.
Our AirBnB Guests have been watching them and up to now, at any one time, there has been 16 Partridge & 7 Pheasants.
Lots more footage to sort through

– Karen – x

Pheasants & Poodles… 

Of late, quite a few Pheasants have appeared here at Tulloch. 

Now in my experience, I can tell you, that they aren’t the brightest of Birds, but you can often get a few Characters amongst them. 

And one of those characters seems to have turned up here at Tulloch. 

It stands at the other side of the hedge and when Barclay is out in the garden, it will start calling out, this in turn, has made Barclay start to bark. 

Both are getting worse each day, so it ends up with me fastening Barclay inside to quieten them both down. 

No sooner does the click of the door shut, the Pheasant flies into the garden to feed and also seems to do a victory strutt over the lawn, whilst the disgruntled Poodle looks on from the inside. 

If I think on,  will have to try and film it all. 

1-0 to the Pheasant I reckon, maybe they aren’t that dim after all lol 

-Karen-x

The Bee Cycle… 

I love this time of year, you can literally feel a change in the air and we see mother nature’s magic at work, it truly is wonderful. 

What is not so wonderful though, is seeing the dieing Bees.  Someone commented on this to me and said there wasn’t enough food for them. 

Well,  this in places is partly true and is one of the reasons why we are planning and trying to establish the Tulloch Meadow. 

But another reason why you may be coming across a lot of lethargic or dead Bees at the moment, is because of their life cycle. And instead of me explaining, am enclosing this link from the Bumble Bee Conservation Trust…  https://bumblebeeconservation.org/news/anthonys-blog/what-happens-to-bumblebees-in-autumn

Keep a look out on the remaining flowers and plants for this behaviour from our precious and beloved Bees and see nature at work. 

The images, I have just taken in this last hour with my phone and shows the Bumble Bees on the Autumn Crocus here at Tulloch. 

– Karen – x

Lurking Wee Creatures …

It is that time of year, when folk are clearing & tidying up their gardens.

And I don’t want to state the obvious, but please be careful when clearing brash, branches etc, as these can be cherished homes for some wildlife.

Please leave some piles around for Wee creatures. They may look an eyesore to you, but, they’ll be five star accommodation for some.

Some wildlife are looking for places to start hibernating in this next month.

We have some small branches on the lawn, which I thought should be moved, but look who I found lurking underneath.

I have left said branches and will leave him be and am thrilled to share Tulloch garden with him 🐸

– Karen – x 

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A Random Thought …

Am stood here cooking tea ready for when the Farmer arrives home, when all of a sudden, I hear a wee thud.

Not again I think, as I rush to kitchen window expecting to see a wee bird laid there, dazed and confused. But, no, wee bird (Who happens to be a Chaffinch Fledgling), is sat on the picnic table instead.

And then, I watched amazed as it gets up and tries to fly back up at the window. What on earth!??

Then it dawns on me, the part of the sunroom window it is trying to reach, is the part with a bird silhouette sticker on. They, I think, are meant to ward off birds from Windows.

They were already on when we moved to Tulloch and so we left them. I have never used them before. 

But it has now got me thinking! I picked up a poor Siskin Fledgling (In similar place) two days ago and a Chaffinch and Siskin Fledgling from near table last week!

Are the new Fledglings thinking the Bird Stickers are parents??

Thoughts welcome on this random thought

Karen x 


New Beginnings with The Nature Diaries…

So, we have moved to Tulloch, near Enochdhu and I can now finally make a proper start with The Nature Diaries.
We are now amongst an abundance of Nature and it is beautiful.

We moved here on the 20th May 2016. I will be sharing life at Tulloch and its goings ons with you after today, sadly not had much chance for Photography yet, as there has been so much to do, but can’t wait to start.
And there is still much to do, but I will enjoy doing it and one of those things, will be the Tulloch Meadow.

One of the main things we have been doing outside, is setting up various Bird Feeding Stations and since we moved, I have been keeping an eye out for feathered visitors to Tulloch Garden, here is what we have had so far (In order of sighting) …

Siskin – We have an abundance of these wee fellows.
Cuckoo – Can you believe, the second bird spotted in the garden was a Cuckoo!!
I was busy unpacking at the time when I saw it and I made a speedy dash for the
McNikon, but foolishly in my excitement, I went straight into the Sunroom, of
course it saw me and flew off! Was absolutely kicking myself! If I had headed for
the Kitchen, chances are I would have been sharing with you an image. DUH!!
Great Spotted Woodpecker – We have a wee family here.
Swallow – I do not know how many nests there are! And when you walk into an
outbuilding, you watch your head AND where you walk (Lots of mess)!
Oystercatcher – No, not actually landed in the garden, but many flying over.
Blackbird
Great tit – A fair few fledglings about.
Chaffinch – Like the Siskins, an abundance of them.
Coal tit
Jackdaw – As soon as I step indoors, they appear!
Wood Pigeon
Goldfinch
Blue tit
Pied Wagtail
Heron – Yep, A Heron came and landed in a tree at our gate!
Raven – Not landing, but flying over, wonderful to hear them from the forest.
Mallard – We had a pair regularly popping into feed, but no sign of them now for over
2wks. Barclay doesn’t help!
Greenfinch
Dunnock
Sparrowhawk – As bold as brass!
Robin – Have only seen two.
Mistle Thrush
Rock Dove 
Stock Dove 
Tree Sparrow
House Sparrow
Pheasant Cock and Hen both feeding, but like the Mallard, have gone awol.
House Martin – Overjoyed to see these nesting, but have suddenly disappeared.
Buzzard – Came and landed in one of the trees.
Greylag Geese – Flying Over
Bullfinch
Starling
Redpoll
Canada Geese – Flying over
Song Thrush
Owl – Am sure its a Tawny, but more on him next post.

And … Obviously not a garden visitor, or even in Tulloch airspace, but have seen flying near the Golden Eagle and he just HAD to be added to the list!

And … the other thing I have been busy with, is a new website!
With, a new addition, K-Pedia, here is where you will find my work in progress of  The Nature List check it out.

So, there you go, Tulloch Bird List to date (Not including meadow) am very much looking forward, to see who will come calling next
Karen x

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The most common visitor to Tulloch, is the Siskin