Tag Archives: Wildlife

Great Spotted Woodpecker …

Over the last few weeks, I have been watching the comings & goings of Woodpeckers to the feeders.
Definitely 2 different lots nesting, perhaps even 3!

Anyhoo, this mornings coffee rewarded me with such a treat.
Hearing a sound, I follow it and see we have a juvenile in the garden.
He hopped onto the birdbath, called out for feeding (He best make on, as the parents only feed them for approx a week after fledging) and then he decided to take a wee bath, before popping up a tree.
A true delight to watch!

Down in Yorkshire, in my parents garden, they too have had W,oodpeckers visiting the garden, but they raided the nearby nesting boxes and mum & dad witnessed the new hatched young been pulled out by Woody.
They are known for doing this and will raid boxes for eggs too, all to feed.
You can get metal rings for your nest box entrance holes and its a good idea to do so, will help stop Woody taking other chicks!

Will be keeping a look out to see if more juveniles appear
– Karen – x

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Watching & Waiting

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Breakfast Time

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Having a Drink

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Red Top

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Having a wee bath & joined by a Siskin

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Away up a Tree

 

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!

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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