It’s that time of year again when we start to see the first signs of Spring. Throughout February we have experienced fluctuations in temperatures which will have triggered some birds to start singing and setting up territories. Species such as raven and crossbill are well known for their early breeding. Raven have been seen paired up around the reserve as they show off their acrobatic skills, tumbling from the sky while flipping onto their backs. The size of buzzards they are often found from the loud deep ‘ccronk’ call as they fly overhead.
Raven by Gavin Chambers
Woodland birds start singing to set up their territory and to attract a mate. Walking up to the office along the Yellow Trail this week has been full of bird song. Mistle thrush have been singing for weeks, usually singing from the highest tree top within their territory. Birds heard singing this week have included chaffinch, marsh tit, song thrush, wren, woodpigeon, great spotted woodpecker (drumming), crossbill and of course robins. In a few months time there will be a Dawn Chorus walk here at Lake Vyrnwy (details here) when summer migrants will have arrived and joined the cacophony of early morning singers.
Robins may be Britain’s favourite bird and the gardener’s best friend, however these birds can be very aggressive towards each other as they battle to hold territory and fight off intruding males. In February a lot of migrant robins will still be about and it appears you can’t go anywhere around Lake Vyrnwy without a robin taking a closer look at the moment, they even like to have a play in our new nature play area!
Robin by Gavin Chambers
February and March is one of the best times to get a glimpse of one of the more secretive species found at Lake Vyrnwy, the goshawk, as they perform display flights over conifer plantations. Similar in appearance to the frequent garden visitor, the sparrowhawk, females can be twice as big and be as big as a buzzard. Any area with conifer plantations have the potential to have goshawk, but the red and blue trails have always been a good place to start looking.
Immature goshawk by Gavin Chambers
A brambling has spent the winter feeding outside the Coed y Capel hide, still present on the 11 February, and could potentially stay into April before heading back east to its breeding grounds in Scandinavia and Western Siberia. We also have an exotic resident in the form of a peahen which is can usually be found under the feeders at the Coed y Capel hide.
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