Episode Nine: Watching Birds in Winter

Watching birds in winter – is there anything interesting to see? Surely it’s all blackbirds, robins and seagulls at this time of year?

In this episode, again recorded in lockdown but with the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch 29th to 31st January in mind, Susie, Tiggy and Ann are joined on zoom by their friend, Jane, to chat about the birds they have seen this winter. Jane lives at the coast and so is able to bring a different perspective from the Liskeard gardens and farmland. Winter is often the best time to see birds if this is a new hobby for you because you can see them so easily without any leaves on the trees – and lockdown walking and a little bit of seed in the bird feeders have brought some surprising bird sightings for our podcasters; Jane also reports a range of night time noises; Susie and Ann identify more unusual birds with distinctive markings; and Tiggy tells us how her bedroom is full of unexpected companions!

Our podcasters hope you will have time to try the RSPB Big Garden Birdwatch this week end (see below). And they apologise for omitting the spectacular starling murmurations that Susie and Ann have been to watch this winter at Rough Tor, near Camelford – well worth a visit at sunset.

Apologies too for the usual interference from outside activities – this time a delivery of logs forces an interruption to the recording!

Notes and mentions:

Useful Bird Guide: Collins Bird Guide: The Most Complete Guide to the Birds of Britain and Europe (Available from Amazon during lockdown)

Big Garden Birdwatch, 29-31 January, 2021 rspb.org.uk

The Cornell Lab Merlin bird identification app - free

Bird feeders: Kingfisher Traditional Bird Feeding Station on OnBuy ;

Gardman Wild Bird Flip top Nyger Thistle Feeder (swallowaquatics.co.uk)

Affordable binoculars: see the range offered by the RSPB e.g. RSPB 8x42 Puffin Binoculars: Amazon.co.uk: Camera & Photo

Tawny Owl Calls: Wikipedia: . Tawny Owls can make a variety of calls but the most familiar are their "kee-wick" and "hoot" sounds. The hooting or “twoo” sound is usually made by the male and is a territorial call. You can sometimes hear a female responding to a male's “twoo” call with a sharp “kee-wick”.

But they make more noise than the other four species put together during October and November. And all this extra shieking, hooting and 'kee-wick'- ing is down to one thing: territory. Young birds are reaching maturity and looking for new homes while older birds are fighting to hold on to their patch.

Do please e-mail us if you can with a question about ‘adventures in Cornwall’ or with something new you might be trying in lockdown at: viewsfromthesummerhouse@gmail.com

Audio attributions:

Happy Boy Theme by Kevin MacLeod

This section is an excerpt of the original

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3855-happy-boy-theme

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Happy Boy End Theme by Kevin MacLeod

This section is an excerpt of the original

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3854-happy-boy-end-theme

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/