Whos keeping an eye on me....

Sunday 16 October 2011

October Garden Madness

Friday 14th October at 15.35hrs:

A WOODCOCK made a guest appearance in my non-rural Graden, certainly a first and possibly a last. It flew in and made a very quick landing on one of the flower borders and seemed to try to grab at a pear before taking off again...... Incredible garden visit!

About the Woodcock:
The woodcock is a large bulky wading bird with short legs, and a very long straight tapering bill. It is largely nocturnal, spending most of the day in dense cover. Most of the birds in the UK are residents; in the autumn birds move to the UK from Finland and Russia to winter here. The breeding population has been falling recent years, perhaps because of less habitat as conifer plantations become too mature for woodcocks to find open enough breeding areas.
It can be found in suitable habitat in summer throughout the UK, except for south-west England. In winter, birds are widespread in lowland areas. You would be very lucky to see one, but you may inadvertently disturb one from its resting place, when it flies off, zigzagging between the trees and dropping back into cover.

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