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Wednesday 16 May 2018

The garden flourishes at last Part 1

Its nearly three years since we moved into our new home in a Sussex village and the first thing we noticed was the lack of small birds. Trying every trick in the book to encourage them to our garden we had little success. It was a general thing for the area which local inhabitants hadn't noticed. Last year we managed to entice a pair of blackbirds which nested next door and successfully raised four chicks. This year they returned and raised another family.
 During this spring a blue tit was attracted to the feeders and spent much time in a sparrow box which had been available for a couple of years.
 To our surprise after it had spent many nights in it we realised that it had a mate and nested in it. The pair are happily feeding a family at the moment.
The brood patch can clearly be seen on this one. Over the past few days the garden has come alive and for the first time we have had starlings, wren, several robins, coal tit, great tit and song thrush. As well as our three hedgehogs and two foxes. It now looks as though my cameras will be working overtime without me leaving  the house.

2 comments:

  1. Nice post Mike. It's very easy to watch everywhere but also remembering that our gardens are also very worthwhile places for wildlife as you are demonstrating.

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    Replies
    1. Fully agree with you Marc, my garden has been so quiet for the past 2-3 years it is wonderful to see it so alive again.

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Mike Attwood - Photographer

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About Me

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Evacuated during the second world war to a village in Yorkshire where I lived in the home of a good photographer for more than five years who taught me the basics and a great deal about nature. Well past retirement age I have been a wildlife photographer for more than 30 years. Red Kites have been my speciality for much of this period. I did spend several years snapping wheelchair athletes and organizing the British Road Race Championship. In the year 2000 I was awarded a distinction by the Royal Photographic Society for my portfolio on wheelchair athletes. Most of my pics are digital, using Sony cameras and Sigma lenses. I used to spend many weeks each year with friends in Wales which is close to the Elan Valleys where I got many of my raptor pics. I now get these pictures more closely to home, specially red kites and peregrines. I support my pension by selling my pics, cards, coasters, fridge magnets and key rings etc. at craft fairs, something I wish I had done much earlier in life. I give illustrated talks to clubs and societies on wildlife and other branches of photography that I have been involved in.