Pontarddulais, Swansea - AM 2/2/03

[ralph]

Short morning walk to see what's what. Partly cloudy, some sun. 7ºC and no wind!

The Usual Suspects


Blackbird
Herring Gull
Coal Tit
Song Thrush
Blue Tit
Jackdaw
Crow
Chaffinch
Robin
Raven (2)
Little Egret (1)
Grey Heron
Cormorant
Willow Warbler (Singing)
Wren
Magpie
Dunnock
Collared Dove
Greenfinch

[Ashley beolens]

I said it before and I'll say it again, it must be spring if the willow warblers are singing

[Yve_M]

Forgive me my ignorance but do these warblers not sing during the winter or have they just arrived in your area from warmer climes and are announcing their arrival? Glad to hear somewhere it is spring! We just received buckets of the white stuff, gonna go snowshoeing and see if I can find the Black-backed Three-toes Woodpecker I saw the other day.

[Ashley beolens]

sorry, no its not spring, yet not really, and no the warblers over here do not sing all year round, only when trying to attract a mate usually.

[Yve_M]

That is sad, I can't imagine what my long winters would be like if I couldn't hear the birds singing every morning. I realize some of their vocalizations are different during courtship but not to sing during the winter, too much! Hmmm, makes me wonder about all the feathers that go south from here - how many are silent until migration and mating time arrives?

[Ashley beolens]

Other birds still sing all year like thrushes, its just we don't get many warblers summering here, although chiffchaffs and blackcaps are steadily growing in numbers (the latter had a good article on Birdguides recently all about them wintering here and those that do being more successful in breeding).