Early March produced the first really significant snowfall we've had in South Wales over the last few years.
This year up until this event numbers of passerine species visiting my garden and bird feeding station had been a bit thin on the ground. Perhaps the avian flu pandemic had hit them hard I was thinking, but the snow and freezing conditions brought them out in force with good numbers of the usual suspects back at my feeders gorging on the seeds peanuts and other birdy food I put out for them.
A very nice surprise was this female Brambling that popped in amongst the Chaffinches to top up it's fat reserves before it sets off back up to Scandinavia where it breeds. It must have felt it was back up North with the wintery blast we've just had.
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| brambling |
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| and another |
Here's a selection of other images taken on the day.
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| great tit |
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| male chaffinch |
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| dunnock |
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| male reed bunting |
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| male reed bunting |
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| great spotted woodpecker |
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| and another |
With Spring being just around the corner and the start of the breeding season for some species already here in March, though the bulk of birds usually breed between the months of April to June. This icy blast from the North has I suspect knocked them back a bit.
