With fewer guests and dogs, the Wheatland Farm birds are nesting all over the place this spring…
….including just above a shaded outside tap. These chicks are getting big now, so we’re steering clear for fear of ‘erupting’ them out of their nest too early. This thrush nest probably belongs to the song thrush we were hearing singing at dusk, back in February.
We’re pleased to see it breeding around the eco lodges as song thrushes are on the UK Red List of birds showing serious declines in numbers. We had a supporters email from the RSPB just yesterday, listing them:
Wheatland Farm has 8 of these 67 birds either as residents or frequent seasonal visitors: redwing, woodcock, willow tit, marsh tit, fieldfare, yellowhammer, starling, and house sparrow. (Amazing and scary to see such common birds as starling and house sparrow on the list). Additionally, we’ve recently seen grey wagtail, and we hear skylarks in summer.
The thrush is a lot more nervous of us than our resident blackbirds, who are also thriving. There’s a blackbird nest in the building where the kids’ bikes are kept (it’s hidden away in the ivy at the back) and another jammed precariously between the pipes above the door to Beech Lodge. None in the bike basket this year though!
The nest above the eco lodge door is taking a risk as it won’t survive new guests arriving. As soon as we noticed it we checked it out and it already had 4 eggs – a decent clutch. But since what was a while ago we reckon the family has a decent chance of making it all the way to fledging before lockdown eases enough for guests to be using Beech Lodge again.
Elsewhere, the nuthatches are busy feeding chicks outside Honeysuckle Lodge, just as they did last year, and various cheeps and chirps can be heard from the eaves of all the lodges.
We wish you were here to enjoy it all with us, but at least Wheatland Farm is still home to all the wildlife you love.