Spooner Row Message Board

Saw a Barn Owl at dusk last night as it flew over the village hall, over Station Road and carried on over the houses and away. Hoping the habit may remain to give me a view tonight too.

Completed the Big garden birdwatch last week for the RSPB. I have to say the count would have been much better this week since the colder temperatures!

After enjoying Winterwatch, have signed up to the BTO Tawny Owl survey. - https://www.bto.org/volunteer-surveys/project-owl/tawny-owl-calling-survey 

Yes, I should think so. That is a public right of way, I think it is called Dinah's Lane. I hope the footpath sign doesn't get removed?

Siskin on our bird feeder today, a first timer to our garden!

Nice to see this morning that our first housemartin has returned from it's travels...

Spring is truly here...

I've still not heard or seen any flocks of swifts yet in the skies of Spooner Row. I love it when they whizz through the air, apparently, they can fly at 69 mph.

On the subject of swifts, a popular trend now is to incorporate nest boxes into new properties as swifts have declined in numbers by 25% in recent years - are these nesting points being included on the new builds in Spooner Row and Suton? Swifts have been losing nesting areas in the eaves of houses due to energy efficiency legislation and this is a new-build scheme to address the decline in these birds.

That what I was wondering, where are the swifts!??

I'm so pleased! I've seen two Swifts soaring high over Station Road. At last!

It is not nice to use these chemicals and a bit excessive. Couldn't the council/highways people be more nature-friendly around here?

Loads of housemartins nesting in my roof at Chapel Loke. 

I haven't seen any hedgehogs in my garden this year. Has anyone else seen any? 

Very happy to report around 15+ Swifts flying and feeding yesterday!

Also on Wednesday evening a Barn owl was quartering the field next to Top Common.

And glad to be hearing (not often seeing) many more Whitethroats than usual hope this will be a regular occurance during future summers.

Small hedgehog in my garden last night.

small hedgehogs may need help this time of year to build up their fat reserves before hibernating. the RSPCA website has information https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/inthewild/gardenhedgehogs

A few things to report that we've seen over the Christmas period. Firstly there's been a Sparrow hawk frequenting our garden, I even managed to get a photo! Then on a walk, we spotted a pair of Goldcrests in the hedge on Bunwell road. Also, just this afternoon, I was walking on Chapel road, towards the bridge the A11 goes over and the unmanned level crossing, when in the field on my right there was a herd of about 30+ Red deer on the move towards the copse just there. That's a first for me in Spooner Row, never knew they lived around here!

Watched an exciting display by a pair of buzzards over the field next to the river. They joined in flight and wheeled very dramatically before dropping to the ground next to the river. All the time being mobbed by Rooks. I couldn't decide if the pair were fighting or courting!

That's beautiful, Viv. I enjoyed watching a buzzard flying overhead from my garden the other day.

During a walk at the weekend down Guiler's Lane and back via Hill Rd (our 1 exercise outing, keeping social distance) Viv and I  saw / heard several skylarks, buzzards, yellowhammers, a willow warbler, (heard) 2 blackcaps and when we got home some house martins flew over. We have a pair of birds in the garden checking out one of the bird boxes so fingers crossed that it meets their approval. 

How lovely to see so many different birds.

I have noticed several small blue butterflies in my garden.

This evening, I saw the swifts for the first time this year.

Whilst walking round Top Common at the weekend we saw, Swifts, swallows, house martins, whitethroats, linnets as well as all the usual contenders. We also saw a reed bunting which was unusual as these are normally found near water. Last week we saw a red kite fly over Top Common which is a first for us to see one at Spooner Row, a real treat.

We saw two large barn owls hunting in the fields opposite our hoyse the other evening. They have been regular visitors over the years and it was great to see them back again.

We also have several sparrow hawks patroling the skies and i am fairly convinced that buzzards have nested close by. 

We have just been for a walk as it’s hot ,in the dark through the village.All the way round we heard crickets,then in the grass we saw a glow worm .wow what a fascinating creature.

Just near the bridge in the grass.ive goggled it and they only seem to appear June/ July .so was lucky to see as it’s August.

I have seen them there before,the odd one or two.

Yes, I have noticed many fewer bats about.   Could it be that their habitats are being lost, i.e. barns etc. and perhaps their food supply is not so prolific ?    I have seen one or two more in the last week or so.     The bats involved with the Western Link are due for a hard time if the proposed road goes ahead.

That sounds absolutely wonderful, I wish I had seen them. I am not looking forward to houses being built on that field, it will ruin it for the wildlife and the enjoyment of others watching the wildlife.

There's a Little Egret on the field over the railway line right now, been there a while, having a preen just now. (1pm)

On a walk yesterday, we saw plenty of Redwings and Fieldfares around Slutshole lane area. And we've seen lots of small groups of Roe deer on various local walks too. Worth popping to Hill road of an afternoon if you fancy seeing something more unusual. A local man flies a Golden Eagle and a Peregrine falcon/ Saker over the field. An amazing spectacle.

The egrets appear to now prefer the meadow at the back of Chapel Road.  I saw them fly across Monday morning and again on Thursday, this time coming over the council houses from the water meadows, to then drop in past the vineyard.  There is a pond on this land and a couple of times last year this interested a passing heron.

I’ve spotted a male blackcap in the front garden twice during the last couple of weeks. Yesterday he was poking around in a honeysuckle, looking for something to eat. I wonder if he’s regretting being here in this weather as my book says that most blackcaps winter in the Mediterranean or even equatorial Africa!

We have had a Cormarant take up residency on Chapel Rd. 

Pretty good week in the garden ,so far we’ve had a deer , two squirrels retrieving nuts out of our lawn after burying them in the Autumn , two pheasants, a moor hen , and several blue tits going into the nesting boxes. Never a dull moment.

This morning I saw my first Brimstone butterfly of the year feeding on the nectar of a patch of Red Dead Nettles. Spring  has definitely spring!

The collective noun for ladybirds is either a confusion or conspiracy. 

I haven't seen the buzzards around here for a while. Has anyone spotted them recently?

Just back from a walk and enjoying a beautiful sunset, when a flock of around 200 Lapwings flew over and landed in the ploughed field, the first on the right, on Hill Rd. They must roost there perhaps even every night. What a unexpected pleasure!

I love hearing about all the birds and wildlife sightings in and around the village. We are so lucky. 

Hi Viv, great to hear about your bird boxes. We installed a swift box some years ago and each year the swifts fly close by showing interest on their return but they haven't used it as yet as starlings always get there first with their own nests. The starlings seem to pop in there all year round. 

We had our first Green Woodpecker of the year appear in the garden today. Also a visit from one of the resident Squirrels that frequent our bird table  

When I first saw the Swifts in the spring I only counted 6 at the most but now there are at least 20 over Spooner Row. They seem to have had a good year. Very heartening. They ignored my swift box though, however there's always next year!

Also have been putting out extra water for birds and other mammals. 

That's amazing. I love watching the kite that often soars over Spooner Row. We are fortunate to have so many wonderful birds living and breeding locally.

Yesterday evening Paul and I had a walk down Guiler's Lane in the dark and heard in the Wattlefield Stud woods, a Red Deer rut happening. There was a lot of eerie sounds and loud bellowing. Worth a listen if you go that way. It was about 7/7.30 ish.

Well, it's getting quite exciting with the Red Deer rut. Had another cycle ride this evening to find them all in plain view in the field on the opposite side of the road to the entrance to the bridle path Green Lane. There were 20 hinds, and 6 stags (which accounts for the bellowing) One stag dominated the hinds and the other stags paraded about trying, and failing, to muscle in. One smaller stag looked like he had a bit of a limp, maybe in combat! Can't wait to see them again. It's just like it is on Autumnwatch! So lucky to have this on our doorstep.

I love all these local wildlife sightings.

Lovely to see the Little Egrets back! Saw them for the first time this morning. Two of them in the ditch on Station Road. As one of the earliest to nest, they must be beginning to pair up. 

I saw a barn owl yesterday in the late afternoon flying above the field in School Lane. Such a beautiful bird.

We've just had a male Blackcap on our feeder. That's a first for us in the garden! It loved the sunflower hearts.

Good news! The swifts have returned. Only 2 so far that I can see. I notice that Swallows and House Martins are also back but having Swifts in the village is very special.

I've been watching around 8/10 Swifts zooming around. Presuming they include the fledglings as they build up strength to leave in August. They've been swooping very low around our house so hoping they've noticed the Swift box by now. Fingers crossed. I think they are less in numbers this year though. 

I thought I'd share a positive bit of news for the village. There are currently around a dozen Grey Partridges on the ploughed field over the level crossing. This may not sound exciting but the native Grey Partridge is a rarity over the many Red legged Partridges used for game.