Poor spring

A rubbish week for birding, lots of rain, lower than normal temperatures and more recently heavy rain and high winds.

2 Cuckoos in a garden in the east of Cholsey with at least one roosting overnight as seen early next morning. Also a Club-tailed Dragonfly in the same garden.

Marymead garden has seen a lot of young birds this week with the young of Robin, Song Thrush, Blackbird, House Sparrow, Blue Tit and Great Tit. A Sparrowhawk, Stock Dove and Great-spotted Woodpecker seen every day in the garden along with the other regulars.

Several family groups of Starlings seen feeding in the meadow.

Just hope these youngsters survive!
One observer reported a lot of nests trashed due to the high winds.

Below an email from Andy Gosler says it all about this spring.

“This has been the worst breeding season I have seen in 30 years in Wytham with tit broods dying because of caterpillar shortage and the cold weather. This morning I checked the swifts in the museum tower. They are also suffering with numbers way down - only 26 nests, but 5 of these have no eggs yet. The wind in the tower this morning was horrendous. I just hope we get some warmer weather soon.”

                                
                                    Great-spotted Woodpecker