Three Amigo's Birding

• Monday, July 27, 2009 - Garden Update

A few unusual events of late prompted me to record a few recent garden observations. On Thursday last, I watched a male Blackbird down by the pond. I assumed it was either going to take a drink or have a bathe. Imagine my surprise when it darted its head forward Egret like and came up with a female Smooth/Common Newt, which it then took up onto the lawn to dispatch. I have to say at this point I intervened by walking towards the bird. The Blackbird flitted into a nearby bush and I then picked up the Newt and placed it back into the pond. Then on Saturday morning I was again watching the pond early morning with a brew when a female House Sparrow landed on a Reed stem and plucked off a recently emerged Southern Hawker Dragonfly. The Dragonfly was still waiting for its wings to dry when it became very quick meal for the Sparrow, despite its size. Unfortunately neither event above was recorded on my camera. The male blackbird was feeding a juvenile which is the latest of five in the garden spread over the season. The House Sparrows have done really well this year raising seven or eight broods in total from my garden. Including the pair which took residence of the prefab House Martin nest. Dunnocks have also done well with three or four broods in the garden. Fingers crossed for House Martins next season. That said this is the worst year for them around the estate since I moved here in the mid nineties. By this time of year back then we would be seeing around 100 birds in the air, with nests on both side of my house. This year I have not seen more than half a dozen overhead together. With no nests on the house for the past four years. Still plenty of Frogs around the garden, Including one individual which some how climbed/jumped into my birdbath on Friday night!

Juvenile Blackbird No 4, 11 Jun 2009

Dunnock near to the pond, 25 Jul 2009Common Frog and Garden Snail in the birdbath, 24 July 2009

Common Frog in the more usual location; the garden pond

Grey Wagtail, 25 Jul 2009, (unfortunately not in the garden but adjacent to Chesapeake Mill in Wickam) Being a dutiful son taking my folks shopping. A nice place actually with a little Naval history tucked in.

Steve Copsey

• Monday, July 27, 2009 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Mark

Mate, just the head of the frog is a great phot. superb !

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• Tuesday, July 28, 2009 - Blackbirds and tadpoles

Posted by Tony T

The pair of Blackbirds in our garden, along with the resident Magpie and I suspect Robin as well, know that there is a plentiful supply of tadpoles at the surface of our garden pond in early spring. Each year I end up having to place chicken wire over half the pond to give the tadpoles a chance of survival. I'm not sure if any did survive this year. I haven't seen any bird eat the frog's spawn though which is often there to be had.
No doubt birds that visit ponds for a drink can't help but notice the easy pickings to be had at the that time of year as the young tadpoles congregate at the edge of the pond.
I suspect your Blackbirds have found the same food source and learned that there are newts to be had as well.
Earlier in the year I saw similar behaviour at Fort Fareham from a Blackbird that was stood on a half submerged branch in the moat. However, on that occasion I think the prey item was water shrimp that were on the weed it pulled out on to the branch. The Blackbird did fall in to the water a couple of times but there was so much weed that it just clambered out and carried on. The behaviour isn't unlike a Blackbird sifting through leaf litter and surface soil for food.

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