Birds galore as winter brings varied flocks to the neighbourhood

SOME days the skies seem empty. Just the occasional passing crow or woodpigeon. But at this time of year, peering out at the garden from my desk, I can’t keep up with everything buzzing about.

Squadrons of starlings up to thirty strong pass overhead in tight formation, and occasionally land on the silver birch at the far end of the garden – neatly spaced side-by-side the way they do.

Then there are redwings, which are more disorganised as flocks, drifting by, joined by fellow thrushes the fieldfares, fewer in number.

And on the lawn, my daily scatterings of bird seed have brought blackbirds in abundance – up to eight at a time.

Numbers of UK blackbirds are boosted by several million over winter as migrants flood in from northern and eastern Europe to escape colder weather, so I have no idea whether those frequenting my west Devon garden are local or European in origin.

During the spring and summer breeding season, territorial pairs would not tolerate their fellow kind on their patch. Interesting, then, to observe three male blackbirds happily feeding alongside one another.

I say happily, but they do seem to spend most of their time trying to hog the food supply.

There are chaffinches in the mix as well, with their telltale white shoulder markings, and hopefully winter will bring their close northern cousin the brambling to this part of the UK. They are more orangey than chaffinches, and have a white patch on the rump, where the tail meets the body, which is visible in flight.

Feed the birds regularly and you are guaranteed plenty of avian company over winter – with the promise of a surprise or two. Let me know if you see anything unusual.