April 2023 in Bicknor Wood

There had been a good deal of activity at the bird boxes during March, but that had diminished by the end of the month. April began and progressed with almost no action at all on the boxes.

There is an expected lull when the nest is complete and the eggs are being laid. Both birds bring nesting materials so there is a fair bit of coming and going, but once the female settles down to lay and brood, the boxes appear to go very quiet.

While their clutches are being brooded, half the breeding birds of the wood appear to disappear. Of course they are still there, but keeping still and keeping their eggs warm.

The Blue Tits and Great Tits are very dependent on the caterpillars of Winter Moth and Tetrix Moth, found in the opening oak buds. The English oaks burst their buds by April 21st and feeding of chicks might have been expected to start around that date (First feeding noted during 2022 was April 27th).

First feeding suspected on 26th when birds were seen repeatedly returning to boxes 7 and 15. Feeding confirmed on May 2nd at box 26.

On 23rd April the Great Spotted Woodpeckers were both seen feeding together. This suggested that they had not yet got eggs to brood. Nor had they been observed exploring potential nesting sites up to that date. Mating during previous years was on April 26th (2022) and April 17th (2021).

Both sexes incubate, so nothing can be assumed by seeing the female out of the nest. If both birds are seen out of the nest, the likelihood is that there are no eggs to incubate.

A pair of Robins that nested close to the pond have hatched their brood. Both birds were seen carrying food on 29th.

The Jays have been seen visiting a nesting site close to the Gore Court entrance. They are frequently seen there, but also often noted at the far end of the wood. Could there be two pairs, I wonder?

Chiffchaffs have been seen carrying nesting materials. There are at least 3 breeding pairs, possibly as many as 5.

The first Blackcap was observed on April 9th and heard singing on April 16th The males arrive before the females, the first of which was noted on April 26th. They are only being seen in low numbers this year and the males are not singing lustily.

Beware of Chiffchaffs masquerading as Blackcaps!

A female Mistle Thrush was seen collecting and carrying nesting materials on 26th. She tried to find purchase for her nest in the fork of an Ash tree, but the bark strips that she collected would not stay put.  Mistle Thrushes lay early in the season, sometimes as early as February. They frequently have multiple broods during a season, so this may be her second attempt already this year.

Grey Squirrels don't usually get much airspace on this blog, but sometimes they can be quite endearing.

This one was seen in the hole which is suspected to be the bat roost.

Blossom on the Wild Cherries promises a bumper harvest for fruit-eating birds such as Blackbird, Song Thrush, Mistle Thrush, Jay and Robin.

Wood Anemones have been glorious and the Bluebells are set to give their annual show-stopping performance, providing that they don't get trampled. Please don't trample them.