Horndean provides an excellent range of habitats for birds. There is an increase in urban development. Many local residents are nowgardening for wildlife and regularly feeding the birds. On the downside many also feed and attract grey squirrels and keep at least one cat. We are all only a short distance from woodlands, grasslands and the chalk downs fairly well connected with mature hedgerows so Horndean is quite a haven for birds. Apart from cats the biggest urban threat is the housing density with little or no garden or trees left but in the more rural areas there is a marked improvement in the retention and management of hedgerows.

During this winter our garden has been visited daily by 7 blackbirds at a time and they are now getting very bold. Song thrushes fill the garden with their song in the dark January mornings but are usually chased away by the blackbirds and also vulnerable to cats.We are frequently visited by Long-tailed tits, a family of five chaffinches but not the usual greenfinches. The overall number of visitors is a little down this winter, even the sparrows are down from 9 to about 3 regulars.

This survey is run by the British Trust for Ornithology and is now carried out by thousands ofgarden-owners throughout the country. I joined this survey in January 1999. There is an annual sub. of £12 towards their expenses. For this you get recording forms and a most informative magazine 4 times a year, which contains up to date information and articles including analysis of results. Full details on their website.

Here are pictures of some of our regular visitors to our garden in Victory Avenue (now surrounded by housing development).

Robin

Collared Doves

Nuthatch

Blackcap

and here are some of our less frequent visitors, nearly all photographed from the comfort of indoors!

Sparrow Hawk on lawn with remains of a pigeon	Bullfinch	Nuthatch	Strange parrot on verge by gate
Wood pigeon	Great Tit	Mallard Ducks by pond

Over the last two years there has been a steady increase in the number of House Sparrows from 4 to over 12 regularly visiting and frequently there are 6 Blackbirds (3 pairs), one of the females has several white feathers, equally positioned on left and right sides. Coal tits, Great tits, Long-tailed tits and Nuthatches are all regulars and our smallest visitors are Wrens and Goldcrests all of which have nested within our plot although sadly magpies made short work of the Long-tailed tits nest. There are Dunnocks, Chaffinches, Bullfinches (4 regulars) and Greenfinches (decline since summer 06) Amongst our very occasional visitors are herons and mallard ducks (usually at tadpole time) A greater spotted woodpecker called last Dec.06 to 'hammer' at a dead conifer that we have left standing. Green woodpeckers used to visit and a rare visitor was a woodcock and a merlin zoomed through the garden after dragonflies, making a very load call. Our ponds are a great added attraction for birds (and bats) and the birds all add great interest to gardening. The only unwanted visitors are the increasing number of cats and grey squirrels that are additionally damaging the oak trees.

Regular visitors and residents in the open countryside included during 2007 the following :-

Skylarks - At least 3 pairs in the Blendworth fields and usually in Catherington fields.

Green Woodpeckers - A Horndean speciality always at Dell Piece West, Hazleton Common and Lovedean

Swallows and Swifts - Regularly nest in out-buildings at Catherington

Tawny Owls and Little Owls - Heard rather than seen, frequent in Victory Avenue in winter and little owls are often seen in oak trees over Hinton way.

Stonechats are always around at Hazleton Common and on one occasion a Dartford Warbler.

Yellow Hammer on Blendworth hedgerow (sycamore) in July 2007

There are plenty of little brown jobs (LBJs) but I am no good at identifying them, meadow pipits being one of the commonest. Up to last year Yellow Hammers were always around at Blendworth and Catherington and Chiff-chaffs are frequent, both of these species I can recognise the song!

For completeness I should add crows, jackdaws (many squabbling in the old beech at Catherington Down - 2 Jan 07) rooks, wood pigeons, turtle doves (CD), kestrels, sparrow hawks, buzzards and very occasionally sea-gulls. There were very few Starlings, Redwings or Fieldfares in 2006.