Aspenwood Holiday Cottage

Woodpecker rescue...

We were enjoying a nice relaxed breakfast looking at all the birds gently feeding when the great spotted woodpecker descended on the suet ball hanging from the tree near the window. He is always a joy to watch as he is rather large and colourful and not seen very often due to his occasional fleeting visit. Suddenly the predatory sparrowhawk swooped from behind and surprised him and us. The woodpecker crashed into the window and the sparrowhawk flew off to seek another target.Luckily the woodpecker bounced off the glass and landed in the pile of softish snow head first. Quickly donning wellies and a coat I found the stunned bird and attempted to lift him out of the snowdrift. He ungratefully showed his thanks by squawking at me so loudly that I thought gloves would offer me more protection from his sharp long beak.

I quickly carried him across to the safety of the bird table and even put the suet ball in reach in case he was hungry.Several birds attempted to land on the table but were quite amazed to find it occupied by a rather unusual species.

He was really stunned and we were quite worried although we did see his head move now and again. He sat for a good hour before a big fat blackbird landed and caused him to come to his senses. We were very pleased to see him actually move up the strut of the bird table even though he did attempt to peck at the wooden structure.

After a few minutes he flew across to the trees nearby and we breathed a sigh of relief...Woody Woodpecker lives to fight another day.

Labels: birds, great spotted woodpecker

Feed the birds.

We have now been snowed in for 2 weeks with more forecast over the next few days along with freezing temperatures. We had a blizzard yesterday for most of the day.We cannot get our car to the top road and have relied on our guests and neighbours for a lift into Inverness for basic provisions. Our guests have had to leave their cars between the top gate and the road as the lane down to the cottage had nearly one foot of snow laying on it. The Hogmanay celebrations in Inverness were cancelled due to the extreme weather conditions and treacherous roads.

I have given up trying to defrost the bird bath and it is now used as a feeding station after noticing that the birds have been eating/drinking the snow. In this weather you realise that the birds really rely on you for food and we have counted 17 different species at the various feeding stations dotted around the garden. Most are present all year round, some are winter visitors and a few rare ones were spotted.

The species ranged from Britain's tiniest bird, the goldcrest weighing in at just 5g and measuring 8.5cms from beak to tail, to the predatory sparrowhawk which can weigh up to 400g and can be 35cms in length.

Between these two extremes we have seen coal tits, blue tits, long tailed tits, great tits, siskins, robins, chaffinch, dunnock, greenfinch, goldfinch, blackbird, great spotted woodpecker and a rare visitor- the fieldfare. Also the ever present pheasants and hooded crow. Guests at Aspenwood and a neighbour reported seeing a rare snow bunting in their gardens.

They all need feeding.

Labels: birds

White Christmas

It started snowing here on Saturday 19th December and we have had flurries and heavy showers ever since, even snowing on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. It was really magical especially as we were watching the Bing Crosby film 'White Christmas' as the snow actually fell giving us and our guests a real White Christmas. Our guests have had to leave their cars at the top of the lane leading down to the cottage as the snow is just under one foot deep. The temperatures are well below zero during the day now with the threat of -10C tonight. Look at the forecast for the Highlands. Beautiful as it is we have not been able to get out in the car since last Tuesday as the driveway is sheet ice and the side roads are treacherous.

Birds have been well fed and the deer and red squirrels have turned up now and again.

Enjoy the photos..... view the slideshow.
HAPPY NEW YEAR to all who enjoy this cottage diary.

Labels: birds, snow, squirrel

Long tailed tits arrive.

Very cold today with freezing fog drifting down the Great Glen from the west. For a few hours in the late morning the fog cleared revealing a clear blue sky with snow still laying on the mountain tops opposite. We wrapped up warm with the intention of clearing our gutters of debris but found that the leaves in the gutters were actually frozen to the plastic pipes and also the hose was frozen. We had a quick vote and abandoned the idea and decided to wait until the temperature was at least over zero. While we were inside warming up with a special coffee we noticed a flock of long tailed tits arriving on the nut feeders and suet balls...their first appearance this winter.

See them in action.

Labels: birds, long tailed tits

Sparrowhawk at Aspenwood.

While we were doing the changeover at Aspenwood Cottage yesterday we noticed this magnificent sparrowhawk sitting in the aspen tree outside the lounge window. He was watching the bird feeders along the fence with anticipation but all the birds had seen him coming and were well away. He stayed for a while and dried himself off by fluffing out his tail feathers. The male sparrowhawk is quite smaller than the female of the species which is rather unusual in animal life.
While we were at the cottage we had arranged for two new bathroom blinds and a new vertical blind to be fitted in the main bedroom. As we were taking down the old fittings in the master bedroom a red squirrel ran along the fence during an interval in the showers and munched away at the peanut feeders. Unfortunately the fitter drew up in his van and this noise was enough to scare away Cyril the squirrel...but at least they are still about.

Labels: birds, sparrowhawk, squirrel

Spot the Buzzard.

Yesterday dawned clear and bright so we went into Inverness to collect a few items. As we were driving back home along the shoreline of Loch Ness a buzzard swooped low in front of the car and quickly disappeared into the woodland. They are unmistakable as they have a wingspan of between 3 to 5 feet depending on their age. A bit further on we passed another one sitting absolutely still in a tree, only spotting him as we drove past. By now I had the camera actually ready and sure enough another buzzard flew across the road and rested on a nearby branch in the forest. He remained absolutely motionless and blended magnificently into the woodland scene with perfect camouflage.

Labels: birds, buzzard, Loch Ness

Pheasant family.

The family of 7 pheasant chicks we first saw in June as little bundles of fluffy feathers have now grown. They still go round together as a family and we can now see there are 4 females and 3 males. Mother pheasant is always vigilant even though they are as big as her now.

They strolled up the driveway yesterday and rummaged in the vegetation under the bird feeders. Mother stayed at the top of the driveway keeping an eye out for any possible danger. After a long while she gave a high pitched call and they all ran towards her, although there was one stubborn male lagging behind.

Our guests staying in Aspenwood said they looked forward to the pheasants daily circular tour of the cottage each morning. The males are still a bit scruffy but in the next few months they will hopefully smarten their appearance if they want to attract the local girls.

Labels: birds, pheasants

Great spotted woodpecker.

While we were talking to our new guests yesterday evening in the cottage and looking out of the window at the view the great spotted woodpecker suddenly alighted on the nut feeder outside the lounge window. Our guests were thrilled as they had not seen one at such close quarters before. We have often seen him on our feeders and it is good to know that he really puts himself about the area.

Labels: birds, great spotted woodpecker

Where have all the sunflowers gone?

Every morning lately we are greeted with the high pitched squeaking noise of a swarm of siskin finches waiting for the sunflower heart feeders to be topped up. They wait noisily in the nearby trees until I replenish the feeders and then they attach themselves for dear life to the roundabout nearly biting my hand off in the process. The rather scraggy speckled youngsters make the highest pitched noise. We've had to buy another feeder as our regular popular visitor is Cyril the squirrel who scares the birds away by his sheer size and acrobatic skills. We have a stream of squirrels visit during the day but they all go by the name of Cyril.

In winter the coat is thick and red and it has a very bushy tail and long ear tufts. Now in Summer their coat is turning lighter in colour ready for the warmer weather and the ear tufts are smaller and pale. We can identify the different squirrels by their ear tufts as some have got a few whispy hairs remaining on their ears.

The squirrels are very impatient and will try the nut feeders as well as the bird table for anything else to eat until the catering service is open for business.

Fascinating red squirrel facts.

Labels: birds, squirrel

Bullfinches at Aspenwood.

On Saturday at Aspenwood we suddenly saw the unmistakable brilliant flash of a bullfinch by the car port.

He was soon joined by a female and was very protective of his partner, even fiercely chasing off another admirer before returning to her side and watching over her.

We watched fascinated as they collected feathers from the dandelions for their nest.

Labels: aspenwood, birds, bullfinch

The siskin roundabout.

This month has seen the arrival of swarms of colourful siskins, one of the smaller members of the finch family. The male is a bright yellow-green with a black crown and the females are more streaked and less yellow in colour. In the breeding season they build their nests in coniferous woodland. At one time the species was confined to the pine forests of the Scottish Highlands but the 20th century practice of pine planting in Britain has greatly benefited the siskin and they are now seen more commonly throughout the country. They feed on the seeds of pine and spruce trees in Spring and early Summer although the crowd in our garden have taken a great fancy to the sunflower hearts in the feeder. Ray designed the tray underneath it to catch any food and stop it falling down onto the ground as we do not want to feed all the mice in the forest as well. The tray tends to act like a roundabout and increases in speed with the volume of birds on it...great fun to watch.

Labels: birds, siskin, siskins

Greenfinch.

Just when we thought that Spring was around the corner the weather this week has been alternating between rain and snow. At the moment you cannot see across to the other side of Loch Ness as the blizzard is almost horizontal with the strong winds. It is about 3C but the good news is that double figures are forecast for Wednesday so we might be able to escape for a day out then. We had a pre-arranged appointment with a person from VisitScotland last week and after a lengthy look everywhere in the cottage we were told that Aspenwood was awarded a top 4 star. We also had a visit from a greenfinch on the nut feeders which was a bit more exciting and much more relaxing. The chaffinch seemed a little bit intimidated by him and that menacing powerful beak. In this weather the birds and squirrels need feeding more than ever as their natural food source has not hatched yet. Purchased a 25kg sack of peanuts which should keep the wildlife going for a while.

Labels: birds, greenfinch

Chill out in the Highlands.

The snow has been laying for a week now and because of the overnight frost and cold temperatures it has been really icing up. Today we went up to Aspenwood and cleared the lane down to the cottage and the path to the back steps with 6 bags of rocksalt and a lot of sweat. Also topped up the nut feeders for the squirrels and birds...although we do not have guests staying at the moment these creatures still rely on us for food in this very cold weather. Unlike the grey squirrels, the reds do not hibernate and can be seen all year round. Had a slight flurry of snow earlier on today and the temperatures have been well below freezing all day. Last night we experienced an amazing pink sunset followed by a night full of stars. We have seen some dramatic sky scenes recently and living here is always beautiful whatever the weather...although the coal fire and whisky are always welcome in these chilly temperatures.

Labels: birds, ice, snow, squirrels

RSPB Bird Watch

The weekend of 24th-25th January is the Big Garden Birdwatch.
As a member of the RSPB we were asked to record the highest number of each species of bird seen at any one time in the garden during one hour this weekend. This helps the organisation learn more about the various birds and how they are faring throughout the country. After putting out a variety of foods at the feeding stations it was very relaxing to sit down and watch the different species come to eat. During the hour I recorded; blackbirds, blue tits, chaffinches, coal tits, dunnocks, goldcrests, great tits, long tailed tits, robins and a treecreeper.

I did spot an unusual male Blackcap in the shrubbery and got quite excited when it actually landed on the bird table. It was an aggresive little thing and did not like sharing the food.
Watch it in action.

Labels: birds, birdwatch, blackcap, rspb

Goldcrest on the move.

The tiny goldcrest is the smallest bird in the UK and therefore usually quite difficult to actually see. It feeds on insects and spiders underneath vegetation but this cheeky female has developed a taste for the peanuts in the feeders. She has also been spotted on the fat balls hanging from the branches. They flit about very quickly and we have not had them in the garden before - or have we ? See her enjoying breakfast.

Labels: birds, goldcrest

Goldcrest returns

The goldcrest is Britain's smallest bird,even smaller than the wren and weighing about one quarter of an ounce therefore making it quite difficult to spot in the garden. They tend to scurry rapidly around tree trunks and vegetation, rarely keeping still.This one certainly didn't want to pose for a photo shoot.I happened to notice a slight movement in a bush nearby while I was outside and then spotted the female goldcrest darting in and out of the shrubbery foraging for insects and spiders. The female has a yellow crest on the head while the male has a distinctive bright orange crest. Both have double whitish wing bars making them appear like miniature chaffinches. They do seem to thrive in coniferous woodland and their numbers are always severely reduced by a severe winter so let's hope they find enough to eat in the garden. Will keep a lookout for the male of the species.

Labels: birds, goldcrest, wren

Long tailed tits..

The colder winter weather heralds the arrival of the long tailed tits. These delightful birds are easily recognisable by their long black and white tail which is longer than their body. Their body is black and white with delicate pinkish tones with black button like eyes. They go about in noisy flocks of up to 20 birds. As we were watching the other birds gently feeding on the sunflower hearts a gang of long tailed tits suddenly flew out of the forest and descended on the fat ball hanging from the bird table until it was almost impossible to see any of the ball. After a few seconds they all zoomed off in a flurry of wings to the next feeding post.

Check out more information on the long tailed tits and see them in action.

Labels: birds, long tailed tits

Long Tailed Tits are back in the garden.

The distinctive sound of a flock of long tailed tits calling to each other was heard well before they appeared out of the trees and fluttered between the nut feeders and fat balls. They are easily recognisable by their small round pinkish tinged body and a very narrow long black and white edged tail, the longest tail of any British bird in proportion to its body. They did not stay for long and soon zoomed off to their next destination.
See them in action.

Labels: birds, long tailed tits

Goldfinch.

A colourful goldfinch visited the nut feeder on the fence at Aspenwood on Saurday morning...a welcome sight as we do not see many of these although they are now becoming more common as garden birds. There are several bird books as well as a pair of binoculars in the cottage for guests to use to get a closer look at the various bird life that visit the table and feeders and bird bath.

The goldfinch had a good feed and totally ignored the numerous playful red squirrels chasing each other along the fence and feeding on the adjacent feeder. The collective noun for goldfinches is a charm...what else could it be ?

Another cheeky squirrel really enjoyed the peanuts that were scattered on the ground by the side of the bird bath. The deer didn't say much !

Labels: aspenwood, birds, goldfinch, red, squirrel

Watch the birdie.

Lots of bird activity in the garden this week - with the usual arrivals of siskins, chaffinches, robins, dunnocks, blackbirds and most members of the tit family. Our first baby robins have been spotted on the bird table and a collared dove came to sit on the roof of the bird house. The great spotted woodpecker has landed on the nuts very fleetingly and the hungry sparrowhawk has been zooming around and scattering all the bird life for hours.

We have seen two quite rare visitors. The first was a pair of brightly coloured bullfinches flitting about on the shrubbery and eating the young blueberries.

Yesterday afternoon we spotted the magnificent osprey hovering over Loch Ness right in front of the house. Unfortunately it was quickly attacked by a family of hooded crows who are nesting nearby. Even though it was much bigger it conceded to the rowdy gang and flew away.

On both occasions I had to be very quick with the camera and only had time to take one photo. Hopefully there will be many more sightings and I shall be ready.

Labels: birds

Siskins everywhere.

A new hatch of mottled baby siskins have been descending on the bird table regularly now and quickly devour everything in sight. The male of this species has bright yellow-green plumage with a distinct black patch on the head and some other dark streaks. It was once admired so much it was kept as a cage bird under the name of 'aberdevine'.

They are present all year round in Scotland and thrive here mainly because of the abundance of their favourite habitat of coniferous woodland.The female of the species is less brightly coloured and rather drab.The siskin is a member of the finch family and is closely related to the goldfinch.

Labels: birds

The Snow Geese.

Driving back home from Inverness on the Daviot road yesterday we were very surprised to see so much snow remained in the fields and hills. Parked up and sat and watched the very young lambs staying very close to their mothers warm fleecy coats and listened to the plaintive cry of the curlews circling above. The farmers flock of geese had left their paddock and were out in the snowy field.

Had a flurry of snow here this morning but now the sun is shining, the sky is blue with a few white clouds and there is a stunning reflection in the water of Loch Ness.

Labels: birds

Sparrowhawk spotted.

Due to the vast number of birds that we feed on our new bird table it is not too surprising that the predatory sparrowhawk is in the vicinity. However,we designed the table with a hawk-proof roof so the smaller birds are quite safe eating. The other day the sparrowhawk unfortunately entered the air space of the family of hooded crows who have lived in Farigaig Forest for as long as we've lived here and he was attacked very noisily, eventually retreating to a tree until they had gone.

Labels: birds

Designer bird table

The wintery weather has finally blown away and the less chilly, lighter, longer days have arrived at last. Ray and I enthusiastically disappeared into the garage armed with our design for the new bird table. The original old bird platform is rotten and very near collapse and if I put another hook into the upright for a new bird feeder - it will!
We had alot of fun and and a bit of brain-scratching working out how to surmount problems but we were very pleased with the final result. The new upright is a beautiful length of silver birch we inherited from when we had the trees cut down at the front enabling us to have a supurb panoramic view of Loch Ness. We decided it was very important to have a roof this time to deter the noisy hooded crows as well as the predatory sparrowhawk.

The height of the roof allows the larger blackbirds to swoop in and out, stopping to gather as much bread as they can in their beaks before flying off with a cackle. The table is big enough to contain a tray for bread, a seed and sunflower dish and and a frying pan that doubles as a bird bath and water station.

Went to the local garden centre and bought a few colourful additions to brighten up the struts at ground level.

Maisie took a shine to Henry the Heron.

I do wonder if we feed the birds too much? What do you think?

Labels: birds

Cottage Diary - Aspenwood self catering luxury Holiday Cottage overlooking Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland.

Monday, January 04, 2010

Woodpecker rescue...

Saturday, January 02, 2010

Feed the birds.

Monday, December 28, 2009

White Christmas

Friday, December 04, 2009

Long tailed tits arrive.

Friday, November 27, 2009

Sparrowhawk at Aspenwood.

Thursday, November 19, 2009

Spot the Buzzard.

Sunday, September 20, 2009

Pheasant family.

Sunday, August 16, 2009

Great spotted woodpecker.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

Where have all the sunflowers gone?

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Bullfinches at Aspenwood.

Friday, April 24, 2009

The siskin roundabout.

Sunday, March 08, 2009

Greenfinch.

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Chill out in the Highlands.

Sunday, January 25, 2009

RSPB Bird Watch

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Goldcrest on the move.

Friday, January 09, 2009

Goldcrest returns

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Long tailed tits..

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Long Tailed Tits are back in the garden.

Saturday, November 15, 2008

Goldfinch.

Friday, June 27, 2008

Watch the birdie.

Friday, June 13, 2008

Siskins everywhere.

Friday, April 11, 2008

The Snow Geese.

Monday, April 07, 2008

Sparrowhawk spotted.

Monday, March 31, 2008

Designer bird table

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