As I was walking past Weatherhill this morning I saw several Rooks fly by with something large in their beaks. Closer examination revealed them to be pine cones. I know that Rooks stash acorns in the same way that Jays do but I've never seen or heard of them stashing pine cones.
A bit of research later I found that they do indeed eat and store pine cones through winter! Who knew? Well certainly not me until now.
I followed the birds to the source of their food and took a few pics.
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| Rook with pine cone |
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| Rook landing in pine tree |
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| Rook plucking a pine cone |
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| as above |
By the gate from the track to Weatherhill I met a Roe deer that stared at me for a while then ran towards the wire fence. Rather than elegantly leaping the fence and disappearing as they usually do, this one stopped, looked at me then tried an almost standing jump over the fence. Lucky it wasn't barbed wire as it bounced off the top wire and landed where it came from.
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| A bemused Roe deer |
It ran off looking no worse for its fall from grace.
The set aside sunflowers are providing seeds galore for the birds, with some of them already nearly stripped of their seeds.
Along the hedgerow nearby I counted 5 Chiffchaffs as they flew from an elderflower bush. I'd already heard 4 Chiffies singing as I went past the wood.
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| Chiffchaff |
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