Winter 2015/16 on Squirrel Hill in Finland

[Olga]

spatz!

The squirrel on the roof looks so fun, the tail is like a furry ball!

+4C today on Squirrel hill today! All snow is melting away.

[Olga]

Happy Valentine's Day!
it's tomorrow but one day here or there

[spatz]

I find your black woodpecker very interesting. I have read that they can be up to 45 cm. not much is at times going on, some Bullfinches, 1 grosbeak and 1 Dendrocopos major. no squirrel.

[Olga]

What a beautiful photo, spatz!

Yes, the Black woodpeckers are huge! Just comparing to this little cutie,
not much much bigger than a great tit!



There are perhaps at least two different LSW individuals on the video. There are some clips from last weeks.
from January:




from yesterday:

[Olga]

Yesterday's sunset it was so RED, it was almost frightening--


I wish I had got a better camera..

[Olga]

Someone on the 30th January:

[Felis silvestris]

Olga, the LSW is really cute. I really hope that you will get to see them breeding in your area!

[Olga]

Yes, Felis, they are very cute! I'm quite sure there are two of them. The cheek of the other one is more 'clean' I mean whiter. We will see!

This morning I saw two Black Woodpeckers at same time. I didn't get both of them on the one and same video, but here is the male!! The female with the red heart on her head was just behind the window glass, and escaped.

[Olga]

Earlier tomorrow, before 8 o`clock I saw four squirrel on the feeder, actually there was a fifth one too, but didn't get it on video:

[spatz]

olga this all sounds very exciting, the spring, it will show. starts at the squirrel already the pairing time?

[Olga]

Spatz, it is probable that the first litters will be delivered soon, anyway the first litter can be delivered in a very early spring time, actually in winter. Their first fur is told to be gray! Of course they stay in the nest for some weeks..

I am a bit worried. How many squirrel is it possible to live in this area?? What should I do?

I have been giving food for squirrels for some years now, and as a result I believe that the number of them has increased in double! Anyway, each of them I have seen, looks healthy and lively, and alert, normal country squirrels.

I think there are now about 10-12 squirrels around here.

The number of small birds has crown too! In this winter we have seen here about 20 Blue tits, as much as Great tits, 2-4 Coal tits, four species of woodpeckers, about ten together, Black birds 10-15, 4-5 Ravens (perhaps less than in the earlier years - they never land close to the house), a little flock of Jackdaws too make noise sometime in the spruces, some two Mag pies, 20-25 Bullfinches visit every other day, and today I saw one lonely Goldfinch!

I think that also Wood pigeons may appear in any day!!

Moose we haven't seen this winter at all, but White tailed deer and Roe deer walk through Squirrel hill every other week, some times in the morning we can see their foot prints around the empty sun flower seed feeder..

I do not forget the Wood mouse! They must be more than I have seen, only two, seldom. - Nappu knows their hiding place! They are too clever to come out from their hide under the stone terrace when Nappu is there sniffing them.

No fox has been seen either, but some rabbits there are and they already have eaten my ''Punavihma'' – Cytisus purpureus - a little bush, a pea plant, decorative while blooming..
but it has been eaten now, again..

[Olga]

Good evening

Happy Birthday Estonia!

[Felis silvestris]

I am a bit worried. How many squirrel is it possible to live in this area?? What should I do?

Nothing, Olga. They will sort themselves out, the more "powerful" will stay and the other will wander away and search for new territories, as it is always in nature. But it all sounds really like a small paradise! Congratulations, enjoy your little world!

By the way, beautiful photo!

[Olga]

Thank you Felis for your comment! I'm thinking about the situation here all the time!

Anyway, it seems to be like balance here with everything! For the moment at least!.. Birds and squirrels and other mammals come and go and they live their lives as is there were no humans present at all! Only that some food appears here and there in all secrecy! Nappu does not 'love' squirrels, but squirrels are used to go elsewhere when needed. All birds are alright, and Nappu has understood that there is no reason to bark to them!

Today I managed to get the fourth woodpecker species on video!

The Gray-headed woodpecker:



The video is not very good. I stood quite far from the window in my room, in the darkness, then I just pushed the button, was not able to change the settings. The bird is extremely alert!

[Olga]

I got one more little video of the Gray-headed Woodpecker! Hopefully it's somewhat better than the first one..





After the Gray-headed WP appeared two more woodpeckers! I was about to go outdoors to tie those fat balls better, but..





Some little blue and some little red..

[Olga]

I have not forgotten squirrels! They are present 'always'. Most often they appear early in the morning. Perhaps they feel more safe then be cause there are some pray birds too, owls & hawks, who knows.. - anyway they do not land to the yard! During seven years I have heard owls calling only by night (despite of a Pygmy owl - eating I don't know what), and seen a Goshawk just a couple of times (eating a Black bird and a Siskin).

Yesterday's squirrels early in the morning, three at same time:

[Birdfriend]

Thank you for the many beautiful pictures and Videos from your vicinity environment.

[Birdfriend]

... But it all sounds really like a small paradise! Congratulations, enjoy your little world!

How true...

[Olga]

It will be spring soon on Squirrel hill!

[Birdfriend]

Is this Mr.Spook?