Langham in Rutland
Birds
Walking around the village at any time of year, much birdsong can be heard and many gardens are home or feeding stations to a great variety of species. The common garden birds recorded are house sparrow, blackbird, starling, dunnock, wren, blue, great and coal tit. All produce good numbers of young during the season. In the summer many nesting house martins and swallows arrive, although these have declined in numbers in recent years. Of the larger varieties there are always birds such as rooks, magpies, and collared doves around. Kestrels and sparrowhawks are also commonly seen. In the fields little owls and tawny owls have often nested. Barn owls have bred only rarely, but are heard in an evening. Skylarks too can be heard and watched high up in the sky in springtime, but as with many farmland birds, the numbers have declined. There is a delight in seeing the striking colour of the yellowhammer, the small flocks of linnets flying over the fields, and the less easily spotted whitethroats that sing from the hedges. Large flocks of golden plover are sometimes seen in the winter, accompanied by lapwings. Along the stream a kingfisher may appear briefly, or come and perch in a garden. As with all nature watching, there is always the thrill of seeing less common species, particularly when they come to your own garden, and for these there is a long list, which includes warblers, woodpeckers, redwings and fieldfares and occasionally, siskins and the tiny goldcrest.
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