Garden and country

At home in the garden this morning at about eight o'clock, there was a little brown thing singing in the tree top. I think it was a Robin. There were three others and a few Sparrows.
Then some Jackdaws appeared, looking over the fence for seed, the lady next for must have been about.
Down at the allotment, early about eight thirty, there were some Red Kite and singers.
It was cold down there out in the country, but sunny and I got plenty of digging done.
It always helps to have singing when digging:)

Springlike

It was springlike today, though winter isn't over yet.
Cold easterly winds are predicted for later this week.
It was lovely!
Lots of little choristers around in the hedgerow trees, Sparrows, Wrens, and other LBJs, I was not certain I could identify with confidence.
One enormous Red Kite and lots of my favourites-Rooks, were about too.
Rooks are my favourites, or at least one of my favourites, I have so many.

A Fanfare of Fieldfares

Three o'clock today at the allotment.  A beautiful vista of country delights.
I was welcomed by a fanfare of Fieldfares chattering in the Hawthorn trees.
Another Kestrel, as yesterday, too busy to notice me.
I noticed him and enjoyed him, he was quite close.

Rough weather walk

Wet and windy, north westerly wind I believe.
Skylarks and Blue Tits singing.
I crept up on a Kestrel, he didn't hear me coming due to the wind direction.

Then a Blackbird, who thought it was later than it was, sang beautifully!

My allotment needs so much attention.
Got to start in earnest tomorrow and be at it all week.

Teacher, teacher

A Great Tit is giving it some. He is so vocal and insistent, I think he has gone a little mad.
He is in my 'new' garden, reduced in its supply of nesting places. I hope the Tits find somewhere.

It is fresh and bright this morning after a little early rain.

Not much about today

Today at 4.30 pm, the temperature is 6 degrees and the wind has veered to a more southerly direction.
It is comparatively mild.

The usual suspects are here: Sparrows, Chaffinches and Red-legged Partridge..

There are some sweet little things singing on a wire where there are always sweet little things singing!

I never take my binoculars  when I do this walk every day, but I will have to from now on if I ever want to identify them. There were Rooks , but a complete absence of the ever numerous Red Kite.

A lovely evening for a walk, but not much birdlike in evidence.

Waxwing

I was out for my normal walk today.
I set off about 15.50.

I went first down Mill Lane, up to the allotments and back.

It was cold, no more than 4 degrees all day.
It was quite windy and that made my eyes water.


Anyway to get back to the Waxwing.

I saw it in the village as I returned today by the same route.

He caught my eye as he was rather unusual and very handsome.

I made a mental note of his head crest, black throat and dark eyes with white flashes.

Instinctively I knew ; Waxwing, but I needed to be sure.

Positive confirmation achieved on my return home.


He was alone: body feathers were brown but his crest and throat colours were vivid.
He was at shoulder height in a bush. My memory on these points are sketchy, but I think he was eating berries? Please don't ask me what berries they were, as I could be inventing this part of the observation.

I so enjoyed watching him, even though it was through tears running due to the cold.

Will upload photo tomorrow!