BIRDS * WILDLIFE**PLACES OF INTEREST

Only 8 months since the last snow

2010-11-29T13:50:00.002Z

No blogs during the summer as I spent a lot of time in the garden.Now winter is back with a vengeance and too much too soon.After being snowbound for 4 days we spent 3 hours digging our way out of the drive to get much needed provisions for ourselves and the birds.Thank goodness we did as we are once again snowed in.But at least our feathered friends will be fed.

2010-02-12T14:50:00.002Z

visitors returned for more berries.Same six waxwings came back today.
wonder if they will be back tomorrow?

2010-02-11T16:52:00.002Z

not very clear shots through the window but I was delighted to see these birds sitting on the wires above my garden then dropping down to feed on the berries on one of my bushes.A first for me.Always thought they were a larger bird.How pretty they are.

2010-01-06T22:08:00.002Z

poor birds having trouble finding the seed

this little chap went for the easy feed on the table

under this lot is my waterfall and stream, no longer operational due to the huge amount of snow

2010-01-03T14:48:00.003Z

Hi to all my blogger friends and best wishes for 2010.Had a difficult couple of months so very little photo taking let alone posting.However during this last few days when,because of the snow,I have had a little bit more time I managed to catch a couple of photos and, amongst the loads of blackbirds,goldies,chaffinch sparrows and yellowhammers I caught this little bird.I hope I am right in thinking it is a reed warbler.I know someone will confirm for me.

2009-12-03T17:59:00.002Z

have'nt had time to either take photos or browse the blogs lately but today my hubby saw this tit on the feeder.Think it is a marsh tit.
Hope to be able to catch up on the blogs this weekend

2009-10-01T21:54:00.003+01:00

nice to see a few friends having a relaxing bathe

then a few more joined them

and a few more made it a splashing time

2009-09-20T13:22:00.004+01:00

some lovely september sun shining on the berries of the guelder rose.

I think this is a red admiral sunning itself on a wall by the riverside

2009-09-16T21:50:00.002+01:00

I have never seen as many goldfinches in my garden as I have this last week.Apart from this seven on the niger seed I had some on the sunflower hearts too.A lot of juveniles around and I saw one still fluttering its wings wanting to be fed by mum

2009-09-16T21:46:00.002+01:00

at first thought this was a sparrow in my stream but looking closer it was larger and had more markings especially underneath.Only bird I could see that looked similar was a corn bunting.Anyone put me right on this?

2009-08-29T21:18:00.002+01:00

This nuthatch was quite the little acrobat hanging from the branch
I took over 60 photos in sequence of this dipper diving for food time and time again

What a marvellous little bird.Just wish it had been nearer or I had a stronger zoom.

it was swimming under water then popping up in a different spot.

2009-08-22T13:40:00.003+01:00

trying to ID butterflies is really difficult so I am looking to my blogger friends for help

should imagine this is just a common white

have never seen this species before.Would love an ID

2009-08-19T21:29:00.002+01:00

the yellowwagtail I took a while back.This has black legs and the bird in the photo below seems to have a lighter coloured leg.I do find ID'ing the birds so difficult

2009-08-19T15:13:00.003+01:00

Things picking up in the garden and after seeing no more sickly/dead finches have put my sunflower hearts feeder back up and was delighted to see the goldfinches start to feed.Plenty of house and treesparrows and have seen a couple of juvenile robins.Have been delighted to see the Willow Warbler return to my garden several times and has started feeding rather than just come for a bathe.

2009-08-14T14:54:00.000+01:00

delighted to see this visitor again

2009-08-14T14:48:00.002+01:00

would have been great if I had a better camera as we watched this dipper for a good while diving under the water and coming up with food.Sadly by the time I have cropped them the photos are poor.

2009-08-10T16:38:00.002+01:00

sparrows returned today after a few days absence

they were joined by a lovely thrush(I think a juvenile)

and to my delight the juvenile willow warbler(need confirmation really) came into my garden,picked around then had a bathe.This is the third day running it has visited.

2009-08-08T19:18:00.002+01:00

dont know what was sticking to this bee?

I think this is a juvenile willow warbler.There were two bathing in my stream but the other birds kept chasing them away

2009-08-07T21:36:00.002+01:00

delighted to see these three yellowhammers in my stream,maybe wrong but I think there are two juveniles on either side of dad

Have been having daily visits from this little chap

2009-07-29T16:02:00.002+01:00

a rare visit to my garden by this young robin who had a good splash and feed.He was a little bit of a bully to a dunnock not letting it near the feeder.Sadly I have had another lovely chaffinch die with trichy so its down with the feeders again.:(

Its been a while but was lovely to see the grey wagtail again in my stream.

2009-07-27T17:27:00.003+01:00

this lovely little coal tit landed on a branch just in front of the hide,its white stripe at the back of its head wasn't that striking so was wondering if it was maybe a juvenile.There were lots of juvenile blue and great tits around as well as as a visit from the nuthatch.

The bird hide is on the opposite bank to the scouts camp and here is a photo of their fridge

2009-07-27T17:21:00.002+01:00

young starlings showing their spots

at last the tree sparrow decided to take in some bedding.What a job to get it through the hole though.

2009-07-23T16:13:00.002+01:00

had to lighten this photo up to be able to see the little tree sparrows face.He had been in and out of this box for weeks.Quite a tight sqeeze for him.What he is up to I don't know.

there were four collared doves once over having a bathe in my stream.These two then settled down in the sun until a sparrowhawk landed on the fence and you could hear the flapping of their wings as they shot off

2009-07-23T15:30:00.002+01:00

Was amazed to see the sedum in my rockery covered with bumble bees.There must have been about 10 in all

2009-07-22T16:04:00.004+01:00

As it was on the far bank of the river this was the best shot of the kingfisher I could manage.It was beautiful watching it flashing along the river.Was also delighted to see the nuthatch,a GSW,great tits ,blue tits and a chaffinch on the feeders that we put up on Monday at Dilston.I have also had confirmation from the Bat conservation that it was a Daubentons bat we saw on Monday as it is the only one that skims the water.

2009-07-21T15:02:00.002+01:00

After visiting Dilston Castle and Abbey in Northumberland we walked down the long carriageway(now being excavated by the archeaologist) to Lords Bridge and Devils Water.The Heritage Trust have built a bird hide,not the best design,overlooking the river and there were two empty broken feeders sadly hanging on a sad looking sapling.Needless to say very little bird activity although we were amazed to see a bat flying fast over the river skimming the surface now and again to feed.I have e-mailed bat conservation for advice on what kind this could have been.I have also become a friend of Historic Dilston and have taken some new feeders up and hope to help to improve the facility and encourage birds to feed. Hope by the winter it is a little busier with our help

2009-07-21T14:51:00.002+01:00

in the sunlight tried to capture the water spray.Hopefully when I have had a few sessions in digital photography in September at our local youth and community centre I may get better images

2009-07-21T14:23:00.005+01:00

Lords Bridge over Devils Water in Northumberland

there had been some heavy rain a couple of days previous and this tributary of the river Tyne was flowing quite fast

2009-07-04T17:19:00.002+01:00

at least I have my stream to attract the birds still.Not a very good photos as once again its through the window but going by the bird book I have this looked to be a willow warbler.I patiently await those in the know!!!!!

2009-07-04T17:13:00.002+01:00

not a good photo through the window and at first thought it was a fluffy chick.However sitting outside later I saw this poor greenfinch struggling trying to swallow some water and realised this was the third bird in my garden to show signs of this horrible disease.I have had no choice but to take down all my horizontal feeders to try to stop the spread.It was a difficult day yesterday seeing my goldfinches,chaffinches, greenfinches and yellowhammers looking for the seeds.

2009-06-30T15:58:00.002+01:00

this is the feeder that the tree sparrows use.Not today though another visitor seemed to be enjoying his tea

2009-06-28T18:13:00.002+01:00

I am hoping I am right in saying this is a young blackbird and below he is sharing my stream with a young starling.

2009-06-28T18:04:00.002+01:00

pleased with the advice about attaching a tray to the bottom of the nyger feeder (apolgies to the member of GBS forum for not remembering who it was)when you see how much is in the tray after just a few hours.However it does help the treesparrows who seem to like it too

2009-06-25T17:17:00.000+01:00

2009-06-25T16:57:00.001+01:00

I am no good whatsoever at identifying different bees etc,but this is what I would call a bumble bee and WHAT a big one it was

2009-06-23T16:18:00.002+01:00

Hubby found this egg left in the wrens nest after the young had fledged (never managed to catch sight of them sadly).Must have been infertile.I would have though it would have been crushed.Not a very good picture on the penny but it shows the size of the egg better.

2009-06-23T16:16:00.001+01:00

think this is a young yellowhammer and I hope the great tits below are the ones that fledged from my nestbox

2009-06-23T16:04:00.001+01:00

this poor bird died today.Looks so healthy but has that awful disease(can't spell it)Hope it doesn't spread.

2009-06-19T19:20:00.002+01:00

took a photo of this butterfly while at Bodnant Gardens in Wales.If it is a painted lady then its the first time for me.

2009-06-19T14:10:00.003+01:00

this amazing waterfall wasn't at its best as they hadn't had much rain in Wales.Bet its spectacular in full force.

2009-06-19T14:04:00.002+01:00

Plenty of swans and ducks on the river today

spotted this buzzard sitting on a tree by the river

2009-06-19T13:58:00.000+01:00

a lovely tranquil day in Shrewsbuy

2009-06-11T21:51:00.002+01:00

thought the blue tits were going to fledge tonight in the sunshine but,no,it seems they were just letting me know what I was going to miss as we leave for a break in Wales tomorrow.I am disappointed as I would love to know how many mouths the poor parents have worked so very hard feeding.

2009-06-10T15:27:00.002+01:00

just returned from shopping when I spotted what I thought was my regular yellowhammer,grabbed camera when I realised it was'nt.After looking through my old posts it was a greywagtail that visited last year and this is a yellow wagtail another first for me.

2009-06-09T16:10:00.003+01:00

looks like now the great tits have fledged there could be new tenants thinking of moving in.Would be nice if these little tree sparrows raised a second brood

2009-06-09T16:04:00.003+01:00

These frantic feeders are around all day long and my poor little birds hardly get a look in.They are comical to watch but not what I would call stressfree calming bird watching.Easier to see enlarged look at the little one hanging on for dear life above.

2009-06-09T15:41:00.004+01:00

this beauty above was hidden from view until hubby decided to weed in the corner we never visit.At last my roses have bloomed.Yellow is my favourite

2009-06-07T10:38:00.000+01:00

2009-06-06T17:12:00.003+01:00

I was delighted to spot this visitor to my garden.Looks to be taking food to feed young ones.Came back twice so I will be on the look out from now on.

2009-06-04T20:45:00.004+01:00

never saw the parents with them but I am sure these are baby yellowhammers taking a bath in my stream.OH thought they look a bit like greenfinches which made me doubt my ID

baby starling and the questionable yellowhammer.Saw the adult yellowhammers but they never came to feed the young ones

2009-06-03T18:51:00.002+01:00

not very good shots as the sun was shining through the window when I took these shots of the great tits fledging.I counted four but feel I hadn't seen the beginning of the exodus.

2009-06-02T17:01:00.001+01:00

what a hard few weeks this poor little things has had and doesn't it just show

2009-06-02T16:53:00.000+01:00

2009-06-02T16:50:00.001+01:00

2009-06-01T14:53:00.002+01:00

some excitement in my garden this morning when hubby spotted this visitor.Didnt help when one of my dogs spotted it and was barking like mad but after getting here indoors Graham went off down to the farm and I closed the gate to keep the calf in.That wasn't good enough and ,after having a good walk around the garden she went up behind the shrubs in front of her on this photo and jumped over the fence into field next door.Of course he had left his gate open and off the calf trotted back up the road.I was really worried as the road bends and the cars speed along toward the village.So there was I waving like mad at all the cars trying to get them to slow down while a neighbour tried to catch up to the calf.Last seen heading through the fields toward the top road.apparently it wasnt the local farmers so goodness know where it has come from.
The good news is because I decided to take some pics I got its tag on one of the photos so its owner can be traced.Makes a change from birdwatching I suppose

2009-05-29T20:21:00.003+01:00

The hard work in the winter digging the pond has finally paid off.The duckweed is a bit rampant but at least it makes it look natural(and hides some of the liner)Plenty of tadpoles so expecting some little froglets soon.The birds just love to drink and bathe in it

2009-05-28T21:53:00.001+01:00

apologies for the blanket weed,bloomin awful stuff to get rid of.This little chap/chapess wouldnt stay still for any length of time hence the poor pics.Hope to get the fledglings but I doubt it.

2009-05-27T16:59:00.001+01:00

was delighted to see this brood being fed by dad.

2009-05-27T16:55:00.001+01:00

another baby tree sparrow.Isn't he just so cute

keeps coming back to fill his beak.Must be feeding babies

2009-05-26T13:48:00.002+01:00

Chaffinches

fluffy baby starling

the lovely tree sparrow

not a good shot through the window but a tree sparrow feeding its young with a young chaffie beside them

2009-05-26T13:44:00.001+01:00

2009-05-26T13:40:00.000+01:00

2009-05-23T11:52:00.000+01:00

2009-05-23T11:42:00.003+01:00

had this lovely little bird visit two evenings in a row.Stayed for just a very short flighty time for a bathe flying off when any other bird went near it.Looking through my bird books came up with willow warbler.Looking forward to my more knowledgable pals to confirm or deny.
It was a slim bird slightly smaller I thought than the goldfinch.So delicate but very nervous.

2009-05-18T20:33:00.002+01:00

I can't believe the number of birds that have started bathing in my stream.Never had the goldies bathing yet today they have been back several times.At one time there were sparrows,goldies,blackbird and yellowhammer all in the stream .

2009-05-18T18:57:00.004+01:00

I was delighted to see this baby greenfinch being fed ,if I am right by his dad.Caught a funny angle in the shot below

Am I right in thinking this is a baby goldie because of the lack of red on its face?

and a nice pic amongst the bushes of mum and baby

2009-05-14T19:03:00.001+01:00

This gives a better idea of the size of my mystery visitor who came for the second day running

2009-05-14T18:54:00.001+01:00

still not sure if this is a fledgling or a female blackbird

2009-05-11T18:34:00.002+01:00

2009-05-11T18:28:00.000+01:00

are these youngsters or not?

2009-05-03T21:06:00.000+01:00

2009-05-03T20:57:00.002+01:00

2009-05-02T19:28:00.002+01:00

The blackbirds have been out in force these last few days mostly fighting but caught this one having a relaxing bath

this feeder is so popular all the birds from the blue tit, robin,starlings,woodie here a blackbird and as you can see below an even larger bird.

2009-05-02T19:14:00.001+01:00

2009-05-01T20:58:00.000+01:00

2009-04-30T19:44:00.002+01:00

I felt the luckiest person ever when on my first visit to the local hide I managed to get these photos with my,then ,new camera.These photos were some of the very first on my blog.

2009-04-23T13:55:00.001+01:00

Well the male wren has sung his little heart out and I am hopeful this is his lady friend lining the nest ready for the next generation

2009-04-23T13:33:00.001+01:00

I have had the collared dove feed and even have a drink in my stream but this is a first.It couldn't get in as much as he wanted so it was one wing at a time

2009-04-21T16:25:00.001+01:00

At least a dozen starlings today they do like the suet block

2009-04-21T16:09:00.003+01:00

this chap and two of his girls come into the garden every night and clean up whatever food is left.
They are very nervy though and any tiny movement from me and they are off

2009-04-19T16:58:00.000+01:00

2009-04-19T16:51:00.002+01:00

singing his little heart out and still no lady wren wants him

this female blackbird sat in the sun for quite a while with its mouth open.Do you think this is a way of cooling off?

2009-04-19T16:32:00.002+01:00

this is a close up of the flowers on a shrub in my garden.I think it is a form of berberis and it is always a mass of berries in the winter

this is one of my favourite spring shrubs.A form of spirea( I think) it never fails to produce a mass of bloom.Trouble is I never know whether it should be pruned.

2009-04-17T19:57:00.002+01:00

this little one spent quite a while feeding amongst my plants

The male pheasant joined these two shortly after I took the photo.

another visit from the brambling

2009-04-14T18:04:00.000+01:00

another shot of the brambling showing his fluffy head

2009-04-14T15:11:00.002+01:00

delighted to see this brambling around my stream today it was with a chaffinch and that gave me a better idea of the differences.

2009-04-12T20:24:00.001+01:00

Don't know how many will turn into frogs but my pond has hundreds of tadpoles in

2009-04-12T20:21:00.001+01:00

just managed to catch this Jackdaw on my cherry tree but there were another 3 in the garden at the same time

2009-04-10T19:12:00.001+01:00

delighted to say after never seeing a siskin before this last few weeks they are regular visitors to my garden now.Wonder if they stay thoughout the summer or will they be leaving me?

2009-04-10T19:09:00.002+01:00

these two were going at it hammer and tongs after feeding together fine at first

2009-04-10T19:06:00.000+01:00

2009-04-04T20:14:00.001+01:00

After giving up last year with the nyger seed decided to try again.The goldfinch has finally found the feeder and certainly seemed to enjoy it.

2009-04-04T16:36:00.000+01:00

2009-04-04T16:22:00.002+01:00

At last some sunshine to bring out a little colour in the garden.

2009-03-20T17:04:00.002Z

2009-03-20T16:59:00.002Z

another photo lynmiranda would you still say a vole? Wouldnt know the difference sadly

2009-03-20T16:20:00.003Z

the walled garden

lovely little dunnock and the coal tit

On this lovely spring day we took ourselves off to Wallington Hall to walk through the lovely grounds,the walled garden and the woodland bird hide.The birds were out in abundance all happily feeding together.Underneath the feeders the woodmouse kept popping out and there were three red squirrels feeding and chasing each other.I am sure one kept digging up nuts.
Lots of signs of the colours of plants to come and I look forward to going back when they are in bloom.
Here are a few of the many photos taken

2009-03-20T16:18:00.000Z

2009-03-20T16:16:00.000Z

not sure what kind of butterfly this is on the blossom

2009-03-20T16:14:00.001Z

it was lovely to walk in the warm sunshine and hear the lovely song of the robin

BIRDS *** WILDLIFE****PLACES OF INTEREST

Only 8 months since the last snow

BIRDS * WILDLIFE**PLACES OF INTEREST