Mrs Blackbird has been very, very busy coming and then going with a beak full of nesting materials each time. Grass, mud and other bits and pieces and I can only assume it is dirty business as she has several baths a day! Mr Blackbird on the other hand does not seem impressed with having her in his territory. I can only assume they are not together!
In my catch up last time I forgot to mention a few things that had happened over the previous few months. There have been a few sightings of redwings, I have also seen them this time of year or earlier the last three years. The first year here there were loads (I expect due to the bad weather) eating all the berries on the holly tree.
The wren has been around a little bit too, but the real surprise this year was the thrush. Firstly I saw two at the same time, secondly they have been around for a few months. Again over the last three years I spot it a few times and then it disappears for ages.
After my comment about the Jay I couldn't believe it when the next day I saw it in the garden! And I have seen it a few times since.
I was out in the garden today and there was a lot of singing going on. First the robin was singing its heart out, and then the dunnock started. Generally the competition is within species, there were three Mr Blackbirds on the front lawn all fighting, then a couple of male chaffinches having a go at each other and lots of little fights between blue tits too.
The not so nice side of garden birds is there is a dead bird on the lawn, not many feathers, mainly carcass. I assume it is a pigeon but I can't make my mind up. I saw a sparrowhawk circling last week and I've seen a female a couple of times in the garden prior to that, so it may be that which caught the bird.
Still no great photos this year, hopefully next week :)
| Birds | Wildlife and Insects | Flowers |
| Great spotted woodpecker - female, male | Grey squirrels | Hyacinth |
| Chaffinch - male, female | Brimstone yellow butterfly | Daffodil |
| Greenfinch - male, female | Peacock butterfly | Pulmonaria (Lungwort) |
| Blue tit - adult | Bees | Heather |
| Great tit - adult | Primrose | |
| Coal tit | Muscari | |
| Siskin - male, female | Forsythia | |
| Robin - adult | Clematis (hardy variety) | |
| Magpie - adult | Viburnum tinus (I think) | |
| Crow - adult | Hellebore (green flower) | |
| Woodpigeon - adult, juvenile | ||
| Collared dove - adult | ||
| Nuthatch | ||
| Blackbird - male, female | ||
| Goldfinch | ||
| Dunnock | ||
| Wren | ||
| Jay |
