Following on from my previous post, where I mentioned that despite the fact that although the Blackbirds are well catered for elsewhere in the garden they still occasionally try to cling on to the little feeders which are aimed at the smaller birds, I managed to get a photo today which illustrates my point.
It's not often that members of the Tit family hang around long enough for me to get a photo but this handsome Great Tit obliged nicely.
I think this Goldfinch was keeping a beady eye on me!
And this Greenfinch looked at me curiously while the Great Tit had eyes only for the seed.
When my husband was walking the dog today he came across these Snowdrop beauties.
All in all it has been a very pleasant day rounded off by a birthday dinner at a local restaurant for a family member.
But this young man stayed at home!
Great photos!! I love seeing your birds because they are so different from the ones that come to my yard. The finch is so cute! Yes I can see how the blackbirds takes up the entire feeder! HA!
ReplyDeleteThank you Kallen,
ReplyDeleteI've just come back from visiting your blog and while there I said exactly the same as you, that I love looking at the birds in your garden because they look so exotic compared with our British ones.
By the way, I felt so sorry for your poor neighbours with that dreadful fire what a tragedy and what a shock for you to return to!
Lovely pics.
ReplyDeleteYesterday, I was sat in a car in a car park of a college for the blind and disabled. The grounds were beautiful. It was very cold and I was listening to the BBC news which was all bad. Then I heard a tap tap and clinging to the rubber seal of the passenger window was a Long Tailed Tit. He saw me look but continued to tap away, probably at his reflection. Instant inner peace.
Thank you Hogday,
ReplyDeleteHow kind of you to visit. What a lovely experience you had yesterday, that feeling of inner peace is what I find so rewarding about the natural world and little moments like that are for me reminders that not everything in this world is harsh and ugly although you as an ex policeman must have seen an awful lot of that side of life!
True that. My previous life contained more than its fair share of death,destruction and human tragedies plus the occasional thing to give thanks for but, as The Boss once wrote in a song, `you've got to learn to live with what you can't rise above`!
ReplyDeleteI have just returned from a short walk with our dog and had 2 Red Kites buzz me from a distance of no more than 15 yards. Deep joy, once again.
Oh WOW! that's amazing, I've never even seen a Red Kite.
ReplyDeleteThey are grate quality photos. I love the blackbird one
ReplyDeleteThanks JooMoo,
ReplyDeleteYes that Blackbird says it all they seem to be getting increasingly cheeky and not following the rules!!
What an acrobatic feat for a Blackbird; I've seen mine "jumping up" to grab berries from the bush but never on a feeder.
ReplyDeleteAnd it's great to see snowdrops...promises of things to come.
Hi Tricia,
ReplyDeleteThank you so much for visiting, I have just had a quick visit to your site and will be spending more time there after this reply. I am putting you on my blog roll as I can see there is plenty to interest me there. Your photos are just lovely.
Yes that Blacbird was very determined, there is an easily accessible and well stocked bird table only feet away---silly old thing!!
It is always a pleasure to see Snowdrops, I feel they give a feeling of hope for things to come. We have a Daffodil just coming into flower in the sunny part of the garden.
More great photos. Too many good blogs to follow...
ReplyDeleteThanks Steve,
ReplyDeleteYes I'm finding that. This blogging thing can definitely take over your life!
Hi Shysongbird,
ReplyDeleteWow fantastic blog. I had no idea that you had created one. Nice photos, especially the Blackbird one. I will definitely visit again in the future! I had a peek at your previous postings too and loved those too. great stuff :-)
Welcome! Thanks so much for visiting Joe. You and Shirl were my main inspiration for embarking on this! Also many thanks for your very kind comments. I haven't been here long but am beginning to find my way around and am finding it very enjoyable.
ReplyDeleteYes you certainly have to give that cheeky Blackbird marks for trying!
I am amazed I have never seen a blackbird hang on to a feeder like that.....they are ground feeders, I would not have believed it unless I had seen it with my own eyes.....
ReplyDeleteIt is wonderful to see the snowdrops....they are such a pretty elegant flower....
Is your dog a poodle?? I have a dog to, Nella, she is a patterdale terrier.....
Hi Cheryl,
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for visiting, I'm so glad you enjoyed your break and I hope the ankle is improving.
Yes that Blackbird was quite a character, he didn't manage to hang on for long though.
Yes he is a Standard Poodle sometimes known as the Giant Poodle. He is very big and nobody's fool and thinks he is the boss, a very determined character and definitely doesn't have one of those very strange hair cuts which we see on Crufts.
I have read quite a lot during the last twelve months or so about Nella I adore dogs.
Hi again ShySongbird :-)
ReplyDeleteMy… wonderful to see so many comments… your following is gathering momentum now! Great stuff :-D
Loved the pic of the blackbird… great capture! I have them using a peanut feeder but that one is much easier to get at as it is attached to a tree branch so they can use the branches to stand on. We also have them use a bird table (with roof) and a small tray feeder tucked under branches of a small tree. I love to watch them… they are all characters. Enjoy yours :-D
Enjoyed your other pics too - especially the snowdrops. I smiled when I saw the photo of your dog… appearances of him in future postings will bring in few more visitors and comments I am quite sure :-D
I am thrilled to hear you are enjoying blogging so much. Hope you had a good weekend – enjoy your week :-D
Thank you Shirl for visiting again and for your very kind comments. I feel I'm in the presence of royalty when you visit as you (and more recently Joe as well) were my inspiration for embarking on this venture!
ReplyDeleteYes it is lovely to be getting comments and making contact with new people.
Yes the Blackbirds are real characters and very entertaining to watch. I have a small mesh tray tucked into a bush which was really intended for the little birds but has now been discovered by the Blackbirds and I frequently find it upended on the ground, so now I have had to fix some fine garden wire through it and attach it to the branches.
It is lovely to see colour returning to the garden, the Crocus are looking very pretty and one or two Daffodils in the sunnier part of the garden are beginning to flower.
Thanks again for your support, I will always look forward to your visits, and mine to you of course.
Have a lovely week.
I really enjoyed looking through your blog. Two great photos of the juvenile Greenfinch and juvenile Blackbird. Lovely sharp bright eyes.
ReplyDeleteI have been trying to attract Greenfinches for a while now. There are some just down the lane from me but so far they seem to have ignored my garden.
For the past two years I have grown Sunflowers partly for their beautiful show and partly to be able to photograph the birds eating the seeds when they ripen. The seeds always disappear but I haven't yet actually seen who or what eats them. Never mind there is always another year.
Happy Blogging, John
Thank you John for visiting and for your kind comments.
ReplyDeleteThe Greenfinch seems to be the most common bird in our garden, attracted I think by the sunflower heart feeders, but it does seem to depend so much on where you live I suspect. I saw you had seen a Bullfinch in your garden, I haven't seen one since a child and sadly we don't get many House Sparrows either now which were once the most common visitor.
Happy blogging to you too and thanks again for visiting.
Jan