We have a very large holly tree covered in berries, it's this time of year when I love it the most. Soon, as in previous years, it will be taken over by red wings and they will strip the lot. It's a wonderful sight when they arrive. Often field fares are in there as well and my husband will spend ages with binocs.
Usual suspects in my garden - sparrows, assorted tits, robins, woodpeckers, turtle doves, wren. No chaffinches today.
In the paddock we have a flight of 7 or 8 Egyptian geese doing aerial circuits. The Canada geese have gone foraging but will be back to sleep later and there are mallards and moorhens in the stream as well as 2 great egrets who have arrived for winter and the heron family which isn't that keen on sharing the territory but can't bully them like they do the small egrets.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Egrets. . . ! Makes my little white throat seem somewhat dull. Still small back garden surrounded by other houses, we feel blessed with whatever decides to visit us and eat our seed.
Egrets are winter visitors but not when it's a mild one so seeing a pair this early is a bit worrying.
We don't get goldfinches at all and the greenfinches which used to be plentiful disappeared a few years ago, as did the little owls. We do get lots of little brown jobs which I can never identify - assorted warblers I think - and blackbirds but not thrushes..
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
We've got goldcrests. They've taken to poking round the window frames like the wrens, in search of spiders. They move much faster though and are hard to see properly, even when you are in the room looking at them!
I had just one flying visit from a group of long tailed tits a couple of years ago. Never seen them here before or since and I have feeders up all year. No other gardens or feeders nearby but we are surrounded by arable and pastureland and have woods nearby so maybe they don't need my feeders.
We have local buzzards who use the thermals over the field behind to teach their youngsters about flying. Lots of mewing and whirling.
Very quiet in the garden this morning but the riding school over the way has put its ponies and most of the horses in the paddocks opposite so they can air the boxes and they're great fun to watch as they skit about.
Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
"The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
Posts
We have a very large holly tree covered in berries, it's this time of year when I love it the most. Soon, as in previous years, it will be taken over by red wings and they will strip the lot. It's a wonderful sight when they arrive. Often field fares are in there as well and my husband will spend ages with binocs.
Usual suspects in my garden - sparrows, assorted tits, robins, woodpeckers, turtle doves, wren. No chaffinches today.
In the paddock we have a flight of 7 or 8 Egyptian geese doing aerial circuits. The Canada geese have gone foraging but will be back to sleep later and there are mallards and moorhens in the stream as well as 2 great egrets who have arrived for winter and the heron family which isn't that keen on sharing the territory but can't bully them like they do the small egrets.
Egrets. . . ! Makes my little white throat seem somewhat dull. Still small back garden surrounded by other houses, we feel blessed with whatever decides to visit us and eat our seed.
Think an egret definitely trumps goldfinches. Agree about the sunflower hearts, everyone seems to love them
Egrets are winter visitors but not when it's a mild one so seeing a pair this early is a bit worrying.
We don't get goldfinches at all and the greenfinches which used to be plentiful disappeared a few years ago, as did the little owls. We do get lots of little brown jobs which I can never identify - assorted warblers I think - and blackbirds but not thrushes..
Obelixx, Egrets are now permanent residents in many parts of Britain, especially in Cornwall.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
We currently have a Great White Egret in residence at our nearest RSPB reserve.
When you don't even know who's in the team
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
Here in central Belgium they are migratory but we haven't seen any great egrets during the last 3 relatively mild winters.
We've got goldcrests. They've taken to poking round the window frames like the wrens, in search of spiders. They move much faster though and are hard to see properly, even when you are in the room looking at them!
I had just one flying visit from a group of long tailed tits a couple of years ago. Never seen them here before or since and I have feeders up all year. No other gardens or feeders nearby but we are surrounded by arable and pastureland and have woods nearby so maybe they don't need my feeders.
We have local buzzards who use the thermals over the field behind to teach their youngsters about flying. Lots of mewing and whirling.
Very quiet in the garden this morning but the riding school over the way has put its ponies and most of the horses in the paddocks opposite so they can air the boxes and they're great fun to watch as they skit about.