Looking out of the window at the rain (not unwelcome as I'm busy insulating the GH at the moment), saw 2 large thrushes land on top of our big larch tree. Got the binocs to check, thinking they were the first Fieldfares of the season. But they looked like a pair of Mistle thrushes and I've never seen two of those together, though a male often sings from the top of this tree. Won't be long before the Fieldfares show though, the first pheasant has already arrived, hoping I'll start feeding the sheep!
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. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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. "We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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!
Posts
Looking out of the window at the rain (not unwelcome as I'm busy insulating the GH at the moment), saw 2 large thrushes land on top of our big larch tree. Got the binocs to check, thinking they were the first Fieldfares of the season. But they looked like a pair of Mistle thrushes and I've never seen two of those together, though a male often sings from the top of this tree. Won't be long before the Fieldfares show though, the first pheasant has already arrived, hoping I'll start feeding the sheep!
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.
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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..
"We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Obelixx, Egrets are now permanent residents in many parts of Britain, especially in Cornwall.
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
S.Yorkshire/Derbyshire border
We currently have a Great White Egret in residence at our nearest RSPB reserve.
for the fag ends of the aristocracy.
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 don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
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!