Here's some photos from today and I am getting very confused by this blackbird, which I thought was a female, just with a very yellow beak. However, other people have said that young males often are still quite mottled with a yellow beak before their plumage developes fully. I don't know about this one though. It's been here all winter, looking much the same and isn't showing any sign of changing it's feathers, so is it a male or female?

As you can see, this individual is very brown, with a small amount of mottling on the breast and no eye ring.

Here's the male just a few feet away. I wouldn't have thought he'd tolerate another male, even an immature one, being so close. He chases off all the other males.

The babies are still cute, despite the unholy racket!

Even the youngs sparrows aren't afraid of the raucous starlings

You can still see the yellow gape at the base of the beak on the juveniles.

Very pleased to finally get some nice pics of the young sparrows.

Those irresistable goldies back again. This looks like a male and female to me, so does that mean they're leaving the chicks now?

Thought the suet block was going down a bit rapidly. The poor starling army got the blame till I saw this one having a go.

Hover fly. Welcome! Bring friends. I've got millions of blooming aphids here! Blackfly, greenfly, whitefly...

Painted lady butterfly. I've seen quite a few, many are looking a bit untidy after their marathon journey, but nothing like the thousands that are being reported.

Climbing hydrangea. I love this plant! I got it to cover the awful grey brieze block bit of wall that has been filled in where someone demolished the original gorgeous stone wall to make a gateway. It's self-clinging and has these lovely sprays of flowers, which the insects like.

Honeysuckle.

Blackie baby sunbathing/cooling off

Saw this baby blackbird in the garden earlier. It's very hot today and it just plonked itself down and started doing this sunbathing/cooling off behaviour...

Laid down and fanned out wings.

Moved a bit and sat down with beak open.

Stood up and just fanned tail, with beak open.

All back to normal now.

Blimey, they're everywhere!

There are so many baby starlings around that it's starting to feel like an invasion! I'm sure there are more coming as well. I've seen adults collecting food and flying off with it so there might be more still in the nest.

They are just adorable and seem to be everywhere, they are getting very close to the kitchen door though and I don't want to encourage that - it's too much for my cat, he's feeling harassed as it is!

My blackie is getting quite bold now, he knows I provide the food.

My lovely, tireless robins. Always ready for their close up!

Starling invasion.

Had a starling invasion yesterday evening with the usual 8-12 adults, plus an extra 5-6 babies all descend at once. What a racket! It was hilarious watching the youngsters all following the adults around and birds flying off in all directions.
This poor sparrow got a right earful.

They all lined up on the telephone wires...

Then they all decided they wanted to perch on the same branch!

Feed us now!

A few more baby pics

Young starling again in the treetop.

Adult starlings discover the stash of suet pellets on the wall.

Dad is stuffing so much into his beak to feed the youngsters.

Thought I was photographing a female blackbird but then wasn't so sure when I enlarged it.

Baby starling again, begging for a beakful of fatcake.

Baby birds day.

Haven't been able to photograph much these last few days as the weather has been awful and I went and cut my hand packing up a box on Friday. Managed to grab the camera when I saw the baby starlings for the first time today but had to shoot out of the window so they're not the clearest pictures in the world.

Not a great pic but the sparrows all seem to lurk in the branches waiting for the parents to feed them. A few venture onto the feeders to try for themselves.

Just stood waiting to be fed!

When they're all fluffed up the babies look so much bigger than the adults.

They are so vunerable when they're just out of the nest.

Swifts are back - summer's here!

The swifts are so fast it's virtually impossible to photograph them.

The male blackbird is collecting food every few minutes and flying back to the nest, it's exhausting just to watch.

Ths starlings are eating me out of house and home.

The sparrows are constantly on the feeders, they must have lots of young to feed.

Mr warty-legged chaffinch still going strong.

Such a poser!

This dunnock doesn't have much of a grey head - wonder if it's a youngster? There were no parents around and it doesn't look very fluffy!

Starling on the telephone wire

Woodpigeons on the TV aerial

Just can't resist taking pictures of the goldies! And I still haven't managed to get a photo of that elusive greenfinch outside. He's a bit nervous I think.