Return of some birds

Had a few computer problems recently and couldn't do a lot. We seem to have resolved the problems by adding extra RAM and a new hard drive. It was mainly with image editing and speed problems but now it's OK the OH has been hogging it so I'm not getting much chance to post!

Cleared all the ivy off the tree trunk as it was looking really choked up and I was so glad I did because I was rewarded almost immediately with the Blue Tit and then the Coal Tit returning to peck insects off the trunk. It's so much easier to photograph them too without the ivy confusing the autofocussing behind.

The lovely sparrows - they've had a really successful season and trebled their numbers. I've got a great little flock now. The youngsters are moulting into adult plumage and look like unfinished versions of the adults!

Actually managed to get some pictures of the coal tit. Not an easy task when they flit about so much.!

Got a new feeder as the sparrows' favourite one lost another piece when I was cleaning it and added a tray (actually plant saucer secured with wire ties) and good job I did because the starlings decided to pull out all the seed mix to get at the suet pellets in there! It's a really good mix from the pet store that the birds love but flows a bit too freely from this new feeder.

Bank Holiday weekend

We had visitors for the bank holiday weekend so did the tourist bit for a couple of days and went to Minehead in Somerset on the Monday, via Exmoor, Lymouth and Porlock.

The pretty cottages near the harbour. We walked down there but it got windier and windier till we could hardly stand up!

View towards the the harbour area.

View towards Butlins of the sea front.

The steam railway - one of the engines awaiting the demo of the new turntable that was built since we were last there.

Lovely brooding moor. It was blowing a gale of course as the clouds started to come in off the sea behind us.

Stopped briefly to take some pictures on the way home. I was really glad of the chance as we usually just zoom past everywhere!

Exmoor ponies - very beautiful and hardy.

I love moorland.

This was taken from the car as we headed towards Lynton and Lynmouth.

A few new pics from the last few weeks

It's been such a hectic last few weeks that I've hardly had any time to do anything except top up the feeders. The garden has gotten into a bit of a mess and needs a tidy up but the weather has been so wet I haven't had chance to do anything about it. I haven't taken many pictures either as the battery charger has gone on the blink (the second one to break on me) and wasn't charging them up fully. Still got the odd snap now and then but missed quite a few, especially of the baby goldies, which was disappointing.

Got this lovely picture of a Dunnock in the tree very close to me. Felt almost guilty at being in the garden as it was giving constant warning calls to frighten me away from it's nest which was close by.

I'm starting to attract the feral pigeons now - previously they stayed on the rooftops and such. I really don't mind them - these are very healthy looking and really quite handsome birds and not too aggressive towards the smaller ones.

Even the Herring gulls are coming in now! I was surprised to hear that they are declining in number, there seem to be plenty here still.

Seem to be having a bit of a big bird invasion at the moment, especially with the young Jackdaws adding to the racket.

All the goldies lined up on the wire.

Harvey in the garden with the goldfiches. They seem to quite happy to feed in the tree while he's there - it's the ground feeders that have to watch out.

My first pic of a baby goldfinch! I've had the whole family of 3 chicks and parents since but haven't gotten pictures of them all.

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!