Catching up

Over the last couple of days, a Song Thrush has been collecting nesting material from my garden and flying with it into a conifer tree that, although is in my neighbours' garden, overhangs mine. This has been so regular and this morning I saw two of them up in my Eucalyptus tree and a great deal of wing flickering was going on. I do hope this bodes well.... I've only ever seen one Songthrush at a time in the garden, so I'm keeping everything crossed.

And a Wren was taking nesting material from a basket liner made from coir! So I shall be keeping my eyes open for nesting wrens!

Home!

Record shot only!


London Wetland Centre Barnes
I went back to Barnes last Tuesday, to see if the Great Crested Grebes were still displaying.

The amount of greenery everywhere is now so much more apparent as these emerging buds show.

And yes, the Grebes were still displaying and dancing... I resisted including too many pictures as I may be in danger of boring you all silly!!

I've never seen a Tufted Duck looking quite so threatening!

This could be a Christmas Robin but it looks just as good amongst all the white blossum!

A couple of families of these Mallards - this was one of nine!

Male mallard flew over

Bushy Park

Although it was rather grey, I had a wander into Bushy Park during the week. I rather liked the reflection of this tiny island in the pond.

In the Woodland Gardens, this Rose-ringed Parakeets looked very pretty amongst the blossum.

But...

is does actually eat it or at least "picks" it and in this picture you can see some in its beak. I can understand why fruit farmers consider these birds as pests.

Red-crested Pochard when the sun came out!

The two remaing Egyptian Goslings were huddled together having a kip!

A Grey Heron looked for fish

And around on the tree stump, the Nuthatches dined on seeds!

In the woods, this Jay was hiding from the camera and its mate!

and the blossom looked - blossoming!

Today I was down in Sussex with Mum and we went to the WWT at Arundel. Being schools hols it was packed and there weren't many non-collection birds around. Heard Cetti's Warbler and wrens but nothing out on the Scrape. Large areas of the reserve are now being changed to encourage Water Voles....

WWT Arundel

This White-faced Duck (collection bird)... I'm sure its mother loved it..

Around near the feeders..

A great tit

Female Chaffinch

and a Blue tit. I imagine it had been ferreting about in flowers and above its beak the yellow is pollen.

And we must have seen at least 9 families of Mallard Ducklings. One group numbered 18!! Imagine, 18 children to feed and bring up ;)!!

The weather was amazing today and we didn't even need coats. I think Spring has finally made it!!