My blog is mostly about wildlife, particularly birds, walking, days out, all growing things and anything else that comes to mind.
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Saturday 10 January 2009

Painting by Frost!

Today I awoke to freezing temperatures - not unusual at the moment, but this was accompanied by freezing fog.

A neighbour's tree covered in ice

and likewise cobwebs on the front hedge


The garden was full of birds today, so herewith some of my visitors.

(All today's pictures were taken through glass, on a very high ISO and therefore sadly lacking in definition! Hey ho!)

Goldfinches and Greenfinches

Male Greenfinch

Goldfinches


Blue Tit... looking very cold

This Blue Tit is a regular visitor and distinguishable by his elongated beak. This is a common occurrence. He seems to favour the fat block although will pick up sunflower hearts from the ground feeder in the guardian cage. Today I supplied an apple which, although I thought the Blackbirds would be the prime feeders, the Blue Tit made inroads into the fruit!
Half the apple which had only been out about 4 hours!


I had to cut back this willow, prior to digging it out. I decided to leave it for the time being and had pasted some (crunch) Peanut Butter on both "ends". The blackbirds love it, so I will put some more on tomorrow morning!

Mr. Blackcap has stayed constantly since I first saw him (on 16 December 2008), but Mrs. Blackcap's visit of the other day must have just been a "fly through" as she's not been seen since. Perhaps Mr. wasn't to her taste :)

(I've had to de-ice the bird bath at least three times this morning from about 6.30 a.m. onwards! And it was a tad chilly nipping out in the PJs)
But given that Mr. Blackcap and other birds visit it so often, it makes it so worthwhile!

One of the regulars wondering what that rather large "eye" was peering at him!

and this morning, two Jays visited - one of them stayed for a drink and a bath. This is the only (naturally) non-frozen water in the garden and proving very popular.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Great photo's as usual Trish. Yes it was very cold this morning, Brrrrrr

I really must visit Bushy Park or Hampton Court soon, so at least I can say I have seen a parakeet and hopefully take some photographs, do they sit and pose,they look so beautiful?

My feeders have been busy today too and I gave up on the bird bath as it just kept freezing over and so did I ever time I went out there!!

We have spent the afternoon watching old films on the tele, drinking tea and keeping warm. Phil seems to be recovering well from yesterdays operation. Jackie.

http://jackieslifeinsurrey-1.blogspot.com/

The Quacks of Life said...

like the blue tit on the orange and the parakeet looking in

Anonymous said...

Hi Tricia. My back garden was white over all day, but the feeders still did`nt tempt anything in.
Oh!!!! to have a garden like yours.

FAB said...

Great to see so many Goldfinches Tricia, as they are one of my favourites.
Hoping the fog will clear up tomorrow for some birding at Staines Reservoir! FAB

mick said...

The frost makes everything look magical. Lovely lot of birds - but then they have a lovely lot of treats in your garden.

Shirley said...

Hi there Tricia :-)

Wonderful images from your garden from the trees to the cobwebs and all in between!

Great to see groups of goldfinches again :-) I enjoyed seeing the blue tit eating the apple too – I sometimes get them and the robin eating mine on the obelisks.

Ah… but my favourite photos are of the Jay by the water! A sight I won’t see in my garden too so especially nice to see. I must say I was surprised to see your fountain working – I always switch my pump off during the winter months.

Enjoy the rest of your weekend :-D

Tricia Ryder said...

Thanks Guys
Jackie - glad to hear Phil's recovering ok.

Pete - yes, nice to see a bird on something other than a feeder for a change!

Dean - I'm very lucky to live in a heavily wooded area; especially as it's surburbia!!

Frank - Goldfinches are year round visitors to my garden. Today was no exception as I had in excess of 27 all day - I gave up counting after that - they just won't stay still long enough!

Hope you have success at Staines!

Tricia Ryder said...

Jackie - oops sorry forget the Paras. They so sit in the trees but often high up. You'd have more chance of seeing them posing in my garden. I'll email you!

Tricia Ryder said...

Hi Shirl - there are several Oak Trees around me and that's what Jays love - or more accurately, the acorns! They also like woods so....

Mick. Sometimes I believe the birds are better fed than I am. Lol

oldcrow61 said...

Wonderful pictures. What lovely birds visit your garden.

Tricia Ryder said...

Thanks OC - they are great - Nature's a clever designer!

swatson said...

Tricia love all the photos but think the blue tit with the long beak is so cute and I love it when you can see something distinctive in a bird and know it visits regularly.
Sheila

Tricia Ryder said...

Sheila - yes I agree. The B.Tit is now distinguishable from all the other B.Ts that visit. Also noticing that the two robins had different markings was lovely.

Sort of makes them one's own. :D

Richard said...

Tricia...absolutely beautiful pictures as always. I'd like to use the singing robin one in the last post. Please contact be thru the email on my blog.

Tricia Ryder said...

Richard - thank you.
(and I've now emailed you).

The Wessex Reiver said...

Nice selection of birds in the garden Tricia. I'm getting very few birds in the garden at the moment, they're coming in spurts then days of nothing. Partly I think because a Sparrowhawk is patrolling the area these days for easy pickings.

Tricia Ryder said...

Andrew - hope your garden visitors are on the up.... and the Sparrowhawk is dining elsewhere!

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