We took a walk up to the local park this morning, it was cold but sunny for a change so we made the most of it. It was a great morning for the birds. They were in full singing form today, nearly every tree we passed we stopped to see who was singing!
There are some large gardens around the park and they were full with birds as we walked past, especially lots of Blue Tits and Great Tits. At the park gates there were two Robins singing loudly and a couple of Chaffinch flying about our head.
Blackbirds were everywhere, turning over leaves and running in and out of bushes. We saw one checking out this nest.
We spotted a Greenfinch and lots of Magpies in the trees. Someone has been hanging fat balls on the trees in the middle of the park. It would be nice to have a feeding station here I think. The park really takes on a different look with all the bare trees!
We had to stop for the swings of course and all around this area were Mistle Thrush. I counted 7 sat at the top of one tree along with 3 Magpies. Every now and then they would fly together to the next tree top. A couple of Magpies appeared to have paired up and one of them was flying about with a twig in its mouth - maybe a little nest building?
One sat on a tree next to the play area, I managed to get a couple of photos before it was scared off.
My little one insisted on a photo of the spiky flowers!
Then she found this with about half a dozen flowers on it.
As we left the park we saw this pile of fungus, not quite as pretty as some we've seen!!
It was a beautiful morning despite the cold, we saw so many birds and it just lovely to hear all the birds singing every where we went. 
A nice account of your visit Pam and I'm envious all over again of the Mistle thrushes :)
ReplyDeleteI think the blue/mauve flower is Periwinkle, either Vinca Minor or Vinca Major, I'm never sure which is which but I have it in my garden.
Was that some sort of fungus growing on the tree in the first Thrush photo?
I'm envious of the Mistle Thrushes, too!
ReplyDeleteFunny how birds seem to sing a lot more in the UK than they do over here. When I spent a couple of days in Cambridge in 2008, I couldn't believe how much singing went on in the early morning.
Jeff
Yes it's Periwinkle, I actually recognised it for a change! I remember coming across it last year! I think it's a little shrub just behind the tree with the Thrush, I take it you mean what is sticking out to the right?
ReplyDeleteThe Mistle thrushes really are gorgeous bird but they don't always sound as nice as the Song Thrush!
Jeff, I don't know if it was because the sun was shining but the singing was extreme even for here! Not that i'm complaining it was lovely to be out amongst it!
Pam