Around the garden

It's been a while so I thought i'd do a little garden update.

Our Swifts arrived on the 10th a couple of days later than usual and I heard them first before spotting a couple over the house - there are 6 around at the moment. Lovely birds to sit and watch - I spent a lot of time in the evening doing that last year and no doubt will this year too.

The birds in the garden had been a little quiet until the past week or so. We had our first youngsters - House Sparrows at the beginning of the week and they are making short work of the bird seed on the feeder. Most seem to be feeding themselves or at least having a go but certainly aren't turning down anything offered by a parent!

We have a pair of Blue Tits who are almost eating the fat balls single handedly (beakedly!?), so I guess we have a brood of chicks close by as this happened last year resulting in some lovely scenes when the chicks fledged so fingers crossed we get them same this time.

Other than that we have been lacking in activity - no sign of any young Blackbirds, the Coal and Long Tailed Tits have disappeared and the Goldfinch are down to maybe 4 or 5. We do have a Great Tit now and again, several Starlings - no youngsters there yet and plenty of House Sparrows. Dunnocks, Woodpigeons, Collared Doves and a Robin round off the garden visitors at the moment.

There are the usual Black Headed Gulls overhead and we do get Crows and Magpies in the trees around.

One thing I did notice in my garden - most of my flowers appear to be blue/purple, I didn't realise until a lot of them seemed to flower at once! Most of them were there when we moved in so maybe a conscious thought on the previous owner?

Of course my favourites don't adhere to this and are a glorious red and now just about frame my door and windows after a bit of thorny work at the weekend!

Now i'm off to check out some of the blogs i'm following - i've missed a lot!