An Exciting Tick

We've had a couple of hot sunny days this week, it's meant i've been able to sit out in the garden after work and watch the birds, bees and butterflies. 

Sat on the bench yesterday evening I noticed a bird  flying over and almost dismissed it as a possible juvenile gull (which i'd never be able to identify!) but luckily I grabbed my camera and took a few distant shots and had a closer look. Then got a little bit excited but posted a few of the photos to twitter for confirmation first as I pretty much talked myself out of what I thought it would be - an Osprey!! What a patch tick and what a 'garden' tick too, a first for the patch and only my second sighting of one ever...........and from my garden bench.

Ok the photos aren't the best and are heavily cropped but who cares, it's an Osprey!!

So I have to say I am very happy this week!

There's also been Chiffchaffs in the garden too, the odd Butterfly when it was warm, gutter Starling is trying hard still to attract a mate, the Sparrows are gathering nest materials, i've been down to the woods a couple of times and it's just been a lovely week all round really.

Chiffchaff

Peacock Butterfly

Gutter Starling!

The other Starlings are busy splashing the water out of the bird bath as soon as I fill it.

A pair of Greenfinch briefly visited the feeders

We get Collared Doves, Feral Pigeons and Woodpigeons on a regular basis, one day maybe we'll get a Stock Dove

In the woods we've heard Chiffchaff and saw three Great Spotted Woodpeckers chasing each other around. After thinking that the Jays had disappeared from the woods someone posted a picture of one a few weeks back and another couple found a Meadow Pipit on the Pit Hills, birds to look out for! 

The temperature has dropped down again now, the two days of sun were brief, we're looking a minus 1 and possible snow over Easter weekend. Not ideal for sitting in the garden on Osprey watch........