A Misty Morning

With lockdown restrictions still in place over the past few weeks we haven't been going far at all. The weather hasn't been great on my days off but after days of fog we needed to get out regardless and headed out early one Sunday morning around the local parks. 

I still managed to see a fair few birds including a Nuthatch in Dartmouth Park, the first time i've seen one there in all these years! 

The fog did not make for good photos - not of birds anyway - it did make everywhere look a little eerie. 

Anyone else think this tree stump looks like a dog?!

Black-headed Gull

Mistle Thrush

Robin

Wren

It was good to get out even if it was local but I am desperately missing going further afield, i've been able to keep myself busy with all the decorating and such over the past few months but now it's all done and I have time on my hands............ 

30 Days Wild Days 10 & 11 & A Walk in the Park

Yesterday I spent time at my parents and managed a quick walk around their garden in between the showers. The trees are full of plums and cherries and they have lots of strawberries too. They leave the cherries for the Blackbirds but we all get a share of the rest! Bees have taken up residence in the compost bin so they've stayed away and let them be, I could see plenty of them about on the Cotoneaster but they were constantly on the move.

This morning I was up and off for a walk around a couple of the parks in Morley. I saw a few Swifts on the way. There were lots of branches and twigs on the ground, the trees here took quite a battering in the winds this week. Still there were plenty of birds and some were making use of the twigs lying about as I saw Woodpigeons and Song Thrush nest building!

In both parks I saw Blue Tit fledglings, but they were pretty well hidden in the trees. You can't mistake the noise though.

Back home and a pair of Collared Doves landed on the top of the feeder, they take a while to make the decision to actually go on the seed tray. This one ended up sliding down the piece of wood we have propped through the feeder and used it's tail feathers for balance whilst it ate.

The Lavender is blooming at the moment, it was covered in Cuckoo spit mid week and it looked gorgeous in the sun this evening. The yellow plant was already there when we moved in and we've just let it, it's spreading up and down the flower bed and looks great with the purple of the Lavender, I don't know what it is though!

Just had a lovely moment watching the fox from the open patio doors, a few feet away at the feeder, it kept an eye on me but seemed quite happy to eat there.

Around the Patch

Things are up and down around the garden - quiet one day, busy the next. There is plenty of activity from the Starlings and Sparrows, picking up nesting materials, there are a few nesting around which is promising.

This Sparrow was eating the Dandelion leaves on the lawn, I managed to grab a couple of photos through the window.

A pair of Robins stayed around the garden for a few days.

Up until 10 days ago we had a pair of Long-Tailed Tits around the garden every day, i'm hoping they've disappeared to nest. Great, Blue and Coal are putting in an appearance on the feeder quite often.

I had my first Chiffchaff in the garden a couple of weeks back, so far the only one though. Also a female Blackcap hung around the garden for half an hour or so one morning. A Wren has taken to singing in the climbing Rose on the side of the house on a daily basis.

Woodpigeons have been frequent visitors in the garden and spend a lot of time sitting in the Laburnum. A pair of Magpies made a half hearted attempt at building a flimsy nest but seem to have given up.

In the park however I spotted 5 pairs of Magpies building nests, good solid ones, my Magpies need to take lessons I think! The Redwings have finally gone from here now, still plenty of Mistle and Song Thrush around though. Lots of finches, tits, Blackbirds, Dunnocks and Crows.

There is a lot of colour from the blossom.

I took a walk through Churwell woods before work this week. I counted 3 separate Chiffchaff, the woods were busy with birds - Wren, Song Thrush, Goldfinch, Blackbird, Dunnock, Sparrows, Woodpigeon, Blue Tit, Great Tit.

The woods are looking very spring like, lots of greenery and a few flowers here and there.

Walking on to work afterwards I had a new patch tick of a flyover Cormorant, first on the patch ever not just for the year!