Snow Days

This week the clouds decided to drop snow rather than rain. The clouds are still here, but at least the snow gives back a little more light than the roads and pavement. It also meant that the birds were very active in my garden due to the cold weather. I had to top up the feeders as they were munching their way through loads. I decided to see if I could take some pictures of them from the lounge window. As I've not been out with the camera a lot recently due to the dull grey skies, it gave some light relief.

To top it off I had a Goldcrest that stayed around quite a while for me.

Female Blackbird does not look best pleased with the snow.

This Coal Tit looked blended in well.

Europe's smallest bird, the Goldcrest. So small and so fast. It never stays still.

Hard to beat a Robin in the snow.

Garden Goings On

Still in lockdown, still not going out with the camera. So I have resorted to poking the camera lens out of the lounge window on my lunch breaks, as I am working from home. Thankfully there is a lot of activity out there at the moment, and the cold weather is helping to keep the birds very interested around the feeders. Coal Tits and Long-tailed Tits are busy on the fat blocks, but far too quick to capture as I stand at the window. Blue and Great Tits are always around and the odd Redwing pays me a visit.

I tried to pick out the easy targets, and some of those happened to be the ground feeding birds.

Dunnocks are looking good at the moment.

Female Blackbird.

Not exactly a bird, but I couldn't resist this little guy.

Robin

A distant Treecreeper has been a nice surprise visitor on a few occasions. Tends to move around with the Long-tailed Tit flock. 

Long-tailed Tit. Apologies for the blur. I am hand holding without a rest or monopod.

Home Birding - Lockdown 2

 When I was 'lockdown birding' in the Spring, I didn't expect I'd be doing the same thing in the Autumn, but here I am doing exactly that. I have enjoyed this week though with some different birds to watch from my lounge window. Goldcrests have made an appearance. Wrens have been squabbling and there have been plenty of Coal Tits on my window feeder. Yesterday I even had 3 male Blackcaps turn up. Much easier to see at this time of year than in the Spring, when they like to sing from within well leafed trees and hedges. These were feeding on the berries of the Dogwood.

Blackbird numbers have been swelled recently by an influx of the continental race from Europe. They look much darker than our own Blackbirds and have almost black bills. They have been feeding on the berries, but always harassed by the locals.

This female was hanging around with one of the continental males, so I assume it is also from across Europe somewhere.

Here you can see this male has a black bill and no yellow eye ring.

Taken on the same day, this is one of the local British Blackbirds with it's distinctive yellow bill and eye ring.

Blackbird

Blackbirds have been very conspicuous of late, and they've been taking advantage of the abundance of berries on our hedges and bushes. It seems that many migrate here from other parts of Europe, but I've yet to truly distinguish these from our own birds. It seems as though some of the migratory birds have a darker browner bill, whereas this one below quite clearly has a more yellow bill.

Plenty to eat here.

This male has Ring Ouzel like scalloping of brown edged black feathers.

Snow is Falling.......

(and the birds need feeding)

We were greeted by the first snow of the winter this morning. Which can only mean one thing in my garden. Quick, feed the birds!
Food went down pretty sharpish and we were soon visited by the regular Cheadle Hulme birds.
Blue, Great and Coal Tit, House Sparrow, Robin, Dunnock, Blackbirds, Collard Doves, Wood Pigeona, Magpies, Starlings and a Rook.
I'd really like a Sparrowhawk to come down and take one of the feral Pigeons that seem to be around, but I am sure I won't be that lucky. Here's hoping though.

Go on, you know you want to.

A Blackbird

I can see you.