Starling.............................................................................. visiting my birdbath

I have a couple of Starlings visiting my garden at the moment... 

...they are nesting in my neighbours roof.

Beautiful birds to see up close...  they are so colourful.

Wild Bird Wednesday

My little garden Wood Mouse........................................................ on the patio

The Wood Mouse that lives in my garden was very active yesterday.

We had scattered seeds on the patio to try and get the Blackbirds close enough to take photos.

The mouse was dashing too and fro... grabbing a seed at a time and running under the fence to stash them.

We watched him for over 20 minutes... he was within a couple of feet but oblivious to us as he darted about.

He didn't stop until every seed had been gathered up and stored away.

Wood mice are supposed to be only active at night... nobody told this little fella.

Our World Tuesday

Saturday mornings garden visitor........................................................ a Siskin

I had a lovely little visitor to the garden this morning... a lone Siskin.

It's the first one I have seen in the garden for over a year... fingers crossed I get some more.

Linking to The Bird D'pot and Camera Critters

Our Bank Holiday trip along the River Weaver...................... on the Arctic Star

I have already posted about this years first boat trip on the River Weaver... 

Mandy's dad's boat... Arctic Star moored at Duttons Lock.

   
I took some video clips during our journey to and from Duttons Lock.
I hope it gives you some idea of what my local river is like... loads of reed beds for the warblers.

Mandy's Dad... Alan.
It's hard to believe he had a quintuple heart bypass just a few weeks ago... his recovery is going really well.

Skywatch Friday

My gardening companion........................................................................ Robin

 I have been tidying up the garden today... my little Robin has been following me around all morning.

He waits until I have disturbed the soil weeding... as I move on he hops down to feed.

Makes me smile every time.

Linking to Our World Tuesday and Wild Bird Wednesday

First trip on the river this year................................. "Phew! What a scorcher!"

It's Easter weekend and the weathers fantastic.

Mandy's Dad decided to take his boat out on the river for the first time this year... and the first time since his heart attack in February.

The old wreck by Dutton Locks looks to have suffered through the winter storms.

Mute Swans have nested on the same nest as last year... remember 6 abandoned eggs?

This year they are sitting on 5... watch this space for updates.

Reed Bunting.

I took the camcorder and filmed plenty of clips of the journey... I hope to share a short film shortly.

I've just seen my first Swallows this year..........................................................

Travelling home from work tonight I spotted my first Swallows of 2014... only a few but wonderful to see.

These images are from last summer... along the River Weaver.

Juvenile captured during June 2013...

 ...there were plenty of nests under Acton Bridge swing bridge last year.
 Hopefully more of the same this summer.

Wild Bird Wednesday

Song Thrush singing.........................................................................................

I have a Song Thrush waking me up in the morning at the moment... singing his heart out.

It's loud as are the rest of the spring morning chorus birds.

I am woken around 4am to the sound of a Great Tit's "tee too tee too" call... 

...which is soon supported by the Robin and Blackbirds.

The Spring morning chorus... I love it.
The video clip was taken a couple of years ago.

Our World Tuesday

Great Spotted Woodpecker.............................................................................

While we were having a rest at the feeding station at Moore Nature Reserve last weekend we saw this male Great Spotted Woodpecker.

He fed on the suet block for a good five minutes.

I only had my 18-200 lens on the camera and these cropped images were the best I could manage...

... still a nice record of the moment.

Wild Bird Wednesday

How much can I eat before I'm spotted?............................................................

The squirrel in my garden making the most of it... how fast can he chew!

Our World Tuesday

Wren............................................................................. Moore Nature Reserve

I have never had much luck capturing Wren images... even when I had them nesting in my garden.

We had a walk at Moore Nature Reserve on Sunday afternoon and spotted this one gathering nesting material.

I only had my 18-200 travel lens on the camera but I did manage to get quite close as it was preoccupied.

Lovely little birds to see... and my first bird images for weeks.

Wild Bird Wednesday