We have had a bit of a mixture of weather this week, mild, then some serious rain, then a bit of snow followed by a heavy frost 1 March! A bit like spring had arrived today with lots of sun, all the birds starting to sing and the crocuses in the garden starting to open to add to the the ever expanding patches of snowdrops.
Main birds within the garden over the last few days have been:
- blue tit
- great tit
- coal tit
- long-tailed tit
- crested tit briefly on the feeder
- siskin
- blackbird
- collared dove
- woodpigeon
- jackdaw
- rook
- treecreeper taking peanut scraps from below feeder outside Chalet window
sorry, I'll remember to turn the image next time!
- pheasant
- greenfinch
- chaffinch
- great spotted woodpecker
- goldfinch
- house sparrow
- sparrowhawk
- dunnock
- wren
- starling
- robin
- yellowhammer
Locally, lots of lapwing and oystercatchers have arrived, and 60 black-headed gulls roosting on Loch Garten is the highest count for a few years - we used to have 3000-4000! Lots of song & mistle thrushes singing and the odd woodcock can be seen by the roads. Lets hope for clear skies tomorrow night - when there will be a full eclipse of the moon. Thankfully, it's getting lighter, I managed to cycle to and from work on Thursday - without lights, the first time this year. A couple of tawny owls are hooting outside telling me its time to pack up for today.
Happy reading.
Stewart & Janet
All photos © Stewart Taylor
