Did you know that Long Tailed Tit's like stollen?

In the last few days the Long Tailed Tit's have been visiting the garden again. They fly into the garden in small groups and usually straight to the suet balls or suet nibbles. I had however put out some Stollen that we had left that was a little bit stale. The Long Tailed Tit's loved it. They usually fly into the garden eat for a while and leave until the next day. The Stollen must really have been a treat because not only did they stay longer than usual, they came back twice in the same day for more.

Long Tailed Tit enjoying the Stollen.

Long Tailed Tit.

The squirrels are getting very friendly at the moment, they are not just tolerating each other, they seem to be enjoying each others company.
The younger ones are running round like hooligans with no manners or respect for each other though. I was watching two of them a couple of days ago and I was amazed at some of their tricks, how they don't injure themselves or each other I just don't know.

Squirrels having a stand off, which one is going to move out of the way first?

Well I guess this answers the question!

The squirrel jumped over the other landed on the fence ran a few steps then jumped up into the sycamore tree. The other squirrel, when it realised what had happened, turned and gave chase.  The last I saw of them they were chasing each other through the top branches of the sycamore tree.

Today we had a ride over to Bentham to visit Tony's son and family. The weather was not very nice when we set off it was cold and icy. When we got to Bradford it began to get quite foggy. Then as we began to cross Clapham Common it began to snow. Luckily the snow did not fall for long and by the time we reached Bentham the sun was out but it was still very cold.

Just a few photo's from this mornings trip.

A foggy morning travelling to Bentham.

A lonely tree in the fog.

A wintery scene.

Now for a useless fact,

The first bomb dropped on Berlin in WW2

Killed the only elephant in Berlin zoo.

Until the next time...

Books, TV and another useless fact...

This morning it snowed,

We had been told by Paul Hudson on the weather forecast last night to expect wind and ice. That there was a possibility of a few wintery showers over the tops. Well I don't really think I would class us as being on the tops, however we definitely got the snow. It didn't last long and not a lot settled but it was very cold. This means when it freezes, (which it will ) it will be treacherous underfoot so I am staying indoors where I am safe.

Tony is watching Snooker, I think part of the reason he watches it is so he can complain about the commentators and the way they describe the players. One of his favourites is John Virgo's saying "inch perfect" which he must repeat at least a dozen times in some matches. When they start singing the praises of Ronnie O'Sullivan thats it, Tony is in his element, "that man is a gangster".

Oh well at least he has something to entertain him for a few hours to fill the hours of boredom when we don't get out!

I am reading a bit more again I am still reading Lisa Gardner but I am onto her final 2 books.  I am then going to try either Karen Slaughter or Jeffery Deaver. I have bought 2 of each of their books so I will see which draws me in the most.

I have begun watching the second series of "Broadchurch" but I am not sure yet whether or not I am liking it as much as the first. Where as "Last Tango in Halifax" has me hooked again from the beginning. 

I am also enjoying "The Voice" and I much prefer Rita Ora as a judge than Kyle Minogue. 

Useless fact:-

Nottingham

was first named Snottingham,

after a Viking called Snot.

Until the next time...

                                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Cheeky did not want to share...

The cheeky squirrel is enjoying the nuts on the window ledge, he comes and waits when he see's me coming. Before I even get the window out he will be on the fence, tail swishing urging me to hurry up and put out the nuts.
I always put a few out so he can help himself whilst I fill the other feeders and the nutboxes and water dishes.

The other day I found a few brazil nuts that I had forgotten about, so I put them out on the table at the side of the shed.
Cheeky squirrel really did get excited when he saw them. Back and forth he ran taking them until only one remained. Just before he came back another squirrel appeared, ran along the fence and jumped onto the table. The second squirrel was sniffing at the last nut when out of nowhere shot a ball of fur, screeching and spitting, the squirrel was knocked to the ground and the nut disappeared.



Cheeky squirrel with the last Brazil nut.











Cheeky squirrel a look of triumph on his face raced down the garden, brazil nut hanging from his mouth. The second squirrel shook himself looked round as if to say what happened, climbed back up to the table and the look on his face when he saw the nut had gone, if squirrels cried I think he would have done just that.

The garden is beginning to fill up with birds, the Blackbirds are back and starting to pick their territories. The Sparrows are huddling together in the bushes either to keep warm or setting up the colonies. The Dunnocks are already beginning games of chase, The Robins are singing and the Great Tits are too.

It is almost time for the :-

RSPB Big Garden Bird Watch 24th - 25th January 2015

I hope there will be plenty of birds visiting for that, I will be down in the shed, the feeders full, lots of fresh water and I will settle in with my music player and book ready for the count. Tony will probably do an hour on Sunday and I will do Saturday it is amazing how much difference there can be in the day and time.


Here is another useless fact,

Squirrels forget where they've buried
three-quarters of their nuts!

Until the next time...

I will do something...

My camera's lay idle in the cupboard, the squirrels abandoned in the garden and the birds looking forlornly at the fast emptying feeders. Tomorrow I must go into the garden and remedy all these things.

I will fill all the feeders, put out some special treats and take some photo's no matter what the weather or how I feel, I just need a swift kick up the rear, which I am sure Tony will be only to happy to oblige with.

Another useless fact:-

The superb fairy wren
Teaches it's chicks to sing
While they are still in the egg.

Until the next time...

A useless fact.

Did you know,

8,000 years ago, Britain had so many trees,
That a squirrel could travel from
John O'Groats to Land's End
Without touching the ground.

Until the next time...

A Belated Happy New Year.

I crawled coughing and sneezing into 2015. My throat feeling like it was full of barbed wire, a brass band playing in my head and a thunderstorm in my ears. I am on the mend now though, I am just left with a cough that rattles my body. However enough of that, lets find some good things for the start of the new year.

The squirrels are coming three sometimes four at a time into the garden, one of them is quite happy to sit on the window ledge and eat nuts I have put there while I sit and watch him.

The birds are increasing in numbers since the cold weather arrived.

I finally managed to get my hair cut just before Christmas, it has gone from shoulder length to pixie cut. As you can imagine that means my ears and neck are very cold now so I am wearing scarves indoors and out.

Tony is fine he has been looking after me very well while I have not been well. At least we knew it could not be flu I had because somebody made me have a flu jab.

Tony is a bit worried about his sister because she is in hospital and might be facing surgery. She is 70 years old and of course he cannot just rush off to be with her, she lives in New England in USA. It's not just round the corner.

The little black cat is still trying to catch the squirrels, thankfully, (touch wood) it has not managed to get one as far as we know. I think it has managed to catch a few small birds though.

The Sparrow hawk has been around,that has definitely been killing. There was the remains of a brown feral pigeon in the garden, I don't mind that because they have become a nuisance.

I am hopefully going to keep a regular blog now that I am feeling a bit better. I hope I will be able to get out and about to find some interesting photos and blog entries for you.

Until then... 

Christmas greetings

Christmas this year was spent over in Bentham at the home of one of Tony's son's.
They are a very close family. Tony, Elvira and I were treated to warm welcome and made to feel at home. The two children, a 5 (almost 6 ) year old boy and a 9 month old girl are very happy and pleasant to be around. I have never known a baby as placid as this little girl, the only time she cried was when she was tired. The young boy is very polite and intelligent for his age and eager to please. Both parents are really laid back and easy going, I think that is why the children are so content.

Tony and his son cooked the Christmas lunch which was very tasty, there was a cranberry and port sauce which I really liked.
We stayed the night and this morning Tony's other son who lives in Morecambe, called in to visit along with his wife and two son's.
The boys have both grown and the younger one has reached his aim to outgrow his elder brother by about half an inch, now he just wants to take over his dad.

We left Bentham to arrive home mid afternoon, the roads were not too busy so it did not take us too long. After a soak in the bath, a homemade lamb curry and rice, it was time to turn in for the night.
So  when the phone rang and Lynsey said have you got a lot of snow there then?
I looked out of the window and was surprised to see about 2 - 3 inches of snow and it is still falling.

I hope you all had a good Christmas,
Until the next time...