An unusually quiet garden...

Today the garden was quiet, unusually quiet, more so than usual. I have never known it to be so quiet. There was a distinct lack of wildlife of any sort what so ever. Nothing, Nada, rein.

I stayed in the garden for almost 3 hours and only took 10 photographs. I didn't even keep all of those. The ones I kept are nothing special, just of a scruffy Blackbird that is in the garden every day. He is the first to arrive and the last to leave. I think the nest he and his mate have is just over the fence in the adjoining garden.



This is scruff running up to the bird table. I know it is not in focus, but it is an action shot and I like it, so I kept it.

This is scruff on the bird table. The lighting was not right the sun was in the wrong direction, but again I like it so I kept it.

Scruff sitting on the fence after he had finished eating. He seems to sit there as if he is in deep thought, I wonder what a Blackbird thinks about?

Well that's it, that's all for today I hope you enjoyed it.


Until the next time...

Mrs Squirrel, strawberries and grass cutting

 Mrs Squirrel was attracted to the very small bird house. The one I put seeds in for the small birds, such as the dunnocks and sparrows.
She managed to squeeze herself in there and to eat nearly all the sunflower hearts that I had left in there.

First Mrs squirrel pulled herself up.

Then squeezed part of the way in.

She even managed to turn around again















There was a new squirrel in the garden who took a liking to the strawberries I put in the garden for the blackbirds.
The squirrel ran into the garden picked up a strawberry and ran up the sycamore tree where it sat to eat it and appeared to enjoy it.

Mr Blackbird dozed in the sunshine not a care in the world. He had best make the most of it, soon the eggs will be laid and hatched then he will be busy.













I don't know what upset the robin but he looks like he had a bit of a shock from something.

The weather has been good the last week I hope it stays that way for a while longer, I have new cameras to play with (well new to me).
As predicted the strimmer came out, but Tony bought a lawn mower so now he can cut the grass easier, and some of the flowers survived.

Until the next time...

Birds, squirrels and a sycamore tree.

The Blue Tits are still busy at the nest box.

The Blue Tit flew away,

To return moments later,

And then leave again.

After the Blue Tit had left I glanced at the nest box, this is what I saw,

I was surprised to see one of the squirrels in the sycamore tree, it must have been the female that is pregnant, she looked like she was collecting materials for her drey.

She looked very surprised when she saw me, 

I moved my camera into the greenhouse and continued to watch the sycamore tree as that seemed to be where everything was happening. I had not been in there long before I spotted the female squirrel again. This time she was picking buds off the tree and eating them.

I decided to try for a picture even though she was very high up in the tree.

The female squirrel reaching for a bud at the end of a twig, high up in the sycamore tree.

She managed to reach and eat quite a few buds.

The pictures came out almost in silhouette so I just turned them black and white I am happy with them.

When the squirrel had enough to eat from the tree she leaped down to the wall.

The nut boxes had been filled so she took a nut and sat on the fence eating one. She turned to look at me and I am sure she stuck her tongue out at me.

I don't know what happened after that maybe a wasp or something had stung her,

She screwed up her face, shook herself,

then flattened her ears and chattered.

When Tony and I looked at the photo we both laughed out loud we have never seen a squirrel flatten their ears she just looks so funny.

There has been a few fights among the blackbirds, some of them are wearing battle scars.

Blackbird injured in a fight but he was the winner this time.

The last photo for today is of one of my favourite visitors.

The Wren

I think this is a beautiful bird, I love to hear them in the garden singing, they move so fast it always makes me happy when I manage to take a picture of one.

Until the next time...

Rocking chairs, thinking and reading.

Tony and I rearranged some furniture a couple of days ago. Some items were taken to the shed from the flat and visa-versa. I have my rocking chair back in the bedroom now, that will be where most of my reading will take place now.
After we had finished moving things about I decided to stay in the shed for a while, just an hour or so to see if anything appeared to photograph. I haven't  been to the shed much recently we have been trying to find a cupboard for the landing but hopefully now we have found the right one.

I spent a few hours over the last few days looking at some poems I wrote a few years ago when I was in a very bad place. A few people told me I should do something with them and write more.

I copied most of them on to the computer, along with a few more with meaning and a couple that are complete nonsense. I thought if I put them all together and made a book, to see what it would look like, maybe build up my confidence to believe  it would be possible to publish a book. I would show it to a few close friends and family to see what they thought, any criticism would be taken or ideas even compliments, which I don't usually expect.
I even thought about finding some pictures to put in to go with some of the pieces, not all because I think that would be too much.
If the people I showed it too thought it was any good the next step would be finding out how to get it published.

Anyhow enough of this waffling back to the garden and shed.
 The Blackbirds are picking up leaves, grass and similar materials, the big Crow is pulling twigs off the surrounding trees to take back to the nesting site. The Robin is is singing his heart out. So is the Dunnock, the wing waving has started in earnest now. The sound of Sparrows can be heard from the bushes as they chase through them chattering as they go. The Starlings are singing and dancing trying to attract a mate, the Wood Pigeons are soaring in the air doing ariel displays, landing on the fence beside a female bird bowing to her and fanning out his tail feathers for display. Woodpeckers are drumming in the distance, but they move nearer as the day shortens.
The problem is sometimes I am so busy watching and listening I forget to take a photo.

Here's one I managed.

A Dunnock with a very small wing wave.

 

The tree's are in bud, the flowers are blossoming. Margaret's garden is a rainbow of colours. Ours has a few yellow primroses, some snowdrops and a very few daffodils, they won't last for long because it is almost time for the strimmer to make an appearance! I know this as York Racecourse Car-boot Sale begins tomorrow, the strimmer usually appears soon after.

I am still enjoying reading 'Jeffery Deaver' (probably more in my rocking chair). I am reading
"The Twelfth Card" at the moment the sixth in the series of of "The Lincoln Rhyme" novels. I enjoy them because they keep me guessing most of the way through.



Until the next time...