With this lovely video, I will say farewell to 2014 and welcome to 2015. Also best wishes for a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous year for all our Forum and Gabfest friends as well as all our feathered friends, especially EJ and Odin and their 2015 family.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rtajxo8d7js
Willow, lucky you to be able to feed and enjoy your birds. I haven't put out any seed this winter because of the squirrels.
Your post inspired me to go out to check on the bulbs I planted last fall.
It is the nature of one species (grape hyacinth, I think) to send up leaves in the fall and they did that. Those leaves are still there and looking OK.
I planted quite a few snowdrops and they should be coming up any time now, but nothing yet.
There were a couple of tips of something, not enough out of the ground to ID. Maybe a hyacinth & a daffodil. I hope not as it is still too early for these. Any leaves or flower stems that come up now will only freeze.
I dont know what has happened to our squirrels there is usually just one around lately! I have squirrel proof guardians round my feeders which keeps them out.
It is forecast temperatures of minus 4 tonight so hope the buds will be alright! The garden is very unpleasant and muddy so only go out to fill feeders and put washing out! Its in need of a big tidy up!
Hi All. June, I, too, will be counting birds for the BGBW this weekend. Hope the little Goldcrest which I've seen several times in the garden in the last couple of weeks makes an appearance during the hour when I'll be counting birds. At lunch time today I was just checking on whether there were any suet pellets left in one feeder by using binoculars from inside the kitchen, and to my astonishment, the Goldcrest appeared in the field of view, grabbed a pellet and flew off, in less than the time it takes to tell it--what luck!
Kind regards, Ann
Yes, seeing desired birds in our yards can be a matter of luck. How often are semi rare birds (to our area, maybe) on our premises, but we don't look at the exact time and so never know of their presence?
Ann and Willow, let us know of your bird counting expereances when you have finished. Did it all work out to your satisfaction?
COUNTDOWN FOR LOCH GARTEN NEST
61 days till EJ'S RETURN on Wed March 25th
67 days till ODIN'S RETURN on Wed March 31st
I'm quietly confident one of these will turn up for the BGBW tomorrow or Sunday especially if I put out peanuts. It went down to -9C last night as you can see from the frost.
____________________________________________________________________
Tony
My Flickr Photostream
TeeJay - - Lovely picture, lovely frost, lovely bird!!
So what is "one of these"? Is it rather uncommon where you are?
Sorry June , it's a (Eurasian) Jay, loosely related to your Blue Jay although obviously very different looking. They are not rare birds but quite shy and this winter is the first time it's become a regular visitor so I've been pleased to have it in my garden.
Hazy, who posts on the main Community forum gets them in her garden all the time and takes some wonderful photos.
www.rspb.org.uk/.../113763.aspx
from Shetland Wildlife Facebook