I'm Useful!

Of an evening I sit out with the poultry until it is time for bed, as I want them to enjoy as much daylight as possible, but don't want to leave them vulnerable to predators.  As I sit quietly wild birds come and make use of the poultry's food supply.  Meet a few of them:

Male House Sparrow

Female House Sparrow

This male and female mallard are regular visitors that have become very indifferent to mine and the dogs presence: they sense that we are no threat.  Perhaps this year the female might once again bring her ducklings and rear them at my pond. 

Snooze time.

While the female keeps an eye out for trouble.

A feral pigeon.  I get as many as 40 of these at times during the year.  At the moment only one is visiting.

This Rook was determined to have some seed, though he was very wary of my presence, and who can blame him as they are so horribly persecuted in this area.  I have picked many up over the years that have been left with terrible injuries from being shot at.

I get around 40 Collared Doves visiting during the winter but now I am down to around four.

And I shall sneak in one of my own handsome boys: a Rosecomb Bantam cross.

Many thanks for your visits and comments.  I am still catching up with everyone's great blogs.

Elusive Birds

I have been trying to photograph some of the local warblers, sadly without much success.  The birds round here seem, on the whole, to be rather camera shy.   This one Willow Warbler did very kindly pose for me, though it didn't believe in staying still for too long!  Now if I could just get those dastardly little Sedge Warblers, that seem far greater in number this year, to come out from amidst the branches and leaves! :-) 

I read in the local paper today that we have had the driest spring for 54 years.  I am already rooting out my waterproof gear ready for the backlash come summer, as somehow I don't think we will have the drought that they are forecasting!  Hope you are all warmer than we are here in cold and windy Wales.