MORNING WALK INTO YEO VALLEY
WEATHER: overcast, a little chilly but no wind at all. Temp 10C
There had to be a morning when I couldn't get any decent photographs and when many birds were too busy chasing one another around to pose for me. This was it.
I walked to the Nuthatch nest site and to my great astonishment the Nuthatches were once again rebuilding their nest entrance, what resilience these little beauties have. The mud in the nest hole had been pecked away by the Green Woodpecker yesterday, the hole looked twice the size that it was yesterday morning.
this must be the third time that the mud has been replaced
Despite the gloom of the cloudy monring there was lots of bird song, I counted 3 Common Chiffchaffs, 3 Blackcaps and all the usual common woodland birds. The mandarin Ducks were in place, I didn't stop to take yet another picture you will be pleased to hear.
I noticed that the water in the stream looked so much cleaner now that the sunlight was not directly on it and I saw a couple of splashes from fish. Whilst I stood taking the picture shown below a Kingfisher flew towards me with wings spread, it was going to land right below me. However, once it saw me. off it went and of course I wasn't ready to take a picture, doh!!
When I reached the River Yeo I saw two Redwings fly across the meadow behind me and yet another Kingfisher surprised me, once again another azure-blue flash zooming up the river was all I saw.
the Blackthorn is looking lovely, covered in off-white flowers
Goat Willow flowers also look lovely
I got a lot closer to a pair of Red-legged Partridges but they moved too quickly for a picture, watch this space.
Back home I spent some time watching my feeder and bird nest-box, the Great Tits are still interested but I haven't seen them carrying any nesting materials yet. I saw Blackbird, Dunnock, Blue Tit, Nuthatch, Robin, Jackdaw and Magpie in the garden.
my summer bench with the bird-box behind it
There has been a small flock of Goldfinches in the meadow next to my garden, about 12 of them, they were there today. Shouldn't they be dispersing by now for breeding purposes?