idyllic days

some days seem just perfect and today was one of those days, the ducks on the Venterdon duck pond overlooked by a bank of daffodils, primroses and celandine, and (below) a squadron of fieldfares taking off. They are winter visitors and will soon be off to their breeding grounds in southern central Europe.

what shall I eat next

one of my favourite things! The arrival of a female woodpecker in the garden suggests we might see some more soon.

glad to be out!

not only the magpies are frisky today

Easter primroses

these primroses, in a small patch on the road into our village, are an unusually rich buttery yellow (compared with the normal pale yellow see post below)

four for a boy

In addition to all the other birds a group of magpies have started hanging around. I am not quite sure what they are up to, (courting?),  but usually it is trouble.

at the Venterdon motorway service station

It has been a hectic Good Friday get away at the bird feeders this afternoon. I don't know whether there is a specific collective noun for green finches but a gang of them (holiday makers, I suspect) descended on the garden and proceeded to harass the locals. There is definitely something in the air today (snow?) that is exciting our avian visitors.