Single Siskin

 By this date last year I had found two Treecreeper nests. This year I haven't found any yet, but I saw a pair of TC's feeding together and staying together as they moved through the wood this morning so fingers crossed.

One of two Treecreepers

As I was watching the Treecreepers a bird landed in a tree between me and the object of my attention. I moved the camera and got a Siskin in view. Just one strangely, as they are normally in quite large flocks when I see them in the wood.

Single Siskin

Ear worm time followed as I started to sing Single Pigeon by Wings 😂 

Birds are collecting nesting material now and although I've seen Rooks carrying big stuff, I saw my first birds actually collecting material today.

Long-tailed Tit pulling moss for its nest

Greenfinch with a small twig

I watched the Greenfinch working on a small twig that had smaller twigs attached to it, so it bit them off and flew away with a nice, clean twig!  I find that Greenfinches always look cross 😀

Over the weekend (Saturday) I was in the right place at the right right time to get a Red Kite flying west over the Mere through Decoy channel. A distant shot as usual but a record shot anyway.

Red Kite west over the Mere

Common Buzzards have been very common recently and I watched 3 of them as they sorted out either a pecking order or which two of three were going to pair up. A male and 2 females by the look of them.

Common Buzzards

Buzzards have very variable under-wing patterns and if I can get enough photos of good enough quality, I hope to be able to identify our local birds. It's very much a work in progress but it'll keep me occupied if nothing else.

Insects are slowly making themselves seen and heard more and more and I saw at least 4 bumblebees yesterday.

Buff Tailed Bumblebee

There are numerous Lesser Celandine in flower but I've not seen any bees on them yet, so hopefully they'll find enough dandelions to tide them over until other flowers appear.