Bird watching

It was a very busy day in the garden today. Not with me but with the birdlife. The morning was all bright and blue as I topped up the feed and set the tripod up. I then stood in the kitchen and waited.

At one stage a whole gang of starlings attacked the floating table, kicking out all other species. There was also a rather possessive collared dove who wanted everything for himself, fighting off all the wood pigeons.

At one stage there was a group of wood pigeons wandering around beneath the floating table, picking up discarded scraps while the collared dove wandered around picking and choosing what to eat. Though it was only wood pigeons he didn’t like. All the smaller birds were quite welcome to join in.

The blackbird even put in an appearance at the table. I managed to snap him on a branch above it. It’s slightly out of focus, which is annoying, but still…

Mr Blackbird

And then it rained. I quickly dragged the camera inside and set up in the kitchen, shooting out the big window. A rather cheeky robin kept glancing out from behind things. I managed to get one shot of him.

Robin sneaking a peek

At one stage, while the camera was set up in the garden, I snapped a shot of myself (using the wireless remote) as I walked by the floating table. I thought it came out quite well though at a rather odd angle and I think I need a shave.

Glancing askance

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Tonight I watched Kirstie Allsopp (she is so cutsie it’s impossible) learn how to make pork pies, braun and sausages for entry in the handmade section of a Yorkshire show. She has never done any of these things before. She’s oddly entertaining.

There’s something terribly game and wholesome about her desire to try odd things. It was the last episode of her entering things in country competitions – flower arranging, cushion making, pig walking, all manner of things. It’s also the only episode I’ve seen.

I now feel confident that I could make pork pies and sausages by hand. I’m not that keen on buying a pig’s head and turning it into braun so I don’t think I’ll be doing that.

Kirstie is quite infectious and the results are exciting. I’m not going to give away how she goes but she deserves what she gets.