This weekend was the time for the RSPCA Big Garden Birdwatch. The rules are simple. Choose an hour over any of the two weekend days and count the birds. You then record the most of each type of bird that you see at one time. Mirinda recorded our count today between 12:45 & 13:45. Here are her results:
| Blackbird – 2 | Blue tit – 3 | Chaffinch – 4 | Coal tit – 1 | |||
| Collared dove – 5 | Dunnock – 1 | Feral pigeon – 2 | Goldfinch – 7 | |||
| Great tit – 3 | Greenfinch – 4 | House sparrow – 2 | Jay – 1 | |||
| Magpie – 2 | Nuthatch – 2 | Robin – 1 | Siskin – 1 | |||
| Starling – 4 | Woodpigeon – 1 |
That’s 18 different species! Though we often get another 9 or so. This is a bigger amount than last year which, I hope, is a sign that the birds are returning to the countryside.
Before (and during) the count, I had the camera set up in the garden to try and get a photograph of maybe a woodpecker…or a wren…but all I managed was lots of tits and this siskin.
A siskin saying grace before eating
And then, five minutes after Mirinda had finished the count, I was standing at the kitchen sink and noticed a bird in the banana tree. it didn’t look familiar to me. I grabbed my camera off the dining table and called Mirinda to approach slowly and quietly. She identified it. It was a red wing. I’ve never seen one before, let alone get a photo. It’s nowhere near a good shot but it’s nice to see new visitors to the garden.
A very rare visitor arrives too late
At one stage I switched the camera to watching the floating table. I quite like this show off.
Showing off
After lunch, we popped over to Thursley Common (the place where Carmen decided to have a primeval mud bath last year) for a lovely walk among the swamps and sand. Carmen, just in case, remained on the lead. At the beginning of the walk, just beyond the car park, is a lake. On the lake there was a whole bunch of ducks. All in pairs…except for this chap who was quite keen to show off in front of the girls. I wouldn’t be surprised if the other males eventually saw him off.
Handsome looking chap
We walked for ages. Once you get across the swampy bits, the path is all sand and over soft rolling hills. We saw a few people but not enough to be annoying. Eventually we reached the top of a hill and Mirinda decided we should walk back. For some reason known only to her, she stood and took a close photo of this tree. I managed to get her as she turned towards me.
In the nature reserve
It was a lovely walk but was almost dark by the time we returned home.
On Friday night, Stevie introduced me to a brilliant app called ‘Retro Cam’. It’s a series of different types of camera within the one app. it creates images as if they were taken with the particular camera. I had a bit of a muck around tonight. This is a Polaroid shot.
Scowling in the kitchen
Wow fancy seeing that many wish we had lots but only get magpies you look so much like your father when he was your age .love mum
I think you look like a vodka drinking pole.