First Swifts

First Swifts for the year flew high over the garden at about 2030hrs - whilst I was painting fences!

First Swallow

Spent all day in the garden, weeding amd painting fences in the glorious sunshine.

Highlights of birds recorded throughout the day included my first Swallow for the garden this year, also 2 Chiffchaff, Sparrowhawk, Blackcap (heard only), Goldcrest and 4 Jays.

First butterflies for the year were 4+ Holly Blues, 2 Speckled Woods and a Small White.

Bough Beech Winter Birds

Brambling

Brambling & Nuthatch

Goosanders

Here are some pics of birds seen at Bough Beech the other week. Both Goosanders and Bramblings are classic winter visitors that will be leaving us soon for their breeding grounds in northern Europe. It's been a good winter for Bramblings down at the Bough Beech feeders with 30+ seen almost daily.

Two Kestrels seen on the way home from work today, both hunting over the A21 in classic hovering pose.

Egg Fest

A couple of pics of the kids and their Easter eggs, although its almost certain that now its a few days after Easter they would have little if anything to show you now.

Today, a couple of Red-legged Partridges were seen in fields on the way to work and 3 Ring-necked Parakeets in Wimbledon Park.

Snow Fight

Yesterday, the motordrive was put through its paces when Jaz picked a fight with a local spotty cat in the snow. The middle picture actually caught them in mid air, blended together as one mass of hissing, spitting fur. Amazing! They both seemed to walk away unscathed, but there were quite a few tufts of fur left blowing around on the patio.

Great-spotted Woodpecker and Kestrel seen on the way to work.

Easter Snow

This is all the snow we had - and it didn't settle

Despite the snow flurries and cold temperatures over the Easter break I managed to get some fences up.

Blackbird seen nest building in a ivy covered tree on the railway embankment and Chiffchaff was heard.

Pets at Easter

Purrgeot

Jaz

Not to be left out, here are the cats - up to mischief as usual.