Getting Nearer to Spring

Dwarf Irises are past their best now but the first of the miniature daffs are blooming:

Visitors to the new Bird Table

It didn't take long for the locals to start using the new bird table.
First brave soul was a Robin:


Others included.....
Dunnock:


female Blackbird:


Starling:


Great Tit:


and Chaffinch


I also noticed a Blue Tit but it was too fast for me. There were plenty of House Sparrows but they seemed to prefer the hanging feeder under the bird table.

Title was created with the Mac app Art Text 3 and the FeatheredFlight font.

Weird Wednesday

A New Bird Table

While my new next door neighbours were fetching their various garden furniture I spotted a bird table with a high roof, just ideal for holding a miniature video camera. I asked them where it came from, hoping I could buy one. To my amazement I was given theirs. It had been made for them but they already have several others. Once the weather warmed up a tad I gave it a couple of coats of wood preservative and erected it last weekend:



It was just in time. When I dismantled the old one it just fell into many rotten pieces. The birds are slowly getting used to the new one so I should have some photos of its visitors soon.

When I get fed up standing in the kitchen waiting for birds to arrive I can watch the video feed. The still camera in the kitchen is fitted with a wireless shutter control so when I see a bird arrive I can operate the camera remotely from the living room. That way I might catch the rarer or shy visitors which don't come if they can see activity through the kitchen window.

That Grey Heron Again (video)

Another visit to the garden by a Grey Heron: (no sound)



Unfortunately the automatic recording stops when it can't detect enough movement so I couldn't see whether it actually stepped into the pond on that visit. I know it has in the past.

Busy Bumble Bee (video)

I have two large clumps of Heather in flower at the moment. Once the Sun comes out they are attracting lots of bees and the occasional bumble bee:

Sunrise - Sunset

Sunrise Friday:



Sunset Saturday:

Friday at the Flicks - Song Thrush

A Welcome Spike

I have been adding to my small collection of orchids now I have found which seem to be happy in the conditions I can provide. Recently received was another Phalaenopsis orchid.
Unfortunately part of the flower stem broke in transit:



There is just one bloom left on the plant but it may produce some more as there are 'buds' along the spike which sometimes produce new flowers.

Also I have received a miniature Cymbidium which is in flower:



My original collection of Cymbidiums haven't flowered for about three years. Last Spring I split and repotted them. They are all showing new growths and one has rewarded me with a flower spike which will take several weeks before it is ready to show its flowers:



To finish off here is last week's weird photo alongside the original:

   

As well as distorting the photo to make a 'tiny planet' I added some atmospheric clouds.

The Covers Come Off

It was in July last year when I wrote about the covers being erected over the village church roof as extensive repairs were about to begin. This morning I see they are finally being removed and the tons of scaffolding being dismantled:





That reminded me it was about time I had a look in the churchyard to see whether the Snowdrops and Winter Aconite had survived all the activity:





No problems there. In fact the Winter Aconite is looking better than it has for several years.

More Colour Showing

Another of my dwarf Irises now showing:

Weird Wednesday

Well done to Wilma who correctly said that last week's weird photo was of the Sun with Sunspots:

   

This week's weird photo is easy to recognise.
A photo of a local cricket match processed as a 'tiny planet':

Phalaenopsis Orchid

One of my Phalaenopsis orchids which is in flower at the moment.
Not the tidiest of plants with the way the long roots straggle everywhere:

The High Wire Artist

Hanging food from a rope won't keep me away:

Colour Returning

After what seems months of mainly dull, overcast, grey damp days a few colourful plants are starting to brighten things up:

Friday at the Flicks - Move That Seed Tray

Sometimes bird seed gets under the seed tray on the bird table.
No problem for the Grey Squirrel:



As the daylight lengthens there are gradually more and more voices added to the dawn chorus. Yesterday it was a Song Thrush drowning out the chatter from the House Sparrows. This morning a Mistle Thrush could be heard in the distance.

Weird Wednesday

Firstly, to let you out of your misery here is last week's weird picture alongside the original I started with - a dog biscuit:

   

This week's weird picture could well be described as being out of this world:



Title font is Scary Monsters Regular processed with Mac app Art Text 3