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.