The routine walk through woods, ponds, and tree nursery today, was very pleasant. Warm sunshine was massaging my back as I watched over the lake, the 8 MALLARD and the LITTLE GREBE were also enjoying the sunny side of the water, but no other visitors dropped in. The wooded areas around the lake had GOLDCREST, MARSH TIT, LONG TAILED TIT, and COAL TIT all calling, while a little futher into the scrubby orchard a NUTHATCH was very vocal. Before I reluctantly moved on, a smart male BULLFINCH dropped in above me, and fed on some buds. On one of the outbuildings my first butterfly of the year - a PEACOCK, was also soaking up the January sunshine, it was a bit notched, and one of its lower false eyes had gone, but it was none the less a welcome sight. Why did I leave the camera at home..........?
I passed through the tree nursery, with no activity, until I climbed the gate to get out, then a female SPARROWHAWK flew from the ground, I went over and had a look - feathers strewn everywhere! A WOODPIGEON had met his end, having been half consumed lying under a small bush.
A quick look at the garden when I got home revealed 3 GREAT SPOTTED WOODPECKERS, all on a feeders each, just about tolerating each others presence. Also, a WOODMOUSE crept out from under my shed, and stole some spilled seed. A pleasant winters afternoon.
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