I saw four fully grown starlings each with a pair of chicks trying to feed on our lawn today when I stepped out of the garden cabin. I didn’t want to disturb them so stopped and just looked. The chicks were still a fluffy brown colour so probably their first trip out of their nest. Curious, stupid and no sense of fear two of the chicks tried to walk over to me before their mother spotted them and the group flew to a nearby tree. I had forgotten how noisy starlings are.

Anyway, that was a happy moment for me today. Please share yours.

each with a pair of chicks

And I also found a dead squirrel below the trap 🙂

Did you stick your finger in it? 😀

Chucked over the fence for the fox

I meant the trap…

🤣

😀

We had a pair of starlings pop by earlier this year, but only see the very occasional loner now. But I did see a great blackbird vs sparrows standoff when I put some mealworm out this afternoon – Mr Blackbird was doing his best pelican impression, so I presume he has a family to feed nearby. 🙂

each with a pair of chicks

The link to the lyrics in that tune deserves more credit! Nice video too. 😉

What a great start to the day and you didn’t get injured.

Lauren’s video and article on encouraging young women to ride is my happy experience for the morning.

I set up a new bird feeding spot by the window a month ago after the neighbours put up a new fence between us. Bought what I thought would be the most delicious and tempting food for birds. Nothing… until now! A blue tit has found the fat balls. Hoping something else will discover the meal worms soon.

Also, the lilac tree in the garden is flowering. Time to cut some for in the house and enjoy the scent.

A Friday night swim on the coast with my wife and then fish and chips made us happy. Happier still that despite her fears and initial squealing and swearing she really enjoyed it!

A swim at the Burra arch

We had young sparrows out yesterday – parents seem to throw stuff off the feeders for them to pick up of the ground.

Seem to have blackbirds nesting in the front hedge, which is usually where the Robins are.

Sparrows in my roof right now, wake me up every morning, I quite like them.

Found a pair of Emperor moths on the moor yesterday, here’s the male..

Seen the caterpillars before but not the adults. Beautiful. Made my day!

The squatters have moved back into my front doorway (house martins 🤪).

Saw my first swallows at the neighbouring farm….

I have also seen several baby robins this week with mama on the dyke in front of my kitchen windows.

Baby goldfinches have fledged and were sat on the branch next to our nyger seed feeder with their parents yesterday. I have a “charm”.

Starlings in the roof have also fledged. Parents leading around the garden catching insects.

And parakeets are hoovering up the seed. I buy it in 25 kilo sacks. I fill two large feeders at least once a week.

And squirrel! Feed them hazel nuts to keep them off the bird seed!

Just bumbling around block an smelling whatever is smelling so nice as the sunset is er dropping.

It’s all birds chirping and sun in er ‘New Kingswood’ even got swans in the water reservoir catchment things.

A bit of sun really does cheer you up.

I had forgotten how noisy starlings are.

Yep, love having starlings in the garden but they have been sitting in small tree right outside my window as I work and are making a right racket feeding their open mouthed offspring.

Like the goldfinches more and now have a feeder right by the window.

Currently sat on the mower at work, cutting grass in the sunshine as a dozen or so Housemartins flit back and forth over head with food for their young

After six months deployed away from home in Bahrain in 40+ degrees, which does not agree with my lily white genes, I only have another 3 weeks to go before I see my family again. Some days it just seemed so far away but I can’t wait to get back to biking and body boarding with the kids (I’ve also got a brand new Bird Aether 7 frame waiting in the garage to be built up, Yaay).

A short family bike ride yesterday afternoon, stopping off at the recently-opened Deleval Arms.

A couple of lovely pints of Almasty IPA sat outside and the discovery that they have some sort of micro brewery on site.

That all made me very happy!

I caught the sun today and linked up two gravel tracks locally which will improve a local riding loop. 😎