Goldfinches take a bath

A noise family of stunning goldfinches visited our bird bath for a drink and a good splash on a sunny and hot afternoon.

 The goldfinches took it in turns to bathe

I saw at least 3 juveniles (bird to the right above) but it was difficult to count the entire family as they flew in and out of the buddleia bush.


Afterwards the goldfinches retired to the branches for a preen

magpie eating ice cystals

Another of those icy foggy days. Magpie back at the bird feeder early this morning but could not get a drink as the bird bath was frozen and I had not yet had the chance to defrost it.

The magpie flew up onto the roof of our neighbours shed and was using its beak to scratch off and 'eat' the frost that covered the roof of the shed.

Not long after I tipped boiling water into the two bird and separate water bowl to melt the ice and then refilled, tipping in a little of the boiling water to make the water a bit warmer and less likely to refreeze.

Although we have few actually snowy days, there are many days when standing water is frozen and limiting places where birds can get a  drink.

Clever magpie

Magpie demonstrates its a member of the crow family by overcoming the problem of getting food from one of my 'fat ball' bird feeders.

First attempts were from the left hand side of the bird feeder - stretching from the very bendy outer branches of the adjacent buddleia bush, just as his beak touched the fat ball the magpie would over balance and fall off.


The magpie gave up for a while and found small food items underneath the bird feeder - that had been dropped by the sparrows and blue this that visit the feeder.

When the magpie could not find any more food on the ground - it tried again to tackle the bird feeder, from different positions and eventually found a way to reach the food.

Robin eating the fat balls

Its been a rather wet and windy day and so I did not put any of the mealworm on the bird feeder station as they would easily blow away.

Surprised today to see a robin (who visits for the mealworm), eating fat balls form the dispenser, balancing on a adjacent branch

Chiffchaff enjoys overgrown garden

A visiting chiffchaff, probably a garden warbler, demonstrates why its important to leave your garden a little untidy during the winter.

This chiffchaff is seeking insects and other natural food in the garden including old overgrown flower pots.