Went out about 1040am for the first photo having adjusted the thermometer at 9 when it was reading minus 10C as you can see not warmed up much, just one degree. But I think this is how winters in Scotland should be with a crispness, clear skies, sun shining and clean air. Just love it, especially when all the roads have been gritted, ice free & dry, so it doesn’t stop you getting in the car to get the essentials & walks away from home.
One other bonus is all the migrated birds know where the Miller house is to get some grub to keep them going. I have never seen in the 12/13 years we have lived here as many Chaffinches as we have in the garden at present, we estimate well over 100. they eat from every type of feeder we have, peanut, mixed seed, Niger seed, & fat balls & black Sunflower seed. They just go mad for anything, though they are very nervous birds, a Blackbird flying in is enough to send them scattering, then as you can see from one of the shots, they scurry back & eat peacefully with the Blackbird. But if the Jay or Sparrow Hawk comes you will not see them for ages. Don’t blame them really as we often find the remains of an eaten Chaffinch or Blue Tit around the garden.
Of course one of the downsides of all this food is that the Pheasants arrive in great numbers, eating up all the food put out for the smaller birds. The upside is there is nothing better than a roast Pheasant on a cold night. 🙂
As you can see the G.S.Woodpeckers love the Peanut Butter, I forgot to say so do the Chaffinch, at the moment we are getting through 2 jars in 3 days. I know our bird feeding bill is larger than our feeding bill (except for Christmas), but it is so worth it to see the volume of birds we get in the garden.
In fact I have said to my wife, if ever I am bed ridden, just put me in front of the lounge window & I can be entertained for hours.
