My camera had died

OK, I have to be honest. I've not taken a single photo today and all these were taken yesterday in the sunshine. The reason I haven't taken any photos is, my camera has broken ;-( I turned it on yesterday and it was acting like it was possessed. The lens was zooming in and out on its own, the flash kept popping up and going off and the button kept clicking and taking photo's all by Quite scary. So today I took it to the camera shop. They tested it as today's mid range digital SLR's are only designed to last 35,000 shots, not many when they can cost £2,000. They came back and said its good news and bad news. The good news is my camera has done 55,000 and has only just broken, 20,000 more than expected. The bad news is its done 55,000. 20,000 shots too many to be worth while fixing. Apparently my shutter should have broken long before this problem occurred. All is not lost though as I still have an old SLR which I can use, so I'll be back snapping away tomorrow.

More buried treasure

A single Long Tailed Tit joined us again today but is very camera shy. I will get a photo of him one day, I'm sure. I went out with my metal detector again today, only for quarter of an hour in the garden. I chose the sloping bit in the middle where there shouldn't be any clothes peg springs or tent pegs (in theory). It was great fun as my detector started beeping almost instantly. The first beep uncovered an old tube (bonjella type). Then I found what looks like an old metal cup or tin. Then came what looks like a locking neck bracket off a car and finally just as my hands were starting to get cold I found, yes you guessed it, another tent peg! It was buried quite deep in the rocky mound right in the centre of the garden, not somewhere you would choose to camp? The birds were here in their droves today and the sunshine on their feathers looked so beautiful. Ian popped round too but didn't stop long. The Great Tits are all in fine colour now and its quite striking the difference between the sexes. We still not had any snow.

Starry Starry Night

Well it's not often that I write twice in one day but I had to share this with someone. I've just been outside and the sky is incredible. I don't think I have ever seen the sky so clear. I've taken some photo's which is quite tricky to do but in this photo alone I can clearly spot Orions Belt (just left off centre at the bottom) and the Seven Sisters. (top right corner) You can also see the difference in colours in the Stars and Planets. (I do hope you can see it all too, in such a small photo.) The Milky Way above my head looks like a coal bucket full of glitter. Amazing, truely amazing.

Where's the snow

What a beautiful day we've had. All the weathermen had said Snow Snow Snow and we didn't get a single flake. I was quite looking forward to dressing up all snug and warm again. I'm sure the birds are happy about it though. Yesterday they managed to get through a whole suet square and a full coconut shell in a matter of hours.

Fat Tums

Wow, I'm only a few taps away from reaching 8,000 hits on the site. I never imagined so many people would be interested in my little garden here in Wales. It's a wonderful feeling.Blue Tit
I have to be honest by saying I haven spent anytime today watching the wildlife but I do have a few photographs left over from yesterday. I think my Black Birds are getting fat! NO I don't think it, I know it. This photo doesn't show it very well but she is definitely on the chubby side. This Sparrow is looking rather chunky too come to think of it.

Green Finches

We had a pair of Green Finches visit today and a Long Tailed Tit but didn't manage a photo of him. The feeder has been so busy, I do love the expression on the Great Tits face in the photo below. Who would want to mess with him! The Woodpeckers were out together again today but I kept missing that photo each time. I did notice on this shot though that the Woodie has been busy pecking away at the branch for grubs. Oh I saw a Mistle Thrush too today but he was in the field just the other side of the garden fence so doesn't officially count. I noticed the lawn was covered in leaves this morning, it is reminiscent of Autumn. I wonder where they have all appeared from now? I spotted 'Cheeky' the stray appearing from the bush today licking his lips. I hope he not been doing anything he shouldn't. The Nuthatches are starting to get their beautiful courting coats.

My Metal Detectoring

After all that snow it was great to see the sun back and I finally got a chance to try out my new Metal Detector. I went over into the farmers field where the moles have been quite prolific recently. I got my detector off freecycle (free online recycling project) it looks brand new but there were no instructions so it was a bit of trial by error but I think I had it set up ok. Alan came with me and he was soon joined by a beautiful Welsh Pony (His photo). I've wanted to have a go at Metal Detectoring for such a long time that I didn't care what I found. My first beep came after only a couple of minutes. It was a tent peg and to add to the excitement it wasn't even bent! My second find was also a tent peg and so was my third and fourth. My fifth find was to my relief was a rusty piece of fencing instead. But then came more tent pegs, so much so that seven tent pegs later I decided to go back to the garden and try it. I was sure I would find something different in there. Even the springs from a clothes peg would be fantastic after all the tent pegs. But guess what was the first thing I found!!! You got it, A flipping tent peg! I couldn't believe it. It was a lot longer than all the others and looked a lot older but it was still only a tent peg. I did find a button though, not sure how it beeped the detector, maybe that was a coincidence as its made of plastic. Whilst we were in the garden, Alan spotted a new hole, a big one too. It has to be a Rabbit or maybe something slightly bigger but as we've not seen a single mammal in the garden for ages it's a strange find.I noticed that behind the Summer House we have the most delightful display of Snowdrops hidden away. At the end of the afternoon we sat at the top of the garden and enjoyed a well earned cup of tea. We had only just sat down when the woodpeckers appeared and started taking turns to climb up the telegraph pole. They never appeared on it at the same time, as one flew off the other flew on.

Moss

All the grass has turned to Moss!

Mystery night time visitor

Greater Spotted Woodpecker
I'm afraid I have some sad news. One of the male back birds was found dead under the hedge today. By the way his neck was broken I would say he was killed by a Sparrow Hawk which then got disturbed and left the body.
Meal Worms! Even though my Robins didn't appreciate them something during the night did. It's a bit like a murder mystery just without the murder, although all those dead Meal Worms could be classed as mass murder in a pot I guess. So anyway, last night after I went to bed something got on top of the table and ate all the meal worms that were left there. They didn't however, eat the ones left on the little tray on the feeder. So whoever it was could get onto the table but not up the pole to the feeder. A real puzzler! I suppose it could be something that's flown down to eat them? I haven't got a clue as we've not seen foxes around since the farmers went up with dogs and guns before Christmas. I've not heard of owls eating things like that before but we have several pairs living very close by and they were very noisy last night. I can't think what else could get up there, maybe a Badger? If he got onto the chair first? Oh I really don't know.The Daffodils are really shooting up now and it can only be a few weeks before they are ready to flower.

Meal Worm Feast (that never happened)

I did something yestrday which I've not done before, I purchased some meal worms for the Robins. I've read in so many books and seen on TV that if you want to hand tame a Robin then all you need is a winters day and some Meal Worms. Well I can categorically state, it's all lies ! OK it might just be my Robins are too well fed or something, but they showed no interest in them whatsoever. To the point were they were stood on the table covered in the meal worms and they were fighting over some stale bread crust and a slice of tomato! Oh just had a thought, maybe the worms have to be alive to drive the Robins' nuts. Don't think I could handle feeding them live bait. In fact I know I couldn't do it, killing one animal just to tame another, doesn't seem right at all. Ok am feeling guilty for buying the dead ones now too, oh dear. In the end the bread crust the Robins were fighting over ended up being eaten by the Blue Tits. Ian was here today. He ate a few sunflowers seeds then off he went again. The Coal Tits were enjoying the suet square more than anything today. They didn't even go and have a look at the worms. I spotted one of the Robins today, hovering brilliantly to get to a fat ball. Even the heavy snow flurries, we had didn't stop him.

Lazyitus

I've not taken a single photo today. How bad is that! I've been too busy sleeping, having friends round, sleeping and a bit more sleeping. But all is not lost. I still have a few shots that I've taken over the past two days that I can use instead. The snow has all gone now although I know there is still some on the photographs. The Robins are always a very dominant part of the garden family. Here, one is taking no nonsense from a very angry looking Chaffinch. Both the male and female Woodpeckers have been around the last couple of days, enjoying the suet square and balls. Just look how glossy his feathers are, he is one very healthy looking bird.Another Blue Tit mid flight photo again, I'm afraid.

Snowdrops

I was trying to take some bird in flight shots again today although I knew the sky was too dark. I did manage to get these photo's of a little Blue Tit in action but I just wish the sun had been out. I had a phone call this morning and on the other end was a very excited voice saying they had Snowdrops in their garden. Obviously I dropped everything and dashed outside to see if mine where out too. And sure enough there they where, in little clusters beneath the shelter of the hedge. The others out in the open haven't flowered just yet. The Jays were enjoying the Monkey nuts as usual. I got this lovely action shot of a Jays bum! I had another bird with a poorly leg in the garden today. This little Blue Tit was really struggling to stand on his one leg and eat at the same time. In the end he did what Ian the Chaffinch does and sat on his belly to eat.