The storm is coming

Its been like Piccadilly Circus in the garden today. There were so many birds flying about at one point, it felt almost eerie. I think they all know there's gales and torrential rain due tomorrow and are busy filling their belly's as tomorrow will be a nightmare for them.

We had some new visitors again today. A pair of black birds. I was hoping it was Mr No Tail and his Mrs but it wasn't. Maybe its one of this years chicks and new mate, I can't tell. It's been so long since I've seen any of them.

There's been 3 Nuthatches acting very territorial today, chasing each other off the feeders and through the hedges. They're so noisy too.

The Dunnocks don't get much of a mention do they, as they just keep themselves to themselves, so I thought I'd add a photo of one today.

Some more plants flowering in the garden, would love to put a name to them but this plant looks like 8 virtually identical ones in my flower book and I'm not confident enough to name it. If you can tell me please let me know.

A new character in the garden

Oh its been such a lovely day in the garden today. We have had a new visitor. I think she's female and just absolutely gorgeous. She's quite chubby and has such a lovely thick winter coat already. If she comes back tomorrow I'll have to think about finding a name for her. I've been lucky today and managed to get some nice photo's of birds in the sunshine. I just love the cheeky and curious look on the face of this little Coal Tit. This little female sparrow was posing well for me too. The old logs I put out over the summer now have some colourful Bracket fungus growing on them. There is one thing going on in the garden though, which is making a right mess and I think its the mole. Over the past couple of days all this soil has appeared on the steps, I'll keep watching just in case its something else.

How quick is that!

Virtually over night my lawn has been covered by a mass of small fungi. Its incredible how quick that has happened as I didn't see any yesterday when I went out. I don't think I'll ever stop being amazed by what happens out there.

Mr Sparrow was joined by a proper flock of females today. There must have been at least 10 of them which I've not seen before. In fact the for the last 12 years I think the most I've ever seen in the garden at once is 5. I wonder where they have all come from?
It looks like the birds have been pecking away at the wood on the new boxes I put out last month. The lawn was feeling very spongy today and has what looks like worm casts appearing all over it. I'm not too great on plant ID but I saw these seeds and just had to take a photo as they look so unusual.

Nuts, nuts and more nuts

The feeder was busy again today. The Nuthatches were loving the sunflower seeds I put out. The Coat Tit's preferred the peanuts.

The Jays are just eating everything they can find. I bought some monkey nuts on special offer last week and I actually saw one of the Jays swallow 4 of them WHOLE in one go. He must have taken them away and regurgitated them to open them, surely. I spotted a few flowers in the garden today. The yellow poppies are still there, then there where a few dandelion type plants and then finally I spotted this purple clover this evening.

Autumn Song

Where was this Indian summer they forecast for today? Or was it just Capel Curig who missed out? The birds didn't seem to mind though as its been quite busy out here today. The Wren came back today so looking good that they'll be here for the winter now. I love the way they just pop up when you least expect them from behind a branch or from beneath a flower. I saw three Jays turn up today for a feed on the lawn. The male Sparrow was acting strange though. He was actually collecting nesting material, surely its to early? His Lady seemed quite impressed and was following him everywhere. One of the crows spent the afternoon calling from the Larch Tree at the top of the garden. In fact the bird song in the garden today was truely amazing. All the birds seem to have found their voices all at the same time.

Redfoot & foxes

Not much time in the garden today but did get a quick glimps of Redfoot munching his way through some peanuts. Golden leaves still falling and covering the lawn. Not seen the hedgehogs for ages now, hybernating already or is it still a bit early? We did get a frost last week which usually triggers it.

I didn't mention it at the time but a hunt came through 2 weeks ago. Seven 4x4's with dogs made their way behind the house and onto the hill and sadly I've not seen a single fox since. Even the cat food I've left outside hasn't been touched. So so sad. I think I need a rare migrant to visit to cheer me up. I keep checking the Chaffinches in the hope a Brambling could be hanging out with them. I did find a dead one complete with a huge bug stuck in his beak on the lane a couple of years ago so it is definitely a possibility. I can hope.

Wild Weather here in Snowdonia

What a wet and wild day we've had here in Capel Curig today. Not many things braved the feeder today and I can't blame them. This poor Great tit must have felt like he was on a roller coaster the way he was being thrown around on the feeder by the wind. Redfoot managed to sneak in a quick feed in between the torrential rain showers along with this little sparrow who's only just arrived in the garden.

Autumn is here

Autumn is well and truely here with Fungi starting to appear on the lawn. The Larch tree is dropping its needles everywhere and the lawn is sprinkled with golden leaves. There's not many wild flowers about but I did spot this one poppy still growing on the steps.

Inside Wildlife

I'm certainly not so enthusiastic about the wildlife currently finding its way inside the house. Come on 'Baby' eat it, don't just sit there licking your lips.

No time

I was out of the house at 7.30am this morning and have not long got in so have had no time at all to check out whats happening outside. I did however find this lovely photo of a squirrel on my camera which I'm sure I didn't take. I think this cracking photo is down to my mum, lovely isnt it.

100,000 birds seen and another first for the garden blog

Well what a day. I don't know where to start really. Ok I'll start with our new visitors. We had 2 beautiful little Wrens in the garden today. Although I have seen them in the garden before, it was quite a few years ago now and this is the first time I've managed to get a photo for the blog. I do hope they will stay for the winter.

And now for the mega news. Today, flocks of migrant Redwings and Fieldfares arrived in Capel Curig. They descended on the tree's in the garden and in the tree's of the forest on the hill. The noise was incredible. There must have been thousands if not hundreds of thousands of birds. It was a spectacle like no other I have ever seen. Even our non birder neighbours came out to ask what the noise was. If they had all taken flight at the same time the sky would have been black I'm sure. I have never heard anything quite like it, every inch of every tree was covered in birds and that went on for as far as the eye could see up the mountain. I did try and walk up to the forest edge to take some photo's but they flew further into the forest just as I got there although the noise was still deafening. Incredible absolutely incredible. Just wish I'd managed some better photo's. Later on in the day a few of the flocks came down to feed in the field the other side of the garden fence. They are so well camoflaged I could only spot them really when they moved even though they were covering virtually every inch of the field.

And here's another not very sharp photo. I spotted this thrush with a snail in his mouth, bashing it against a his Anvil rock to smash the shell so he could get to it. The day was so dull it did make taking photo's hard today.

fThe Robin did look beautiful though. And look at the lawn! Autumn is definitely here, look at all the leaves everywhere. We really should cut the grass once more before winter arrives.

The Owl and the Blackbird together

I can't believe its been so long since I posted. The house is going through a bit refit at the moment and I'm literally living out of the front bedroom. Which has meant the blog has had to take a back seat for a while, until this morning that is. I woke up at 6am and went outside to breath in the crisp morning air only to hear a Tawny Owl and a Black Bird singing in the same tree at the same time. Absolutely amazing. It was still very dark so didnt manage a photo but it was an incredible thing to hear.

NEW AUTUMN HAIR

I bet this little female chaffinch can't wait for her winter plumage to hurry up and grow. They do look so funny like this.

Spot of rain anyone

What a wet day!

Meet our latest member of the garden family

Welcome to little 'un, our new little hedgehog. I've been trying all week to get a photo of him to show everyone. He's so small I think he was probably one of this years babies. He runs off quite quickly as soon as he see's you which has made taking his photo quite fun. Isn't he so cute? The Jays were behaving unusually today by feeding on top of the hedge. Never seen them do that before. Phil the pheasant was enjoying the sunshine. And Snarly Sid was living up to his name as usual by chasing poor Squizz again then stopping her coming back out of the bush

Mr Rabbit

Its been over a week since my last post. There's been plenty happening in the garden but I've just not managed to get online. I'm trying to remember whats been happening to do a catch up but I think it may be easier just to post the photo's.

At the beginning of the week we had a new rabbit in the garden. Much bigger than Baby Bunny an also looks as if he has a dint in the side of his face.

Not got a photo yet but excitingly we have a new hedgehog visiting. He's tiny compared to Black and Whitear. Hopefully will get a shot very soon.

There are 6 beautiful Robins, 3 juveniles and 3 adults all chasing each other around non stop now. And Squizz is just getting bigger and bigger. She is still being chased a lot by the others which is a shame.