Garden Wildlife 2014

[GordonT]

3rd time trying with photos should be a charm!

The temperature here has risen dramatically, from the -20 C morning late last week, to + 5 C today, and the birds have come out in force. A pair of Northern Cardinals discovered the seeds clinging to Euonymus alatus next to the house this morning, and were doing their best to strip the plant bare. This photo of the male will expand.

His mate was patrolling the ground beneath the shrub, consuming all that the wind had stripped from the branches above. The glass in our windows is over 100 years old, so the image sharpness is less than I had wished. Northern Cardinals have been expanding their winter range northward over the past thirty years or so. Sightings were rare in the 1970s or so, but they are now commonly seen in many parts of Atlantic Canada.

[Steve Garvie]

Grumpy; one of the seven dwarves: a clan of Long-tailed Tits that visit our garden regularly over winter.






And here is Bashful:

[Roma]

Lovely pictures of long tailed tits, Steve. 

I haven't been taking squirrel pics for a while, but I cleaned my windows recently so was able to get this one looking my way.

[Steve Garvie]

Blue Tit

[johnralphcarpenter]

Ladybird on Clematis cirrhosa leaf today. Is it spring already?

[David Nicholson]

It would probably drown here

[Steve Garvie]

It's cold, wet and the skies are too dark to take decent images so here is a garden image from last year.
Wasn't sure whether to post it here or in the Snowdrop thread but as I haven't a clue about Snowdrops I think here is best.

The Treecreeper and the Snowdrop

[ichristie]

Hello Steve stunning pictures does this mean that you are getting excited about snowdrops?, cheers Ian the Christie kind

[Steve Garvie]

Hi Ian,
It's still Crocus and orchids that do it for me!
I struggle to see the attraction of Snowdrops .........is that blasphemy? 

[ashley]

I struggle to see the attraction of Snowdrops .........is that blasphemy? 

Now treecreepers are another matter entirely
Really wonderful bird images Steve.  They are so crisp.

[brianw]

Thinking about getting an infra-red wildlife camera here. When we went to bed 2 nights ago there was a Muntjac barking somewhere just outside. Its mate, or maybe challenger, was answering from further up the road. With 12 pheasants pottering about the garden today I am getting worried about my spring flowers surviving for long.
Maybe I should be thinking about something else with nightsights and getting a bigger freezer ;-)

[angie]

Just love that picture of that long tailed tit 

Angie 

[ichristie]

Hi Steve, I am sure you will visit Cyril soon then the snowdrop madness will take over, cheers Ian

[Maggi Young]

Grumpy; one of the seven dwarves: a clan of Long-tailed Tits that visit our garden regularly over winter.

Just found this super video of Long Tails gathering to roost  :

[jomowi]

Lovely video, Maggi.  Long tailed tits are my favourite bird.  They never squabble when visiting the bird table unlike the other tits, but just get on with the feeding.  Rather different at roosting time - a bit of shoving to make sure you get into the middle for maximum warmth!  I presume there is some swapping of place during the night to that the ones on the outside get a turn in the middle?