Happy Goldfinch family

One of the parents with its four chicks

Close up of one of the chicks

Video of one of the chicks being fed by the parent

Feeding the birds

At this time of the year, when there's not a lot of wild food around, our feathered friends can do with any extra help. Having a variety of foods will ensure to cater for the needs of different types of birds.
Having feeders also offers a great opportunity for bird-watching from the comfort of your own house. It is always quite exciting to see a new species come to your garden, or to see a previously lonesome bird feeding in the company of a potential mate.
Don't forget to have a source of liquid water on frosty days when most water sources might be frozen.

A Greenfinch feasts on peanuts, a great source of fat which is particularly important in the winter. 

One of the Goldfinches is feeding on Niger seeds, a favorite of them, while the other settles for the mixed-seed. The Tit family, such as the Great Tit and Coal Tit in the photo, love sunflower seeds.

A family of Sparrows retreat for a nap after a good feed

This family of Bullfinches came for the remain of the Blackberries. Having plants that produce edible fruits and seeds will also encourage  birds to your garden. 

Initially only one of this Lesser Redpolls  was visiting the feeders, but it was later joined by another one. The two of them are now regulars.

 

First Primroses of 2013

The mild weather we've been having for the last few weeks have brought this Primroses into bloom, but a sudden frost will probably put an end to the emerging flowers. Even if they survive the frost it will be pointless, as far as the plant is concerned, as there is no insects about to pollinate them.

The buds, which just started to open, are covered in frost

Another plant with flowers

As I was walking back along the same road, I spotted two small Dandelions that had joined the Primroses in their futile effort to flower at this time of the year.

Apologies for the bad quality of the photos, but it was getting dark and the flash didn't work well with the flower shots

Garden birds

There's a good assemblage of birds in my garden, some of them with families. Amongst the residents are Great Tits, Dunnocks, Sparrows, Robins, Blackbirds a Wren, and of course, the ubiquitous Jackdaws. On a couple of  occasions I have seen a Blue Tit and also a Bull Finch, which might be residing on the trees nearby. Last Tuesday a flock of about 15 Long-tailed tits stop by for a quick visit as I was refilling the feeders.

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), male

Juvenile Dunnock (Prunella modularis).
I have seen the parents several times, but this is the first time that I saw their chick.

Family of Great Tits (Parus Major). The chick is the one of the middle.

Great Tit chick being fed by one of the parents

Swallows, Treecreepers and Willow Warblers

I went back to try to get some photos of the Swallows. I only saw one of them today, however I was very lucky to see a pair of Treecreepers flying in front of me. I have only seen this little birds twice before in this location. The previous times there was also two of them, so they might well be a breeding pair.

Swallow (Hirundo rustica)

Treecreeper (Certhia familiaris) serching for insects

Willow Warbler (Phylloscopus sibilatrix) singing on a perch

There was also a good few Willow Warblers. This summer visitors have been around for the last month. Despite their characteristic song making their presence conspicuous, it is not always easy to spot them, much less photograph them.

First Swallows

Just saw the first Swallows of the year. There was six of them flying around at the Old Mill walkway.

Butterflies

After an absence of two weeks, due to bad weather, butterflies started to appear again. First an Orange-tip in Tullyskeherney 10/4, followed by a Peacock, a Small Tortoiseshell, an Orange-tip, a Speckled Wood and a Green-veined White at the Old Mill 12/4 and then a Small Tortoiseshell at the Star fort 13/4.  

Orange-tip (Anthocharis cardamines)

Green-veined white (Pieris napi)

Speckled wood (Pararge aegeria)