the usual suspects

 

6th March

Enough sunlight (but only just) to get me out the door and down to Warriston. Not a huge amount going on but in the 2 spots I lay out food, eventually a few friends turned up to have their photo taken. 

a welcome from this female blackbird

riverside robin number 3 or 4

male and female chaffinches

wren

long tailed tit

blue tit

The riverside robins 1&2 (father and son?) are now happy to take food from my hand. They seem to live in the sticks growing around this tree near the tunnel and the younger one is more bold and usually first to my hand. 

wren

great tit

not sure who the feathers belong to - suspect a dunnock
removed while being seen off the premises

dunnock

chaffinch

blue tit

coal tit

I realised around this point that if I knelt on the dirt at this angle I could get the yellow daffs blurred out in the background adding a bit of springtime colour. I placed a small bag and later a supermarket carrier on the ground to stop getting a damp knee. I keep forgetting to take a small camping chair along. I tend to kneel for 10 mins then creakily get up and stretch. The birds are so quick (possibly as a result of being chased by the robin) that I have to keep the lens trained on the tables otherwise I miss the photo. I was glad the dunnock wasn't put off by the robin - there are a couple of them regularly return to the feeding areas although they are often as happy hopping around the ground underneath. I deliberately put some sunflower seeds on the ground for them. 

dunnock tongue coming out while swallowing bread

firing up the afterburners in prep for take off

robin keeping everyone in line

coal tit drinking

chaffinch

pair of coal tits
strangely they rarely arrive together, but prefer to visit the food individually

this might be an imposter robin
just as well the usual one wasn't watching or he'd have chased it away

bullfinch

Lovely to see Mrs. Bullfinch arrive on the feeders. Mr Bullfinch stayed in the trees on this occasion but has been a fairly regular visitor lately. Not sure if it is the same pair who frequent the riverside feeding spot. Can't see any identifying markings. I have been copying their simple calls to each other lately, and it seems to help attract them. 

watch yer back!

This crow is very funny. He (or she) lurks about the tunnel area and when I walk through there he will fly across my path really close and land on the nearest perch. The other day he was on the ground and came running up to me. (Adorable!) Most crows recognise who has food and will watch for handouts. But they will stay at a very measured 10' distance, or more. This one comes to within 5 feet or nearer. He makes me laugh so I usually get the food out and reward him, and will place it on a decent perch for photos. I love the glossy black feathers although they are not my favourite bird. (Due to predating smaller creatures and birds with their black hearts.) But I like how smart they are and the fact that this one clearly recognises me and mooches for handouts. We are currently down to about 3 feet photo distance and if there was a longer winter ahead I think we might get closer yet. Watch this space! (ID-able from missing claw furthest left on left talon.)

the tunnel chaffinch is also not timid
and will let me stand very close to take photos

a last look at the blackbird (f) who was first to welcome me in today