Twitching

(click to enlarge)

I've become a bit of a twitcher of late (a bird watcher).

Despite it having rained for as long as I can remember, there are still plenty of birds visiting our garden. We're incredibly privileged to live in a spot of countryside with a diverse range of wildlife. Some of my favourites are listed above. More about them, with links to the people who took the photos, as I'm not that gifted - or that fast - with a camera:

Jay: This is my favourite of all the British birds. Perhaps because it's so rare to see it, and perhaps because of that electric blue shock of feathering on the wing. I always associate spotting a Jay with good luck. Apparently there are many types of Jay, and this one is the Eurasian Jay. Another fact about them is that they're great mimics and will, apparently, taunt their prey (smaller birds) by mimicking their cries! A little gruesome, but still doesn't lessen my appreciation of them. We have one that visits the garden. It's only started doing so in the past week or two. I've never seen one so close up for such a length of time before. 

Magpie: Many people don't like Magpies - I think, again, because they have a reputation as carnivorous and opportunistic. And for being thieves - flying off with anything sparkly. There's also the folklore: one for sorrow... I've never had that problem. When I was little, I couldn't pronounce my Aunty Helen's name. To this day, she remains Heron and I'm her Magpie. So, even when I see one Magpie by itself, there's always two of us. Joy.

Wood Pigeon: Without a doubt, we have the biggest, fattest wood pigeons in the county! I swear, I watched one get into the birdbath yesterday, and all of the water sloshed out! They are huge. But you can't help loving them. They're so dopey.

Woodpecker: We are extremely lucky to have not one, but an entire family, of Greater Spotted Woodpeckers who visit our garden. Usually they are an extremely shy bird, but these ones visit regularly. Each generation seems to get a little more confident. Red, white and black - stunning plumage.

Wren: Who doesn't love little Jenny Wren? She's one of the smallest birds in the UK. There is a classic nursery rhyme called Who Killed Cock Robin, which most of us know from childhood. But less well known is The Happy Courtship, Merry Marriage and Picnic Dinner, of Cock Robin and Jenny Wren. Even fewer people know of the pagan Cutty Wren.

Bullfinch: Finally, this little chap. He's not so common as his cousin the Chaffinch, or as glorious in colour as the Goldfinch, but I think he's my favourite finch. Tubby, plump and kinda bolshy. He sort of looks like he owns the place, even though he's only a few inches tall!

I like birds. They put on a show every day - never any annoying advert breaks (unless you count the squirrels - they're a bit nuts), always something good to watch. 

Goldfinch