Friday 5th.December 2008

Have been 'confined to barracks' for the last two days with a grim bout of 'Montezuma's Revenge' , well not so much 'barracks' as 'bathroom' , but , after a rather mobile night and day , seem to be over the worst of it , so please , no flowers .

Looking out the back window this morning , I was hoping to see the female Blackcap , Carol saw her on Tuesday morning and again in the afternoon . Generally scanning the local gardens I saw two birds swoop down into next door's Cotoneaster . Sure enough it was a pair of Redwings , and they started to gorge on the berries . By the time I had opened the window and focused the camera , one had already left the berries and was digesting it's meal in an Ash , and the other was just about to follow it , when Carol came out with some washing , unaware that they were there , and they were gone . One did return this afternoon , but it was only for a matter of seconds . I went out in the vain hope they might still be local , but there was no sign , and their place had been taken by a pair of Rose Ringed Parakeets .

After lunch , I spent about half an hour watching the feeders , and amongst the visitors were

a pair of Collared Doves ,

the regular 'nip in and get one and away' Coal Tit , a flashy Goldfinch , a female Greenfinch ,
a male and female Chaffinch , waiting their turn in the Blackcap's shrub , and keeping an eye on it all from a distance a Jackdaw .

Blue Tit , Robin , Wood Pigeon , Wren and Dunnock all put in appearance , but unfortunately no sign of the female Blackcap . There are still berries on the Callicarpa , so she might still be back .

Hoping to get out and about over the weekend , but that will depend on Montezuma .