Sunday 22nd.March 2009

Now , with the computer , hopefully , behaving , today's second post is a compilation of yesterday's afternoon and this morning's visits up onto the Common .

But before that , I know I promised , but they'll be gone soon and I can't resist another couple of shots . Today , the female Brambling was in the Laburnum tree , one male also visited ,

and the Redpoll on the feeder . As you can see , it saw me as I took the shot , and was gone straight after .

Back to yesterday afternoon . At least two singing Chiffchaffs , and possibily three seen/heard , how such a small bird can sing constantly always amazes me . Just after taking this shot , it flew off into a Silver Birch , landing right next to another small bird . This bird was feeding on the Silver Birch seeds and constantly on the move , and although I never got a full clear view of it , the red crown indicated yet another Redpoll . Perhaps it had followed me up from the garden . As I posted the other day , the Long Tailed Tits have finished their nest , and with the afternoon sun , a distant view of it was possible . This domed creation has to be one of the wonders of nature , let's hope they are successful . A little further on , a Green Woodpecker flew low across the heathland and landed on the side of a Silver Birch . As usual , it only stayed for a few seconds , but I managed a quick snapshot . Whilst walking through another area of heathland , I heard a rustle in front of me . This was my view . I took another couple of steps and took another shot . It was a male Pheasant , trying to make out that it wasn't really there . One more step and I would get the full picture , but in a flash , he was up , running and disappearing into another patch of thick gorse , I left him to it .

This morning I returned to the Common and the Chiffchaffs were still singing . There were more butterflies around today with 4 Brimstone , a single Peacock , looking decidedly sleepy ,

and 5 Commas . The comma on the underside of the wing showing how it gets it's name , and the side shot showing that although , as an insect it has six legs , only uses the rear four legs to walk on . The front two , as with several other species of butterfly , are non-functional , covered with hairs and held forward , close to the head . Every tree I passed is bursting bud , some like the Aspen have produced catkins before coming into leaf . Let's hope the cooler weather forcasted will not do them damage . Over lunch in the garden , a very dapper male Chaffinch in breeding plumage , flew in , took no notice of us , and proceeded to have his lunch as well . For some reason , their numbers have been steadily building again , up to 20/25 at times .