Saturday 19th. December 2009

Didn't get out today as we were visiting for most of the day , but I did manage to watch the feeders for a while before we set off . As yesterday , as soon as the food went down , the garden was full of birds , with all the species seen yesterday turning up , with the addition of a pair of Song Thrushes . Chaffinches and Greenfinches once again dominated the proceedings , but every now and again , the male Blackcap dashed in to take a few Callicarpa berries , before being chased off . The comings and goings were frenetic , but every now and again I thought I caught sight of something different . These sightings were even more fleeting than that of the male Blackcap , which after a while , built up the courage to stand his ground around the Callicarpa bush , either resting in the Laburnum tree next door , whilst digesting the berries , or just sunning himself on the vegetation behind the feeders .
As yesterday , several Rose Ringed Parakeets came to feed , and although I have posted several shots of them , I just couldn't resist posting - Parrot in the snow .
It was getting towards time to leave , but I gave it another five minutes . During that time , there was a lull in the feeding frenzy , and a small bird landed on the Callicarpa , and started to feed heartily . It was the female Blackcap that I thought I had caught glimpses of earlier . Now if only I could get both of them in the same shot .......Too late , time to leave .