IF I HAD A HAMMER....

With spring now here I've noticed that there has been a notable arrival of birds back on their breeding territories. I was delighted to see this pair back at my feeders I expect feeding up to start their breeding season.

male yellowhammer

and the female

A real pretty little Bunting looks more like a mountain Canary.

Also our annual pair of Pied Wagtail are back with Skylark and Meadow Pipit in fine voice on the moor. Also Reed Bunting starting to pair up.

pied wagtail

male reed bunting

The breeding season is here again lets hope for kind weather and great success fingers crossed.

TAWNY OWL

Went around with Luke (he's my climber) and checked the three Owl boxes we've got dotted around the place to see if there was any sign of activity. Great news in the first box as a female Tawny Owl was sitting I think on eggs but she wouldn't budge off the nest so we can't be 100 percent sure if she definitely is on eggs or just roosting as she was to lazy to move.
We went very late afternoon because if the Owls are disturbed to early in the day they might not return to the nest site until it turns dark.

two pics of the female in the nest box

  I think it's the same female as last year as the facial markings are very similar but you never know.

female taken last spring.

The other two boxes were empty but there were some signs of life so perhaps with a bit of luck we might get something in these as well.
Our Tawny Owls raised one chick last year so lets hope that the weather stays fair and they manages to fledge a couple more this year.

A SNOWY SCENE

Hard to believe that today was a lovely spring day but what a contrast to the beginning of the week when we had a covering of snow.

my feeding station

There was nothing out of the ordinary but I had a good selection in.

This Robin on a peanut feeder was a peculiar sight.

This Buzzard floated by then landed on a post.

What a contrast in the weather in one week, birds were singing and displaying today and will soon if they haven't already, be starting to nest build and may even be sitting on their first clutch of eggs.