What's buzzing or flying near you 2024 ?

I just hope they aren't successfully breeding here @strongylodon. I'm quite surprised they've managed, as we aren't in a particularly hospitable area in terms of climate etc, and I'd have thought they'd stay in the towns, if they stayed anywhere. Must have been suitable enough though.
We don't get woodies coming in the garden very often, but we do have plenty around as you can hear them. Plenty of good habitat for them too. I just hope, with what you're saying re nest sites, that it isn't going to become like the grey squirrel problem in years to come.

 

We get both woodies in the garden too on a regular basis. The most parakeets I've seen in one flock is 6, but we can go a few weeks without seeing any.

 

I've got a beuatiful wall of flowering ivy - needless to say, it's now too chilly for the flying insects to benefit from them

 

@Philippa It was cold yesterday but there were still a couple of Bees on the Salvias

 

So windy today that the birds were in small numbers. A few fieldfares but not as many as other days.

 

For the life of me, I can not imagine what this northern Cardinal got into that made such a mess on its face. Also, it is too bad their beaks turn down near the mouth so they have a constant frown, an upward turn would give them a nice smile! Well, I guess Mother Nature knows best.

 

Wigeon in Winter finery.

 

As I had to go to Weymouth I couldn't resist having another look at the overwintering Golden Plovers at Lodmoor RSPB again.






Plus Lapwing, Snipe, Gadwall and Shoveler.

 

Had an early start in the local forest, rather dark and cold, but the birds lit up the morning

 

This image of a white-breasted nuthatch looked like a greeting card, so I thought, why not? Brunswick, NY.

 

I have seen a few long tailed tits this week. They seem to be back.
I have regular visits from my favourite bird, the blackbirds. They enjoy the apples (organic) that I lay out. I also saw a red kite and many tiny tits this week.
Now, when trees have lost their leaves, it's time to change to the tele lens.

 

I had a visit from a jay last week. I don't often see them in the garden. This one was just having a quick sit before continuing his commute.

 

We don't get jays around here, although I don't know the reason for that, as they're quite common in many other parts of Scotland.
After a break, the nuthatch appeared yesterday. A little female chaffinch was in too, and even better - one of the little willow warblers that had been around earlier in the year.
I was lucky that I was looking out my bedroom window at the time, but he's so well camouflaged that it can be hard to spot him when he's in and out of the shrubs etc. He had a visit to the feeding cages though, and was enjoying the fat balls. I must fill that ground one today....

 

I've been feeding my crow for a couple of weeks now, I put out 2 small dog treats when I go out and feed the birds. I tend to go out at the same time in the morning and she's been waiting for me for the last 2 days.
It's fascinating watching her behaviour, she eats one treat then hides the other one under a leaf that she finds and carefully places on top. She then eats any bird seed she can find on the floor and then goes back to her hidden treat.
Today I put an egg outside for her, she was very cautious initially but then broke into it and ate everything, including the shell.

 

Yes we have two pet crows that sit in the ash tree at the end of the garden and watch for us getting up in the morning. As soon as they see us in the kitchen they give four loud “caws” and hop up and down in the ash tree. I then go out with two dry Weetabix, which I scrunch up, and some suet granules and throw them onto the flat roof. They come straight down and gobble them up, Weetabix first.