All families Great and Blue

Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

These two little ones are the young of our pair of Blues. I am not sure if there are two or three fluffers in this family.
sorry for the bad quality of these photos, but it was hard to keep that window clean and the birds themselves are soiling it this quick that I am beginning to think they are building a smokescreen to feed in private!

The poor parent is trying to keep both her fluffers happy with bits of nut.








Great Tit, Parus major, Junior.

We have a family of Great Tit, Parus major, with 3 fledglings. I believe that they are trying for another brood as I do not see both parents that often. They share the peanutfeeder up front with their cousins the Blue Tit fluffers.
Junior Great Tit and its 2 siblings.



Unfortunately I have not seen any sign of Coal Tits and possible youngsters yet.

youngsters and feeders

After the demise of the Fennel and her planter, the Fatsia underwent a hard time during the winter, providing the birds with a birdtable in her tub. The Fatsia is flourishing again, now that the birds are leaving her alone.
I had been sourcing the web for a new window feeder, but in the end I got this one for just 3.30 euro via Kleeneze.
I had to remove the round peanutfeeder, once I discovered that the birds were able to take out whole peanuts through the wider openings in the mesh. As spring and summer were approaching, young birds could easily choke on those whole nuts. So the seed feeder in the front has now moved back onto the shed and my trusty old peanutfeeder has been reinstalled again in the front.

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus

This youngster has been dubbed Francy, named after my dear, and late husband, Francis. He would have loved this little one.

Robin, Erithacus rubecula.

This Robin chick appeared one day in the garden when I was outside and had no fear of me, nor my wheels. He was sitting on top of the wall, calling for mum and dad, while I was just a metre or so away. Even the lifting of the camera or the shutter noise did not scare it off, to my surprise! Mind you, it was very windy.



Collared Dove, Streptopelia decaocto

The pair of Collared Doves have now increased into a trio of Doves.

Dunnock, Prunella modularis

Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

Jackdaw, Corvus monedula
Strangely enough, we don't have any young Jackdaws yet. I love their fluffers, and to follow the changes in their eye colour, their plumage and to see the characters develop, so hopefully they will still manage to surprise me with one of those lovely brown fledglings.

A quick peek around the garden

House Sparrow, Passer domesticus




And Dad of course

Dunnock, Prunella modularis



Blue Tit, Parus caeruleus

Great Tit, Parus major



Robin, Erithacus rubecula

Having had Frouke over from Holland to spend a week here and help with painting the living room, bathroom, and helped me with clearing much of Francis' stuff, has helped me a lot. The help I really need, however, like the PA, is still a long way off. With no money available, the fact that there is a waiting list of 13 applicants is a depressing thought, and after 5 months of hearing that there are no funds available, I am getting the impression it might take up to a year at least to get some sort of result.
It just makes you realise how spoilt I was to have Francis as my 24/7 carer. And I still cry several times a night and also many times a day.


Chaffinch, Fringilla coelebs

Young Rook from last year.

Dunmanus Catch

Herring Gull, Larus argentatus .

And down the throat it went.

Full stomach, no wonder it likes to pose now!

At the pier in the Durrus estuary Frouke, my cousin from The Hague, and I spotted this Gull foraging in the mud, taking advantage of the rich pickings at low tide. Jean, my homehelp, asked how long I'd been sitting there to take the picture of said Gull with its crustation. I started shooting as soon as I'd seen its head down in the mud. Lucky it came out so well.
This Swan was relaxing in the Sun. Again, no sign of any offspring.

Mute Swan, Cygnus olor