Christine's walking & birds blog

There was no getting out walking for us over the weekend, with Greger once more on penicillin for bronchitis and me with my third (and worst) dose of flu. What a horrible, sickly winter! No doubt for many others as well.

This morning the beautiful weather tempted me out into the garden. A kite was calling from the fields to the south. Parakeets careered around shrieking. A chiffchaff was singing. A Honey Bee flew up onto the wall, which is unusual; they generally nectar intensively on the heather and then fly off out of the garden.

Butterflies in or through the garden included Peacock, Holly Blue, Brimstone and Orange-tipped.

Fifteen wood pigeons and one parakeet have been feeding on the copper beech buds, throwing twigs down onto the garden and making a complete mess. Best of the birds today - a pair of bullfinches spotted in the large exotic conifer opposite, and a goldcrest which flew past my office window.