Tribe

Thursdays sunshine certainly was a false dawn of the start of spring as I awoke this morning to the patter of rain on the window for the second day and realised that another ten hours without good birding or photography was upon me. Not that I should be concerned as I have already lost most of today to the dreaded w word. Ah the benefits of self employment. Work all the hours you want without extra reward or thanks. Then again I can skive off whenever I like.

As I flung open the back window to throw out some seed on the back roof a pair of Starlings bolted from their nest roost in the eaves to my right and I gazed across the flooded fields. It was warm and the apple tree is showing some green buds. A Dunnock came onto the top of a hedge and started its rapid warbling song to be accompanied by a Robin with its more whistful offering and then a Greenfinch with an elongated rasp as it made a songflight over the house.

Coffee was prepared, grapefruit consumed and from the kitchen window I noticed a Siskin on the niger feeder as there has been most of the week often accompanied by some friends and strangely seeming to hold their own over the usually quite aggressive Goldfinch.

A female Reed Bunting made its cautious approach to the seed on the ground whilst the House Sparrows helped by flinging the stuff out of the feeder. Blue Tit and Great Tit were on the nuts then one, then two, then four and appearing out of the bushes, more Long tailed Tits till they each found their spot on the feeder without barging or argument. Eleven I believe.

Lovely little birds and so bound to their tribe moving together through the hedgerows. Of course that will soon be ended as they pair off to breed only to reform the team when the youngsters are fledged.

I bemoaned the craptastic photos through rain soaked, dirty windows in dreary light. Roll on spring.