It's For The Birds

Snow is pretty but spare a thought for the animals out there who have to live in it. I always worry about how the wild rabbits, birds and other animals get on when the ground is frozen and there doesn't seem to be any food around. I guess it's natures way of weeding out the weak ones but it seems very harsh. Fortunately the birds, at least, get a helping hand. Most people here have bird feeders in their gardens, and we are no exception.

Yesterday I bought some special food for birds such as robins and wrens who normally eat insects and who don't seem to be able to eat the fat-balls and seeds which most shops sell. The result was almost instantaneous; black birds joined in the feeding frenzy and it was amazing how many different birds visited the garden in the half hour I was watching.

In addition to the wrens, blue tits, sparrows, robins and others I can't name, I was surprised to see a black and white woodpecker briefly sit in the magnolia tree. He was soon gone in a flash of scarlet from the bright feathers under his tail, but about 10 minutes later I spotted his larger green cousin in the neighbours garden. Green woodpeckers are not very common so it was a treat to be able to watch one for so long. It's hard to see him clearly in the photo - I've circle him in red -and I didn't dare get any closer in case I disturbed him, but he's there if you look closely.