The lovely sunny weather has continued all through the weekend which has definitely helped to lift morale in these difficult times.

Wisteria Avenue?

The birds have been more difficult to photograph with the leaves growing on the trees and so that is probably why I found myself in the garden without my camera yesterday morning when a CUCKOO flew over making its way, it seemed, from Eastville Park to Stoke Park and probably way beyond – definitely the best of my garden record (if I kept one). There were several other flyovers with birds moving from Stoke Park to Eastville Park (and back) but I failed to photograph the mallards, Canada geese and grey heron.

I wandered down the road opposite our house early this morning, more to see the 5 wisteria trees, than to see birds but I did manage to photograph house sparrows, goldfinches, a robin and a blackbird. They were all in full voice at that time of the morning.

An inquisitive goldfinch

A rather glum robin

Crazy woodpigeon

I’m told there are sunflower heads in the back garden

Flirting blue tits

Starling with breakfast

The house sparrows are persistently noisy (is that a dust spot on my sensor or dirt on the drain pipe?)

Even a lesser black-backed gull paid me a visit

A cheery blackbird

A jackdaw taking the coronavirus seriously

Show-off blue tit

Curious carrion crow

Later back in my garden a grey heron flew over. I have photographed these birds in Eastville Park and Stoke Park more than any other bird and I am sure it recognised me as, before flying off, it did a circle over head in a sort of fly pass.

A fly-by salute from the grey heron

The other notable bird I saw was a buzzard but I only managed a distant shot before it disappeared in to the azure of the sky.

The blue tits, woodpigeons and collared doves have entertained me regularly too.

I have had a go at photographing the aphids on my roses and aqualegias and ants on my peonies but I must admit I’m not very good at it because everyone says its a great macro lens!

Slideshow of my photos over the last two days. On an iPad you can pinch and stretch.

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