'First of 2014' !

[Nicos]

Butterfly...
Just spotted a peacock butterfly in our garage. Flippin heck it's going to be in for a shock when the cold weather arrives!

wild flower...
dandelion in the lawn

unusual birds on the peanut feeder...turns out to be either a willow or marsh tit...never seen one before!
looks like this...


This year just gets more and more exciting!!!!

[PyreneesPlot]

Prob a marsh tit. Does it go zeeweeek as it arrives?!

[Nicos]

Hard to tell PP- the window was closed and there were about 12 blue tits chirping away all at the same time. I was reluctant to open the window in case they flew off never to return!

Will certainly listen out for that..thanks!

[Jeanied]

Looks like a blackcap to me Nicos - one in my garden too.

[Nicos]

yeh...I did wonder about that Jeanie... but they had tiny little black beards under their beaks.
Never seen one of those either!( had to goooogle it!)

[Thelma Sanders]

black caps are usually slender birds compared to the willow or marsh tits which usually have fat round bellies

[veggiechicken]

Is it a Coal tit Nicos? I have them in the garden at the moment

[scarey55]

I had to rush out with some sugar syrup for a peacock butterfly that arrived in the garden today too. As you say, poor little things will get a shock next week - it is supposed to be snowing

[PyreneesPlot]

I think the blackcap has a more square head in profile and is a bit bigger than the marsh tit (both are common here). Marsh tit doesn't have the stripe on the cap like the coal tit.

[Nicos]

Nope- VC, good thought though- just double checked on 'images'
...these had a much smaller black beard, and deffo no white patch on the back of their head.

I'm going to get my head around the birds in my garden this year!
I keep meaning to but get distracted by other projects!

[lottie dolly]

The poor wildlife think it's spring,DH and i was saying this afternoon,the birds seem a bit frisky,i know we could do with a really cold spell to kill of the unwanted,but other we do want will suffer,

[mothhawk]

I have one beautiful yellow rose flower blooming.........and it's got greenfly

[Sheneval]

Robin on the allotment today - seemed to understand, if not my words, that my intentions were good - made a meal of 6 worms and chased off an intruder

[Glutton4...]

I was followed down the garden by a Robin at the weekend. I mucked out the Hen House, and left the barrow in the open so the birds could 'play' with it. Looked back to see three of the Chickens in the barrow. Dunno what the Robin thought!

[roitelet]

Oxlips in flower in the garden and the cowslips aren't far behind.