Squirrel

 This morning I saw that squirrel had found something. 

He sat there with his yummy treasure in the long grass. After that a sip of water...and then he looked in some favourite storage places where he has stored other nuts. Maybe he finds some more.

Fly-catcher

First glimpse of the flycatcher.

He is a very territorial bird. Last few days he has been flying to and fro to different nest houses. 

He is chasing away other birds who come too close. He thinks he's boss. 

But in the window of my shed, he sees himself mirrored in the window. He thinks it's an intruder!

So he is fighting all day long his mirror reflection...!

So sad to see this bird attacking himself. Spending all his energy on needless attacking his reflection.

I tried to make a screen on the glass on the inside. but still there is a mirror-reflection.

Don't know what to do next. 

sigh! 10 times.

 

Coal-tits began building the nest

 After several days of inspection, the coal-tits agreed that this is the nestbox. I saw them the last couple of days bringing in the construction for the nest. So beautiful to see what they all bring in to make it nice and comfy. Even some feathers were brought in, to make it very soft.

Happy Squirrel

It's raining and not fun really to be outside.

Squirrel took the risk, to go out anyway. His ears soaked, his neck hair soaked, his tail all wet as well.

He came along and he was happy to find some peanuts, I had thrown out, for him and the birds to find.

So it was all worth, to go out for a while to get his rumbling tummy filled. 

 

Pied Flycatcher

 Had been thinking this week about the flycatcher.

This is the month of his return from Africa. Will he soon arrive?

Today, I saw him! sitting in my garden en flying a bit around.

Maybe I have seen him already yesterday as well... It was a kind of a glimpse without being aware that it might be him.

See this link for all the other arrival-times in the previous years

Apple blossom2

 Today is rather cold and rainy.

Only one, of all the blossoms on the tree, dared to break out!

Such a bravery!

Apple blossom

The flowers on the appetite are nearly there. 

Maybe they will be open later on the day, as the sun brightens and warms them even more.

I think they are early this year

I found in my archives that in 2016 they were almost open on april 26th!

and back in 2014 they also were nearly open on April 04.
 

Violet-salad 2

 Today I thought to have another inspection on the violets. Again several or better say, most of them are snacked on. 

It looks to me that the snail prefers more the purples and the blues. The yellow is maybe less his favourite. So nice to know that!

Violet and scilla salad

It looks like all the flowers are kind of used for a salad.

A flower-salad so to speak.

I think I know who is the one who loves it very much.

I can see a trail...of slimy colors on the purple of the violet....which looks to me the same as the snail-trail I posted yesterday.

 

Snail-trail

 This morning I noticed this beautiful trail of a snail...

I love the word how it rhymes: 'Snail-trail'.  When you look closer, the trail is even full of shiny shimmering colors, What Creator has fancied that, when He made the snails!

(click the images for a better and sharper view!)

Blue-tit making arrangements

 This morning, I saw Blue-tit making arrangements in the nestbox.

He took some things out...I guess its poo...from other birds who have been sleeping in the nestbox. He really was inspecting everything very carefully. All day he flew to and fro, in and out.

Robin nestbox

 This morning I placed a nestbox for robin. 

I had noticed a robin sitting on the fence. He was a kind of searching and looking... probably for food. Maybe he was also having inspection for a nesting place. 

Anyway, I thought it might be lovely for me to have a good sight on it when he decides to pick this box for a new family of robins! I have a great view on it from one of my windows.

Stamps

 Last year I have made my own stamps.

In the Netherlands you can have them made by the post-office and you can use them (instead of the ones they have) on your snail-mail.

I love stamps and I still don't like that we lost our snail-mail-stamps. Some stamps are so beautiful like small real art pieces.

Ladybirds coming out

 Last week I have seen a lot of Ladybirds (Lieveheersbeestjes) coming out of their wintersleep.

Spring has awakened them for a new season!

Spring has come

 Yihaaaa! Spring finally has come!!!!