woodpecker

 This is so amazing.

I have put some sunflower seeds and oats in the feeding basket for the birds.
The birds are really enjoying it. Today, a woodpecker has discovered the seeds as well...
With his beak full of seeds he flies to and fro to his nest...looks like he has young and lots of woodpecker babies to feed.
I love to see how many seeds he can hold all together in his beak.

Flycatcher

Here a female flycatcher is having her daily late afternoon bath.
Her young are almost ready to fly.

I see them (male and female) flying all day to and fro to the bird box.

I expect the young to be ready tomorrow or the day after.

Oh, and here is the male having a break for his bath, in between feeding the young.

 

Gold finches

 Everyday, last week, there are a couple of goldfinches, (carduelis carduelis, distelvink, putter) having a bath in my birdbath!

I greatly enjoy them. They are so colorful with a red face and yellow feathers.
They are so beautiful!

Bull finches

 The bull finches (goudvinken) are around again in my garden. 

Having a bath in my birdbath every day and even two or three times a day. 

They are such beautiful stunning birds. Once you've seen a bullfinch, you will never forget them. 

The male looks like a candystick in his pink-orangy colors. Here he is watching in a branch, while she is having a bath.

This morning I heard him sing, which was as well so beautiful.

Little wren

The smallest of the smallest, having a bath. 

He is so quick and cute.

Flycatchers

 The flycatchers have been inspecting several nest boxes. 

Here you see the female and the male do close inspection, to see if this is the one.

However I did not see them for several days around this nest box. It might be that they decided to pick another one.

Flycatcher

 There is lots of activity around the birdhouses.
The flycatcher is chasing away all the coal-tits and the blue-tits who also are looking and having inspection for a nesting place.
The flycatcher is constantly chasing them away, though there are enough birdhouses in my garden.
I pity the coal-tits and blue-tits and even wanted to interfere...But I thought that the birds can do that for themselves and let go.
It looked like that the female flycatcher has arrived as well, but not really sure.

I hope for him the get it all settled.

Flycatcher back!

 Yesterday and as well this morning, I was thinking...It must be time for the arrival of the Flycather, coming all the way from Africa to have his nestbuilding-time here!
I was thinking how he was earlier last year and maybe  he would be on its way somewhere flying above Spain or France.

I was just having my morning-coffee, when all of a sudden I saw a bird chasing away some other birds...
And yes! No doubt about it...there he was again! same behavior as all other times...making space and defending his territory.

Later I was able to capture a few photo's. 

When checking, when he arrived last year, that I noticed him it was on April 3. 

Click here, to see are all the posts, when he arrived in previous years

First field flowers

 To my amazement I noticed the first Cardamine, Pinksterbloem, in one of my pots.

So great to see this blower again. As well as the Forget-me-nots in their awesome deep skyblue colors.

And the yellow ones, Ficaria Verna, Speenkruid, is popping up everywhere in my garden. I love it seeing them again! 

Every year its so delightful and a joy to me, seeing them again.

Haw-finch

 Yesterday I had a rare bird in my garden, I do not see very often.

Very shy bird. I had some sunflowers for the birds in the basket and there he was feasting on them.
Such a  nice bird. looking a bit angry or fierce because of his extreme big bill.
In English named Haw-finch, We name it Apple-finch. (Coccothraustes coccothraustes).

Squirrel back!

 I had not seen squirrel for months!

Whole winter... no squirrels to been seen...
I worried about them, what might have happened.
Are they even alive? As I had heard about they hares dying and having a disease?

To my great relief I saw last week a squirrel sitting in my garden, he had found a long waiting nut for him to get. He finally found it..My jaw dropped open...amazed to see him.
So happy squirrel is back.

Feather

 A bird has left a mark on my glass window.

Looks to me, he survived, as i did not see a dead bird on the ground...sigh 3x
From both sides.

Was it a robin, a finch? who can tell.

Snowdrops and crocus

Lots of sparkles in the grass.
Water-drops on snowdrops and crocuses...
Spring definitely arrived!

So much sparkles everywhere!
 

Ladybird

 A few days ago, I saw the first ladybird coming out of winter-sleep.
As I had no camera with me, I was not able to capture him.
Today I saw another one, sleeping on the side of my doormat. I love seeing the first ladybirds again. 

I saw some bumbles as well... spring is really on its way!

Robin

 Again...Robin perfectly under cover.
As a living autumn-leaf

living autumn leaf

 Birds are so smart... Is he hiding in plain sight?

Find the robin!