Red start

This morning a very beautiful visitor came to my garden.
First I could not believe my eyes.
The birdbath is rarely used by the birds for quite a while, because they like the other one better, and the running water does not work for quite a while.
To my astonishment there was this red bird!
I love the reds in my garden...red flowers...squirrels...red beetles..red birds!

This red bird was a Common Redstart  (Gekraagde Roodstaart) (Phoenicurus phoenicurus)  

I rarely see this bird in my garden...so this is unique to me and makes me happy.
He managed bathing in one drop of water...and he clearly showed off, why this bird is named...
by his red start!
a lovely Red Start... 

Known feather

A few days ago I posted a feather of which I didn't know its owner.
S&A commented on my blog that it belonged to a woodpecker.(bonte specht)
Yesterday they visited to celebrated both our birthdays.
As a present they gave me a beautiful book, with all information about bird tracking.
In the book was the proof... of the Owner of the feather!
By more research the feather is one of his hands.

Thanx to A&S!

Mole

Mole is living in his house under the ground,
It is always dark inside so you don't see much of anything,

A good thing is you don't see the dirt too much and untidy things.
But today Mole decided to clean up his house a little bit.

clovers

A while ago, part of my grass looked like this.

Most people don't like clovers in the grass.

To me...I like them...those lovely white dots...with lots of insects hovering above and in.

Unknown feather

This Morning M. arrived with a beautiful feather, which she had found for me near her house.
We wondered who's feather it could be.
Beautiful white spots..I guess a bird of prey owner.
Who can tell?

little apples

Small little apples are growing again on the Malus-tree.
Still green and small...yet promising lovely yummy apples for the birds.

Young flycatchers are peeking out

The young flycatchers are growing rapidly.
The young are peeking out of the nest box to see if mom is coming, and to be the first to get the snack.

Only mom is coming.
I am so sorry to tell, that the male died yesterday.
He has crashed against the window, and I found him dead on the ground.
So sad...
I am glad that the young are almost done.
So that mother flycatcher hopefully can handle the situation all by herself.
Normally they feed together.
now she has to fly to and fro double.

The young are gorgeous to watch...so eager, so full of new life!

More red

Slowly the back of my garden is coloring red.
Even the fading poppy leaves have somehow beauty.

I wonder who is having poppysalat...?

First day stamp

About a week ago, my nephew 's wife gave birth to a beautiful delightful son.

I was asked to design the baby card
and along with that the first day stamp on the envelope.
Yesterday I received the card in the mail.

Poppy unfolding

Same poppy from booth sides...awakening, unfolding.

confetti

My path has been transformed.

It looks like someone has been throwing confetti everywhere.

Thousands and thousands of little tiny snowflake-like leaves have clothed my path.

The may tree is buzzing above 

Hundreds of bees have found a lunchroom.

even one of the poppy's is smiling at me and you.

grey flycatcher

Timeout of the flycatcher, after sitting all day on her eggs.

Grey flycatchers

Update surprise.
A while ago I had seen the grey flycatchers inspecting the place under the roof for a breeding place.(16 May)
Even a nest had been build, (20 May), But then after that nothing happened. I did not see the birds anymore for a week or so, so I had concluded that they had gone some place else
and this breedingplace had been canceled.

WRONG Conclusion!

This morning I noticed a little something on the nest, that looked like a bird shape.
A took my camera and through the lens I clearly saw the shape of a bird breeding..!
Then a moment later, to my amazement, came father bird giving a fly to his mate.
So cute... though the photo is not sharp, its so lovely.

rose

Same flower, different play of light.
The Roses have started to blossom.
This is Rosa Glauca, makes beautiful red rose hips end of summer.

Poppytime

Its Poppytime again.

Great red dots standing out in the greens.

exercise

This blackbird is making lots of exercises for having all his feathers on the right place and order.

Carduelis carduelis en 'Het Puttertje'

A while ago, I saw a bird in my garden I never had seen.
Through my binoculars I could clearly see him, but he was gone when I wanted to grab my camera.
Beautiful red face, and bright yellow and black on his wings which he stretched for me to clearly see.
 It was a Carduelis Carduelis, Goldfinch, or in dutch: Putter of Distelvink.
I was so happy to see such a beautiful...bird I had never seen before!

Only I knew the bird from photo's and one time  I saw a painting in the Museum het Mauritshuis.


The painting had made a deep impression on me at that time years ago.
It was the painting of 'Het Puttertje" by Carel Fabritius. 1654
To me a very sad painting of an imprisoned bird tied by a chain at his little leg sitting on a little box.
At that time I felt so sad for the bird being imprisonned just for the fun.

When I saw the bird in my garden, I immediately remembered the painting.

Later I felt so happy that this bird in my garden was free!
not tied, no strings, but free to go wherever he wanted.

Baby flycatchers

The flycatchers definitely have young.
Both parents are busy feeding.
caterpillars...insects....beetles.
It looks delicious.