Young blackbirds?

This morning a blackbird was having a slug.
He tried to clean the slug on the tiles...to get the slime off.
Then he ...no it was a she, searched for more in the grass.
For a while dropping the slug in the grass next to her.
When she had caught more she picked up the nearby slug again.
Very soon she had a beak full of creepy crawly things,
even some worms...

Curious about what next,
she flew away over the hedge to my neighbors.

Fast forward

It looks as if spring is in a hurry.

Quickly fast-forwarding, like a film in high speed.
Buds, flowers, leaves...sprouts...everything is in a hurry...to move past the time that winter has stolen.

I have not enough eyes to catch up.

Flycatcher

This morning I saw the flycatcher again...
flying back and forth...to and fro...
and fro and to...forth and back.
He was singing on the top of his lungs...i saw him inspecting several nest boxes...
which one will it be?
Then I saw another flycatcher...The lady of the house!
She had arrived as well!
I don't think I caught her on camera yet...
but the male wanted to pose several times.

Flycatcher back!

For more than a week I was on the look-out for the flycatcher coming back.
But the weather circumstances were bad.
Winter resisting spring with all of his might.

Last few days it seems that spring has won finally.
Of course I knew spring would win...but oh how long would it take?

Today...Jippie!..
I saw a glimpse of the flycatcher...all the way back from Africa.
(Triple Sigh)
He survived the cold and what more challenges did he face?
I am Happy he arrived...!

I looked back over the years when I noticed him back in my garden the other years.
going back to 2006
2006 - 17 April
2007-  19 April
2008- 18 April
2009- 11 April
2010-  7 April
2011-  6 April
2012-  2April
2013- 15 April

3 birds

surprise

At the end of the day came Mr. woodpecker to my surprise.

Mostly he comes to my neighbors, picking in their peanut butter jar.
Probably my neighbors jar was empty.
Today he checked to see if there was some left in my jar...


What a great bird he is!
Showing off his amazing stunning red!

Robin

Honeysuckle

Though spring is late,
Honeysuckle,(Lonicera),(Kamperfoelie), is not impressed and growing anyway.

Leaves are out and I am impressed by their beauty.

colored in beautiful reds and purples and even blues....

Drinking from the well

Malus buds

The buds on the Malus apple are rapidly growing, despite the cold low temperatures.
In a week or a little more...blossoms are everywhere!
Can't wait....

round fluff

I just love it...birds like a fluff ball

XX Fluff

this morning Fluffy entered the room
having extra fluff on his head.
I wondered How?

then later I noticed the cellardoor was open. probably Bibi had opened the door, because he can open doors.
Sometimes I have to lock them otherwise he opens all doors.
and of course that's not what I want.

Blackcapped birdy

Parus montanus or Parus palustris...(Matkop of Glanskop mees)Willow-tit or Marsh-tit.
i still don't know exactly which it is.
They are lookalikes.
Anyhow he is a beautiful birdy, coming almost everyday to the feeding table.
and today having a little icy drink.

scribble

scribble of the 2 doves who were having lunch at my table this morning.

robin

Robin almost a round fluff ball

Siskin

A not so common winter-visitor , visiting...

Travelling all the way from:  northeast and middle of Europe , Scotland.

Carduelis Spinus, Sijs, (Eurasian siskin),

A lovely small bird.

Here a female Siskin.

Drinking deep

This morning the water in the birdbath was frozen,
so I poured out some fresh water in the birdbath for the birds to drink.
Not long after that, a bleu-tit had discovered the fresh water.

Later on the photo I noticed how deep he was drinking....

drinking robin

It has been cold and freezing last days.
Though spring arrived a few days ago, it is not very much looking like that.
All the water is frozen, only melting a little bit by the fragile sun coming through.
This melted water is very welcome for the birds.

Robin came along to have a fresh drink.
such a beauty...he is!

Brammetje

Brammetje was back again...

(Bramling, Keep)

Spring birthday

I thought spring had his birthday today...
the 21th of March.
On the news they said spring 's birthday was yesterday... 20th of March.
anyway...
Happy birthday spring!


As I googled a little; it all depends on spring equinox.

(The word equinox is derived from the Latin words meaning “equal night.” Days and nights are approximately equal everywhere and the Sun rises and sets due east and west.)