Tag: Blue Tit

February 4th – At Middleton, spring said hello once more. Softly, this time, in small clumps of snowdrops, in the comical antics of the small birds at the feeding station, and in the huge flock of pink-footed geese in the water meadow that must have numbered a very vocal 500, and was impossible to photograph.

I’m rapidly discovering that when I’m down, Middleton has all the ingredients I need to lighten my fug – good tea, cake, interesting wildlife, flowers and birds and places to explore.

A lovely trip, but oh, so cold when darkness fell…

January 2nd – The weather was sunny and bright, but cold; the paperwork wasn’t finished and I was still unwell, but that feeding station at Middleton beckoned, so I went for it with a good pal.

We weren’t disappointed – these photos show a variety of great birds that constantly zip in and out, and also a bit of a rarity: a water rail. Not uncommon birds in themselves, but infrequently witnessed as they’re particularly secretive. 

A billet moorhen-ish, slate grey/blue, with a long red beak it was picking in the mud under the feeders. That’s quite a spot, so it made me feel blessed to be out.

Not all photos mine, but taken in the same visit. If you haven’t been to Middleton Hall and RSPB Middleton, get over there – it’s great.