Tuesday 29 December 2009

From magic to mud

The snow is receding from the loch side

















but still lingering on the hills.







It is thawing very slowly during the day and freezing hard at night, so we have a lot of muddy ice around.

I have Jeyes fluid ready to clean the whole feeding area but couldn't chip the ice away so will have to wait for better temperatures. It is depressing to look out on though. The birds are hungry and cold. Even the little dunnock has lost its shyness and stands hopping from one cold foot to the other as it waits for its chance by the feeders.
















The blue tit, one of my favourite garden residents, is smaller than the dunnock but a lot bolder.
He competes with chaffinches for peanuts but is very versatile and scours my window ledges and eaves for insects.
He scuttles up and down the silver birch, like a tree creeper, picking insects from the bark.




They are favourites because a blue tit couple nested in my bird box this spring. They are the only birds ever to use a box I've put up, so I feel quite proprietary towards them and was a very proud Aunty when the two chicks fledged.


Meanwhile Smudge is snoring, face down on her cushion. I wonder if she's been at the gin. I knew I couldn't have emptied that whole bottle!

8 comments:

  1. Fabulous pictures, as ever. Your hills look a lot nicer than snowy / slushy Leith, that's for sure! Glad to see that Smudge is as cosy as ever.

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  2. I'm transported.....
    Imagining tea and cakes with Yan and Smudge, followed by a walk around the loch (all bundled up!). xo Alice

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  3. Smudge knows how to weather the ice and mud. I have a question for you - What does "gormless" mean?
    Cindee

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  4. Thanks for the hearty laugh! I love you little blue tit! I can understand the attachment to our feathered friends! Your stairs look a bit scary! Icy steps! Yikes. Best Wishes for the New Year! Carol

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  5. I that that Smudge has nabbed the best possible spot :)

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  6. Thanks for giving me a peek at your world. The loch is lovely. I wish the birds around my place would sit still for a photo!

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  7. Yan those loch photos are just wonderful. Its certainly polar weather here isn't it. We got down to -17.4 the night before last. I love your bird photos - you must have great patience waiting to get the best shot.

    Happy New Year

    Rosie

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  8. Hallo everyone and a very happy New Year.

    Yay Lucy, how's things? Did you both survive Edinburgh's New Year? I've never seen a cat that can sleep like Smudge, face down, nose buried in the cushion and snoring like a steam engine. Hope Dillon is doing OK.

    Hi Alice, you'd be welcome any time for tea, cakes and loch walks. Dad and I went out yesterday, cold but beautiful and lots of wading birds.

    Hallo Cindee, thanks for stopping by. Gormless means witless and incompetent, which sums up my gardening abilities. Hope you and cat house members are having a good new year.

    Hi Carol, you're right the stairs are very scary now, I've stopped going further than the bird feeders. No real thaw yet, just bitter cold nights but my blue tit buddies seem to be doing OK. Hope you and yours have a great New Year.

    Hi Anna, you've got Smudge taped, she has the best spot on every sofa and is waited on hand and foot. Even Dad (who is a life long cat hater) got down on his hands and knees to scrape her little blue ball out from under the sofa, which she then totally ignored!

    Hi Debs, thanks for your comment. I imagine you must have lots fascinating of bird life in those gorgeous mossy woods. Does Garden ever chase them? Smudge is only interested in mice.

    Hallo Rosie, I guess you must be catching more snow like Inverness? Wow -17.4 is bloomin' Baltic! I hope there's no burst pipes out there and that you're all cosy and warm inside.

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