05/03/2018 A few garden birds and the changing sky.

Maximum temperature today 13C, minimum 5C.   9mm of rain measured this morning and we have had some light rain today; 6 km/h South Westerly winds with up to 21 km/h gusts.  (304 mm of rain so far from the 1st of January)

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus).

As above.

Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto),

European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis).

Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus). One day I might be able to cut the lawn again!

House sparrow (Passer domesticus) male, and Common chaffinch (Fringilla coelebs) female,

Camellia buds looking very bedraggled thanks to the weather.  I wonder if we will get any flowers this year!

A somewhat wet daffodil.

Helleborus niger or commonly called a Christmas rose.

The angry looking sky looking down the road at about 5pm....

and at 7pm....

About 15 mins later taken in our garden.

28/02/2018 A new visitor to our garden amongst other feathered friends.

Maximum temperature today 4C, minimum -7C.  Feels like -10C  Dry; 15 km/h  Easterly winds with up to 35 km/h gusts.

Hawfinch (Coccothraustes coccothraustes)....

Great excitement, a first for us in our garden...

Take a look at that massive beak. Its food is mainly seeds and fruit kernels, especially those of cherries, which it cracks with its powerful bill.

You can see here it is quite a lot larger than the Great tit bottom left...

Great tit (Parus major)

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)....

The water keeps icing up....

Complaining! So I went out for the 4th time in a couple of hours to break the ice.

Female House sparrow (Passer domesticus)...

Icing up again!!!!!

Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto).  So much larger than the house sparrows around it.

European goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis).

European greenfinch, (Chloris chloris).

17/02/2018 A walk around the garden and a few inside photos.

Maximum temperature today 12C, minimum 4C.  12 mm of rain measured last night. North Easterly winds; 6 km/h with up to 16 km/h gusts. 

Snow drops.

Orchid.

Kalanchoe.

Prickly cactus!

Hellebore.

Common Black bird (Turdus merula)

Eurasian Blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

European goldfinch  (Carduelis carduelis).

Bergenia Cordifolia.

Rain drop.

The crocuses are struggling with the weather this year! 

One lone pansy.

House sparrow, male (Passer domesticus).

You can see how saturated our lawn is here!!!

If you should be interested after an 18 month break from my blog 'My Life Before the Charente'  I have at last added a new post 😊

13/02/2018 Before and after the snow!

Maximum temperature today 5C, minimum -1C.  Snowing again then more rain to wash it away.  North Westerly winds; 13 km/h with up to 37 km/h gusts.  

Common chaffinch, male (Fringilla coelebs).

as above.

Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus)

Blue tit and Great tit (Parus major)

Blue tit and House sparrow, males (Passer domesticus)

House Sparrow female and Common chaffinch male.

House sparrow male.

Great tit and the snow it starting...

As above.

European goldfinch (Carduelis carduelis), A rare visitor this year though we used to get many.

As above

Eurasian collared dove (Streptopelia decaocto).

Blue tit.

The road outside our front door...

and looking the other way.

In the garden...

as above.

Sixteen or seventeen House sparrows looking for food under the snow.