Magic in the garden.....

Great excitement here in our garden today.  I saw this bird yesterday outside our property, but it was gone in a flash and I did not have the camera with me anyway.  This morning I looked out of the window and saw, what I presume was the same bird at the bottom of our garden.  I took a few photos of it in the distance willing it to come closer which it eventually did.  All shots are through the window but they are quite reasonable I think.

The first photos were taken at a great distance (abt 25 metres) down the garden...  Red-legged Partridge (Electorus rufa)...

as above...

As above.

It then started walking up the side of the hedge towards me...

getting closer and closer...

as above...

as above...

as above...

as above...

At this stage, it was probably about 8 metres away...

finally disappearing into the undergrowth.

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04/11/2018 Birds seen in the garden and overhead this week in France.

Eurasian Blue Tit. (Cyanistes caeruleus).  We never see them in summer but they return in winter,  here they are on the window sill asking for food...

As above...

As above.

The Great tit (Parus major), also not very visible in summer but they return for winter food...

As above on an African soapstone carving...

Also on the window sill...

As above.

Male Common blackbird (Turdus merula) and another African soapstone carving... 

and I think a female blackbird if not a juvenile!

Female house sparrow (Passer domesticus)...

As above.

House Sparrows (Passer domesticus) and Eurasian collared doves (Streptopelia decaocto).

Common cranes (Grus grus), also known as the Eurasian crane, calling and milling around overhead yesterday waiting presumably for a bigger group ready to fly South...

As above...

As above getting into formation.

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Apologies for having gone AWOL

I am sorry that I have been absent from this blog but it was a forced issue,  my hard drive crashed out completely and sadly nothing could be rescued at all.  I am fairly good about backing up, but my September photos had not reached that stage yet!!  October I had the originals, but all the editing had gone.  I am still trying to get back to sort of where I was, but it is taking time.  The other thing is many of my email addresses also seem to have vanished, I have to admit to not having backed them up for some time, I thought they would all be sitting in Google but that does not seem to be the case!!

I went for a walk a couple of days ago to clear the cobwebs from my head, and although not the best of photos, I did get some shots of a couple of birds, and one I have not seen before, or had at least not identified.  Thanks to my friend Noushka for helping me out with the ID. If you have not seen her blog I can assure you it is well worth a visit.

European Stonechat (Saxicola rubicola hibernans) a first for me.  Male and female.

Apologies for the photos but they were far away in a hedge, every step I took closer they flew a step further away!....

Female...

as above...

as above...

the first photo of the pair slightly enlarged.

A little further down the road, this robin played the same trick on me, every step I took it moved a step further away!!! European robin (Erithacus rubecula)....

as above.

Back home I liked this shot of the sparrow diving into the 'bird bath' 😉 

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).

Female House Sparrow (Passer domesticus).

The icing on the cake though was this Little Owl (Athene noctua) that was on our chimney the other evening.

I was in my office when I heard a strange noise, not the typical call.   I shot downstairs, grabbed the camera, and it waited just long enough for me to get a single shot.

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Wild Bird Wednesday

Birds of Europe - All seen in the garden once again.

As always, I hope that my identification is correct, please let me know if there should be any mistakes.

Common blackbird (Turdus merula) male.

French name -  Merle noir

House Sparrow (Passer domesticus), females.

French name - Moineau domestique.

European Greenfinch (Chloris chloris), male.

French name - Verdier d'Europe

Greenfinch and sparrow having an altercation.

European robin (Erithacus rubecula).

French name - Rougegorge familier

Eurasian Collared Dove (Streptopelia decaocto)

French name - Tourterelle turque

House sparrow female taking a look at a daylily...

and in take-off mode sending pollen flying everywhere.

Common blackbird, juvenile.

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Birds of Europe - Mostly seen in the garden, you will recognise the pot holder that they use as a bath!

As always, I hope that my identification is correct, please let me know if there should be any mistakes.

Common wood pigeon (Columba palumbus).

French name - Pigeon ramier.

House sparrows - both females - (Passer domesticus) and a Eurasian blue tit (Cyanistes caeruleus).

French Names - Moineau domestique and Mésange bleue.

Eurasian jay (Garrulus glandarius). Seen in the Dordogne though they are local as well.

French name - Geai des chênes.

As above.

Eurasian siskin (Spinus spinus).

French name - Tarin des aulnes

House sparrow - male - (Passer domesticus).

Common redstart (Phoenicurus phoenicurus).

French name - Rougequeue à front blanc.

As above looking a little bedraggled after its bath. 😉

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