We've said goodbye to early morning tiny frosted fingers on stems and branches. Not that we had many this year at all, with it being so mild. The month whizzed by and for me (after my wonderful adventure) has been filled with restocking my shop with prints and cards. Re-ordering bits and pieces, doing my tax return, having a sort out, tidying up, with quite a few trips to the charity shop to drop unwanted items off and hibernating somewhat.
The garden is green and snowdrops are blooming. Even the bluebell leaves are quite advanced and some primroses are in flower. This is good news for any bees that are awake of course. I did see a bee on a snowdrop the other day...
On Sunday I participated in the 'Big Garden Bird Watch' You've probably heard of it. Each year it is run by the RSPB over a weekend and people sit for an hour and record the bird sightings then add them to the database. It's a great help to the RSPB for finding out how our bird numbers are doing and of course is a pleasurable hour spent just sitting quietly watching these beautiful creatures.
My recordings were as follows:
x 2 Robin x 3 Blackbird x 2 Collared Dove x 2 Dunnock x 3 Blue tit x 2 Coal tit x2 Jackdaw x 2 Wood pigeon x 3 Great tit x 1 Long tailed tit x 2 Chaffinch x 1 Magpie x 1 Songthrush.
This picture below was taken on another day. It seems I have a new friend that has figured out that Robin was getting special treatment on the tree stump. I decided to give the mistletoe berries to Mr or Mrs Song thrush in the hope that Mistletoe berry + Song thrush = bird poo + berry seed = Mistletoe
Not sure it will work, but all the berries were eaten...
Robin still comes to my hand occasionally but prefers the tree stump most often these days.
Like last year, he has begun to stay further away as he has paired up ready for Spring. Here they are together.
Mr Blackbird is never far away.
The kitchen is scented with hyacinth and is a great reminder that Spring is on the way. I'm always so glad that I took the time to plant these back in Autumn, when they finally come into flower.
Some of the new postcards, now in my Etsy shop...
I also managed to finally finish this painting that I began before Christmas, after my visit to Wistmans wood. I have named it 'Journey through Wistmans'
It will be available as a print, as soon as I get a good scan of it, the next time I go into town. 
I hope your January was a good one?
Karen
x
Posts
Such loveliness <3
ReplyDeleteThank you Sarah x
DeleteLovely pictures !
ReplyDeleteNot much of a winter here either ...
Thank you Els. I have missed Winter here.
DeleteI really miss winter's frostiness and snow-doesn't feel like a proper year without it:(
ReplyDeleteHope your mistletoe plan works. It took me a few years but now I have beautiful clumps of it on my apple tree and it's just so special and truly a thing of magic in deep wintertime:)
Oh me too! I think the cold air is good for us too, so long as we have warm homes to go to of course. (Not so good for the poor homeless folk) You are so lucky with your mistletoe. I have tried year after year, but my apple trees do not want it growing on them it seems? Fingers crossed for this plan. x
DeleteJanuary has flown fast. What a lovely lot of birds you have visit you. I really like your new work inspired by the wonderful Wistman's Wood, a favourite place of mine. I must pop to your shop and get some of your beautiful cards. Enjoy the change of seasons. x
ReplyDeleteThank you Lee Ann! :) I hope you are happy with your postcards? Thanks so much for ordering and for commenting on my blog. I do so appreciate all comments, even though I am rubbish at keeping up with answering them. Sorry about that. ;) xx
DeleteHello Karen,
ReplyDeleteI just visited your blog for the first time and what a beautiful and magical place it is!!
Your art is dream-like and inspiring. :)
I'm from Germany and we have Garden Bird Watch Day here too, although I didn't take part. But I go bird watching all the time with the hobby-ornithologist in our family. Today we saw a kestrel and a carrion crow.
How did you become such good friends with Robin? I mean, why does he let you come so close?
Kind regards from Riverside,
Nina
Hello Nina
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for stopping by. I'm glad that you like it here. :)
Bird watching is very relaxing isn't it... I first met Mr Robin last year. He just turned up and wanted to get close to me. I noticed he kept following me around the garden. if I sat on the chair he would get near me on the next chair. So then I thought, I think he is asking me for treats? So i just held my hand out and after just a day, he hopped on and began feeding from my hand. He did this for quite a few months ( over Winter) then disappeared for a bit, I think he was nesting and too busy to visit me. Then last Autumn I noticed him again and he started getting close again. Now he has begun nesting again I think. He is a little blessing. :) x
How lovely. :)
DeleteI can't see the birds in our garden ever being so trusting, then again the poor things must always beware of our cat! ;)
Finally able to catch up on all the glorious post from you as laptop is finally being good. Love the photo of the tree, glorious ;)
ReplyDelete