Sometimes its the smallest things that can make your day. Goldcrest

No new birds for list.

I went down to Castle Espie today to buy a bird feeder. Castle Espie is where the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust is based in Northern Ireland a bit further up Strangford Lough to where I live. Many moons ago it was owned by some of my forbears.

I decided to have a look first of all from the bird hides at the Brent Geese as although I have seen a few since they returned from the Arctic I havent seen them in any great number. Well they were there in their hundreds quite along way out. I love their sound infact during the later months they come down to the bay in front of my house and if I have my window open at night I can hear them quite clearly. A nice sound to be lulled to sleep.

On the way back to the centre a Goldcrest landed in the bush right beside me. It then started flitting its way up a branch straight towards me so I put my finger on the tip of the branch hoping it would come up onto my finger and then hand. Well it stopped a centimetre away from my finger before flying off to some teasels nearby. Did I have my camera? No it was on the kitchen table. I sometimes think when one goes birding its instants like these that can make your day. Here is a poor photo of one I took earlier in the year It is the smallest bird in Europe.

I have recently been getting fairly bored of filling my feeder with sunflower hearts every single day due to heavy demand so the reason I went to Castle Espie was to buy a giant feeder, which hopefully will not need replenishing quite so regularly. I always feel guilty if I dont fill the feeders. Anyway this one weighs a ton when its full of seed.

When I got home there was this very pretty and elegant Grey Wagtail sitting on the car. I have heard it a few times in the last week so quite nice to make visual contact.