THE RAMBLINGS OF A STRUGGLING ARTIST ON LIFE WITH TWO TERRIERS, A PONY WITH ISSUES AND OTHER WILDLIFE AND BIRDS THAT CROSS OUR PATH

4 April 2014

A WELCOME VISITOR


We had never had a Goldfinch in the garden until today. What a little beauty and ringed too. I can't quite make out the numbers but I'm pretty sure it's a BTO one. It would be nice to find out where it was done but it won't be from these photos. I love the way it appears to be stamping its foot in the photo above.






The pair of Robins I caught with the male feeding the female are very active and definitely nesting nearby. Shall I?
 

Shall I?


Yes.........


The male Chaffinches' breeding colours are very apparent now. 



The Nuthatches are in and out of our nest box again this year and driving me mad with their Guinea Pig squeaking every morning at sunrise. 


This one couldn't decide whether it was on or off the perch as it systematically emptied the feeder onto the table:


Yesterday, when the weather wasn't so great, I was unconsciously scanning the ground as I avoided the horizontal rain from entering my eyes, and spotted this tiny toad; only about an inch long. Looks like some of that very early spawn I found has made it. 


It was misty over Fernworthy Forest as well as rainy:



Trigger got very wet but it's mild so it doesn't bother him:



Close up of his coat having dried after the rain:



The dogs have fun whatever the weather:


Today was a lot better, with sunshine creeping in this afternoon as we rushed out for a walk before I had to go to the school's Easter service. The light was amazing making the landscape look like a painting.


I noticed this strange lichen:


And felt the need to get closer again:


Fascinating, but not a very pretty sight which put me in mind of medieval things medical and very unsavoury.....


This bee was looking exhausted so I helped it off the path where it might have been trodden on.


There was some heat in the sun; enough to have the dogs panting:


Nothing tires Jack out though.


Why is he licking his lips here I wonder? A delicious morsel of fox poo perhaps? 


I seem to have lost a follower....I looked through the last post in a paranoid fashion, looking for something that might have caused offense, but I can't see anything. Oh well. That reminds me - has anyone had any problems joining other people's blogs because I certainly have. I keep getting a strange message telling me Blogger is having a problem at the moment. Perhaps it's picking up on my follower-loss-related stress. 

So until next time, I'll leave you with a picture of Snippet and Jack I've been trying to get for months and, as usual, it was a fluke. Have a lovely weekend all of you............minus one!


66 comments:

  1. The lichen reminds me of a creature from Dr who!
    Very envious of you re the nuthatches - think I've said that before

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    1. I would be envious too and I do realise how lucky we are. The other worldly lichen is something I wish I hadn't got quite so close to!

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  2. The Goldfinch is gorgeous...as is the Robin, the scenery, horses & dogs. The lichen, not so much.

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  3. That blue sky is beautiful, and I love the chaffinch pictures. Not sure that I would have wanted to get as close the lichen as you did though!! You are a braver soul than me. xx

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    1. Luckily it was the camera not me getting so close!

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  4. I can appreciate your delight of visiting goldfinches, we had nigella seeds in the bird feeders sitting there for ages before they made their appearance but they did eventually appear! The picture of Triggers hair shows just how well it can cope with the Dartmoor weather!
    Sarah x

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    1. I can't tell you how surprised I was to see it and I can't believe it will be around for long! x

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  5. I have decided to get a niger seed feeder, I can only hope the goldfinches will then follow. Aren't they beautiful. First nuthatch baby here.. I spotted it yesterday being fed by ma or pa.

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    1. That's earlier than us - I think. I must go and listen outside the nest box to see if I can hear cheeping. I'd just assumed they were still nest building, but who knows. Thanks for the tip!

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  6. I bought a bigger niger seed holder this winter and we are getting more goldfinches, but not many siskins this year. Goldfinches have loved the teasels too.

    Trigger is looking well.

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    1. The strange thing is that we have no Niger seeds, teasels or anything they're supposed to be so fond of. It must be desperate.......or lost.

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  7. You have the most wonderful birds where you live and that Goldfinch is so beautiful.
    The new lichen is possibly a frog who melted in the sunlight. Just like a vampire.

    cheers, parsnip

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    1. That's exactly what it looks like Parsnip - brilliant observation.

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  8. We have American Goldfinches here...who the hell checks their passports?
    Jane x

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    1. We've had Scandinavian birds coming here recently; I think they're following all the crime drama that's been coming our way too.

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  9. Another enjoyable post and series of photos! Your Goldfinch is really beautiful--In its yellow and black you can see its resemblance to its American cousin.

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    1. I've just had a look at your variety..........that's a lot more gold!

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  10. Hi Em. Great post. Love all the close ups of the birds. Yes it is a pity you cannot read the ring, perhaps you might see the bird again. Love the close ups of that lichen and also fantastic shots of the flowering moss in your last post. Wonderful close up of the horse hair and of course lovely to see your 2 energetic dogs enjoying themselves. Have a great weekend.

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    1. You too Margaret. I'm hoping to see it again and perhaps try and zoom in on its leg rather than plumage!

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  11. Gorgeous goldfinches. Ours are very different from yours. Our beautiful orioles are back today so out with the grape jelly! Even the house finches have been sipping on the jelly. We go through a jar pretty fast. The orioles return about every 20 minutes and I don't even use the usual oriole feeders. Jack surely needs all that wide open space! Poor Snippet must have a hard time keeping up. Love the bird photos. You are very skilful photographer.

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    1. Snippet is definitely struggling to keep up. He has no inner greyhound but can do a power sprint and knock jack flying with a side bump. Thanks for your lovely compliments as ever Chris.

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  12. Can't imagine why anyone would 'unfollow' you, Em. Maybe they deleted their blogger/google account?

    A lovely bird that Goldfinch is! Apparently they have been introduced to Australia but I've never seen one, and I can't recall seeing them in the UK either. Chaffinches on the other hand...

    You know, it's funny how people come to Australia and get terrified of the spiders, snakes etc but overlook the fact that the UK has the THE MOST TERRIFYINGLY LARGE BEES EVER! They really freaked me out when I was there! Give me a Red-bellied Black Snake anyday, haha!

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    1. Thanks for the technical suggestion for the disappearance! Much appreciated. Really interesting that they've been introduced in Australia. They're one of our most showy birds and I wish the light had been better for those pictures; they're not very sharp. If I never saw a Cha]ffinch again I would have many, many memories to keep me going! They're not very bright either and are always the last to get off the road if you drive at them. So funny about the bees - I guess it's what you're used to. I really don't fancy having to check under the bog seat for spiders but there you are.

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  13. Interesting how birds differ in different areas, Em - the goldfinch is one of the most common birds at our bird table - we sometimes count 24 on the ground eating the seed which has fallen out of the seed hanger. Also they do love niger seed and we always have that. On the other hand, we never see a nuthatch up here.

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    1. How amazing to see so many like that Pat - Could you try and get a picture? I'd love to see whatever the collective noun for Goldfinches is!

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  14. I don't check my followers, I have to say, so wouldn't notice if one left but normally notice if the number count goes up. I'm sure someone has made a HUGE mistake leaving! LOVE the photos - those dogs have unlimited energy don't they? Strange lichen - have you ID'd it yet? Trigger has wintered well and I bet you're both enjoying the first signs of spring.

    Meant to comment on your earlier post about OB's diagnosis and appt. in London. WELL DONE on fighting his corner for him, and good luck with the appt.

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    1. The reason I was looking was because 'd had comments from about three people I didn't know and wondered if they'd started following, which they hadn't....just the one leaving. From 109 to 108. I suppose I should just be grateful that anyone follows at all!

      Trigger is looking great. Having here half the time seems be working really well and I've been feeding him twice a day as well as hay. He's almost fat!

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  15. Great news about the Goldfinches - here they tend to ignore the nyger seeds and eat sunflower hearts! So jealous of your nuthatch - have never had one here.

    Lovely photo of the lichen - fascinating find - would love to know what species it is!

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    1. I'm really struggling to identify it. I can't remember exactly where it was so can't go back and look at it dry, which might make a big difference. Any help appreciated!

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  16. Lovely goldfinches :-) We have lots that visit, they are very gregarious and tend to make a lot of noise, hope they continue to visit you they give us so much pleasure watching them!

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    1. I wonder if you're slightly lower down than us? I've seen lots about a mile down the road, slightly off the moor, but as I say, never up here.

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  17. Great news about your Goldfinch :-) I think the Nuthatch is a female- males have a darker patch under the wing (apols if you already knew this- I've only just found out myself). Followers come and go Em, I wouldn't worry too much :-)

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    1. I know it's completely ridiculous and this is why I don't get on with facebook and other such things. I take things too personally!

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  18. I love the colours on the head of your goldfinches, so different from ours. That is a fascinating bit of lichen to discover.

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    1. Fascinating is a very polite way of putting it Linda!

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  19. you may have lost a reader but if you'll have me i'll be the pick up reader, :) i love your photos. that goldfinch is beautiful. i've had trouble leaving messages on the wordpress blogs lately. i think blogger and wordpress has changed things so much that commenting is difficult between the two. hope your weekend is blessed~

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    1. Thank you so much. That's so sweet of you. I don't think Wordpress even has a visible followers function. It's all very Facebook-y counting your followers. It's very difficult not to get upset or pleased about it if you see what I mean. My weekend has been frantic so far!

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  20. I love the photos of your Goldfinch, they are too quick, and always seem to spot me before I can snap them. They come to feed on our Verbena Bonariensis seeds, and bounce around on the end of the stems like acrobats.

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    1. Wouldn't it be great to be a bird for a day?

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  21. Incidentally I have had lots of followers disappear - I always imagine that they may have come because they liked a post, and then decided that the blog was probably not for them after all.

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    1. Yes - perhaps you're right. I know I shouldn't care....it's ridiculous! Yours is a very healthy attitude - thanks Rosemary.

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  22. The collective noun for Goldfinches ought to be something like 'a trove', surely! What wonderful pictures, thank you

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    1. That's a great idea Virginia. I've just looked it up......it's a 'charm'. I prefer yours but 'charm' is pretty good.

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  23. I had no idea that gold finches in the UK were so colorful .
    THey look quite different from the Gold Finches that frequent New England , of course then again your robins and ours are quite different , even more so than the finch.

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    1. That's true Willow - so much gold on your finches though. Calling ours 'gold' seems a bit of a misnomer!

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  24. That is fascinating that the Goldfinch is ringed. The lichen does look a bit of a medieval horror - I love the description. And I agree it looks a bit sci-fi, too. I'm glad you helped the poor little bee.
    I've just lost a follower, too. It is sad to see, but I think Rosemary and CT are right about people visiting and leaving.

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    1. Glad it's not just me Wendy.....if you see what I mean; I'm obviously not glorying in your loss! I'm always scared the dogs will eat bees if they're resting on the ground and try and put them up high if possible. I saw this one fly off a minute or so after I moved it which was encouraging.

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  25. I love your birds over there!
    So much colour.....beautiful!
    Not so sure about the lichen.....kinda creepy!
    I did not know you could remove yourself, once you join a blog...
    Perhaps that person changed their profile picture...and hasn't replaced it....
    Great photos as always, Em....
    Enjoy your weekend..
    Cheers!
    Linda :o)

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    1. I didn't know either Linda - new followers do tend to come in waves and I certainly haven't had a wave for a while! Let's hope it's not a downward one.....

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  26. We have lots of goldfinches, but we have a lot of wasteland with thistles. They flock to the thistle heads. Never ever seen a nuthatch, though!

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    1. I'm assuming there are Nuthatches on the IOW? I'll have a look.....

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  27. Beautiful photos as usual. I am convinced that no one would unfollow you on purpose - it must be a technical glitch.

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    1. Thanks - that's very kind and I will cling to it!

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  28. Great to have Goldfinches Em, they are lovely. Yes have had same problems trying to join other blogs, and also some missing post of my blog lists, then they come back...weird just like that lichen!
    I'm also having internet problems-something is wrong with the line, I was off line for most of yesterday..so may be difficult to post/comment over next 72 hours so Talktalk have told me.
    Great images Em, love the big sky, and the dogs looking so happy.

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    1. I wish the followers would come back! Do hope your broadband gets sorted soon. It feels like the end of the world sometimes when you can't get online, which is very worrying about what it's doing to us all!

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  29. Your snow did not last long I see, but I still have lots to spare you. Love the photos of the birds & everything always.

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    1. I can't believe you're still snowy Cindy. Surely it must go soon???

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  30. OMG! I love the gorgeous Goldfinch! So different looking from ours.

    Your landscape photos are wonderful, especially the one of the forest and the beautiful clouds over the moors.

    I've lost a follower also and I too can't join other sites as Blogger seems to have a problem...all the time!

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    1. It's not great is it? BUT...it's free and that is much appreciated! Glad it's not just me Gail and they seem to sort it out fairly quickly. Not as quickly as they might if we WERE paying though I bet!

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  31. Wow, those are marvelous photos! I especially liked the macro's today, though I always love all of your photos. I occasionally lose a follower, don't take it personally, it's just the way it goes. I used to wonder if it was anything I said but when it comes down to it, we do our best and sometimes it's not enough to keep people's interests. We're all so different in our tastes I suppose. I for one am a big fan and will never leave :) I occasionally have a blogger problem, frustrating at times but often it is just a blogger problem and they fix it eventually.

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    1. They do seem to, just not with much enthusiasm!

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  32. p.s. I looked at our ten day weather forecast. They are predicting more snow a week from tomorrow!!!! How I hope they are wrong.

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  33. Just thought of something else about the unfollowing blogger. Sometimes people like to unfollow so that they can refollow and get on that first page where their blog will be showing. Does that make sense? Okay, I really am going now :)

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    1. Sadly 108 hasn't gone back to 109 though I love your theory.

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Thank you so much for leaving a comment. It's great to read them and I will always try to reply.