Spent a very pleasant half hour this morning doing a bit of bird watching. Aside fromt he usual sparrows, crows, magpies etc, we also had visits from a robin, blue and great tits, and a chaffinch (havent seen one of those for ages).
But the best sighting of all was of the magnificent Greater Spotted Woodpecker. I had heard of one about in the area but hadnt actualy seen it. Didnt realise how big it was, as large as a blackbird ans just as attractive in its own way. It stayed around quite a bit, moving up and down the pine trees that back onto our estate, stopping occasionaly to peck at the bark looking for insects, and even stopping off at a bird feeder (not ours) for some peanut. i was amazed at how agile they are, at times clinging on upside down in a tree branch. I guess that makes them the avian equivalent of a squirrel. Only far more welcome!
