A charming goldfinch

I went to a physio session this morning with a new therapist, who gave me excellent advice.  I can now see a way forward which will take a long time but which I can have confidence in. Having tried some new exercises, followed by a walk into town to go to the bank and the council office, my ankle felt sore again. So my plans to visit Helena as well as the Fromeside river bank where I hoped to photograph a kingfisher had to be abandoned.

Instead I had a snack lunch at home and headed out to the cabin in the garden where I set up my version of a hide. I filled up the bird feeder and put some suet and seeds on the open tray and seat down with a cup of tea and the radio for a quiet session of bird photography.  I was really hoping to get some pictures of birds in flight but it was quite hard. A couple of goldfinches arrived but they sat resolutely still on the branches of the rhus tree and hardly budged.  They did occasionally stretch their feathers but only half heartedly.

I am blipping one of them anyway, with an 'Extra photo' of the tail feathers being wiggled as it does show some of their lovely colours.  I have also added a longtailed tit which amused me with its huge lump of suet in its beak and then its flight away, clearly showing its wing feathers. I particularly love both of these species and their chattering songs.

Spring is in the air, even if most of the vegetation remains in winter mode, with just a few buds opening to reveal the imminent green transformation which I am longing for.