The early birds

After having my breakfast and then coffee I sat looking out at the damp and grey day. The prospect of preparing for an afternoon meeting wasn't that appealing. The old 50D was beside me and when a nuthatch landed on the feeder I couldn't resist snapping away.

In the end I hung about for a few minutes and watched a range of the regular birds who like this feeder, as well as the squirrel who I shooed away. The light brightened at one point with the sun attempting to break through the mist and clouds but it only lasted a few minutes. I wanted to get a picture of the nuthatch flying but it didn't come back once I had opened the sliding doors so that I didn't have to shoot through the double-glazing.

But the faithful and rather hungry robin did have a go, and as I admire its efforts to eat from the feeder, which I gather many people say they cannot do, I thought this picture of its efforts were worth blipping, especially since I won't have time for much more today.

I have added a few more pictures of this robin, as well as earlier ones of the nuthatch, to this bird gallery, which now has a range of shots of garden birds.