One of our garden foxes

We have at least a couple of foxes that visit quite a few houses in our neighborhood. We speak to alot of people that now feed them from eggs to fresh chickens. They certainly won't go hungry. We have had eggs buried in our garden, both front and back, over the course of a couple of years. It took us a while for it to dawn on us that it was foxes doing it ! So I have bought a wildlife camera so we can see when they visit and we also now feed them, peanuts, chopped fruit and the occasional egg. Their usual visit is between 3 and 4am.  I have placed the food and camera down the drive, behind Tom's van, so they feel safe. We love having them visit and would love to see them in daylight. No idea which garden the den is in but there are some huge gardens not too far away so our guess is one of those. 

and it comes back and takes an egg !

More stonechats, buzzards and bits

 

Coughing up a pellet

A beautiful stonechat in the sun

What a difference a bit of blue sky makes !

Our local male hen harrier is still around but afraid he has not come close all winter

Cracking !

Our first Sand Martins of the year, RSPB Blacktoft Sands

 

A trip to Blacktoft which is really just up the road for us and we struck lucky with these 2 sand martins, the first of the year for us. There was just us two there ! A couple of chiffchaffs were singing their hearts out in the car park.

and a resident tree sparrow

Great Grey Shrike, Fillingham, Lincs

 

Not bad weather so we thought we would head to Fillingham for another look at the shrike. We thought we may be on our own as surely everyone has seen this bird now but afraid we thought wrong. Packed with hardly anywhere to park ! We headed up the track and saw everyone now standing in the farmers field with the shrike in the hedgerow on our side. A few snaps were quickly rattled off and thank goodness because it suddenly went into hunting mode, flying at every bird and finally coming to land on the opposite side of the field, a dot in the hedge. So good views were had, although extremely brief ! So we headed off to Toft, a place we haven't been in ages......and saw absolutely nowt !

Goosanders and a bullfinch

 

Still a few goosanders on our local river

Striking colours on the bullfinch, glowing in the winter sun

Stonechats

 

Just stunning birds, we are lucky that we see them on most walks

Short-eared Owl, Barn Owl and a pair of Stonechats

 

    

just love to see a short eared owl especially when you find it yourself !

a beautiful barn owl that we had hoped to get a tiny bit closer to......until it was flushed by a fluorescent yellow jogger !

What a cracking afternoon walk and it didn't rain much !