Snap with respect to continued provision (and our pond in the gardd gwyllt (wild garden) has a float in it to keep a gap in any ice. We just hope the birds found someplace warm and will live and return, but as we had red warning south of us and amber north and east, the islands are about the only place they could go! Ireland is further south and had pretty bad weather, I think!
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That’s a point mind you it’s been windy as well as cold. Hopefully they are keeping out of the way and will be back in a couple of days.
Having said that, the inland gulls seem to be loving it. Iv’e seen some flying into the wind for maximum effect.
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Hi hendraig sorry for late reply to your post but I’m not at home at present and haven’t had much internet access.
Well, that’s quite OK. i presume you were not on… I think you said you live on an island…Isla? Diura? Anyway, as i was trying to find where our little birds had gone, you clearly have no info if not at home! It was kind of you to explain! Hope you were having fun! 
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On holiday with family including 7 month old and 4 year old granddaughters so huge fun – going back to work on monday for a rest 
Will let you know the bird situation when I get there.
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Diolch yn fawr! The only bird so far today is a song thrust and I looked up the local Bird Club site on Google and found they and Blackbirds have been popping up looking ever so lost, theory is, blown in from the east. A snipe has been visiting a garden in this village, but not our garden! At least one dunnock got a mention, but I cannot know if it was the one I saw! But if we are getting blow-ins from the east, the Islands are the only place ours could have been blown to, unless they are in Quebec!!!
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A thaw’s now well under way down here in Oxford and I’ve seen a good few more birds today flitting around the garden than the single sparrow, robin and blackbird of the last few days - maybe a hopeful sign that the missing birds aren’t really missing, just keeping their heads down for a bit? 
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Run out of penguins 
, so here are a few guanacos (part of the llama family but with a bit shorter necks) who share the Punto Tumba reserve with them:
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It must have been an incredible experience for the Mimosa passengers when they saw all these strange animals and birds. Back then I suspect only rich folk ever saw a zoo!,
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Yes, pretty amazing for us, so can only imagine the wonder felt by the 1865-ers
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Back to our birds! Seen this morning, one song thrush, one female blackbird and one collared dove. Noticed on iphone attempt at picture taken yesterday, small bird on nylar feeder, too blurred to identify! (Was focussing on thrush and never saw little bird with eyes!).
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I’m sure they’ll be back soon. Have my fingers crossed for that at least. I did see a dead song thrush in the snow yesterday, nothing obvious as to how it succumbed but I’m guessing it was predated & got dropped - at least that is what I hope happened. Hate to think it may have died of cold, hunger or disease.
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Foggy today but our birds are back. The goldfinches wouldn’t keep still for me but got these:
Raymond
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Using my laptop, I managed to copy the following into the correct thread!
I had a really weird sighting just after 11.00am. My hairdresser had come to wash and blow dry my hair and we were at the sink, when she said, “That’s a pretty little bird.” I had my glasses off, but after a few seconds as I peered at it and it flew away, i was certain it was a wagtail! On a fat candle! @ramblingjohn have you ever seen a wagtail eating on one?
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With so much land/foliage covered in snow, plus frozen water, little birds (and other wildlife) have little choice in food source. Many common birds (and other wildlife) have been seen feeding on dead animals so fat balls are good alternative till spring arrives.
I’m hoping soon to start getting some worthwhile photos, for now a hint of spring colours to come.
Eithin - gorse. (still in flower despite the weather).
I notice the fine band that is SSIW, have pushed this thread with many great photos past the 3000 replies and 30000 views, (not something i expected with the first post) so many thanks folks.
What does this year have in store for us?
Cheers J.P.
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In another thread, the fact that DNA evidence shows hawks descended not from eagles but from parrots is mentioned, in chat thereafter, I mentioned that all birds are descended from dinosaurs and @mcbrittany said that she always saw birds as not so sweet and gentle as some children’s stories paint them! If our native little birds are living happily as vultures as well as eating our fat candle… well it all fits!
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Talking about birds : I recently saw again Alfred Hitchcock “The birds” and I’m wondering how it could have been considered as so frightening… Other Hitchcock films put you much more under pression, no ?
Anyway ; birds, birds… Really I’m not at my ease with those animals… I would never say “poor nice little things”. They would survive us…
Well, I suppose that nowhere in nature would be found a “poor nice little thing” : even among flowers : it’s incredible the way some of them (I mean : flowers) know how to defend, or attack, or mislead (mislead bees for iexample).
BUT : before being considered as a perfect misanthropic (I’m not !!!) or total jaded (no no no !) : I do like (some) flowers ! And yes some “little birds” have beautiful colours, nice little round shapes, and are very funny (and intteresting) to observe in the garden.
… till you don’t look at their unexpressive eyes.
Brrrr…
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We can use nematodes to attack slugs and snails in our vegetable patches. Even plants are aggressive. After all penicillin and many other antibiotics are extracted from fungi that produce them in order to kill bacteria. Plants and animals that are not pretty and have the ability to kill can still be useful to us.
Raymond
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Maen nhw’n dechwelyd.
They are returning.
Dyma nico yn y corws wawr heddiw.
Here is a goldfinch in the dawn chorus today.
Roedd o’n rhy brysur efo ei ganu o i boeni amdanafi felly wnes i dynnu llun arall.
He was too busy singing to bother about me so I got another picture.
Once again, please correct my Welsh! (I got my copy of Iolo Williams’ book.)
Raymond
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Of course, Yorkshireend. I was not criticising nature. After all, if we are here today (I mean, still living as a human group) it’s because we, “Sapiens”, won against Neanderthal supposed to be more pacific. Anyway I’m happy to know (the fact is sure now) that both groups had children togoether, so somewhere in our genome, we have a little part of Neanderthal…).
Sure : “kindness” is not the best way to win ! So why would we be asking animals and flowers to be just “kind and beautiful”…
It’s a good thing that animals, flowers and others are abble to resist, to attack, to resist, to mislead, to charm, and… to help, as you said.
As we are…
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