A bit of sunshine brought out a few butterflies such as this Tortoiseshell on the hawthorn blossom...

and a busy bee on the willow...

there is some important nesting to be done...

or frog catching in the shallows, if you are a Heron...

and we were visited by this pair of Oyster Catchers, who sang to us, reminding us of the seaside...

A pair of Mandarin ducks on the main pool today...

One of two Cetti's Warblers flitting & flirting by the main pool yesterday....

The floods came.... and have mostly gone...

but parenting classes continue in the reed beds....

Eight coots were spotted today arguing over territorial waters on the scrape ....

and a small flock of goldfinches were enjoying the new shoots in the willows ...

Signs of Spring on Avon Meadows today!

A Blue tit checking out a nest box...

Some lovely fresh frog spawn...

Willow buds...

Cold mornings feel like winter .... and our winter visitors are still about...

a Redwing...

and a Fieldfare...

with lots of feeding going on....

But the bulrushes are 'fraying'...

and the buds are budding....

and this greenfinch senses the sun is warm enough for a little basking...

while the wrens are shouting that spring is on its way!!

Avon Meadows under water!!  Lots of flood water about today...

The water is lapping under the boardwalk with the main pool water level over the 5m mark...

and the excess running off into the ditch...

A grey wagtail enjoys the watery carpark...

a song thrush searches for breakfast in the long grass...

A pair of swans are eyeing up the main pool...

and following the stormy weather... the willow heron has had to go in for repairs...

The sun was out this morning... and so were a couple of Bullfinches...

while this Reed Bunting is beautifully camouflaged in the reeds...

A Lesser Redpoll was spotted out in the sunshine again...

As were the Stonechats...

And the ducks were enjoying the ditches... but keeping an eye out...

Ahh a New Year and the pools and ditches are brimming over...

a moorhen is startled and dashes for cover...

the starlings are starting to gather for another ariel display....

and a male bullfinch is feasting on buds...

Winter sights ...

   A Dunnock...

Reed clearing...

A mushroom ...

Today three Lesser Redpolls were together enjoying the grass heads by the back hedge....

frost was slowly melting on the rose hips...

and it was feeling wintery...

A Lesser Redpoll spotted by the back hedge today...

Clouds scud across the sky, sheep now trample the meadow edges,
and the Stonechats enjoy the spoils...