This weekend has been unusual for me, I actually went out to work!!!! I left before 7 both yesterday and this morning. I am not often up and about at this time. As I ventured out the local Blackbirds were singing their dawn chorus . I said it last year and I will repeat myself , there is no more evocative sound than a Blackbird singing in an English Country Garden. I love this sound and I paused for a while to listen before I got in to the car and drove away.   I was however back home in the early afternoon and I am pleased to say that the weather and atmosphere had a feel of spring about it. At 3 o'clock  the sun was shining and it was very pleasant. There was a bit of activity in the garden and I could hear several Siskin singing as well as Goldfinch. There was quite a commotion going on. From my Bathroom I set the camera up and focused on a nice  part of the Cotoneaster Bush and waited for a Siskin to oblige. They were beaten to it by first a Cock Blackbird and then this Hen. I can recognise her by an untidy feather on the wing, she has been with us for a week or so. She is being courted by a  Cock who has replaced the bird taken by the cat a couple of weeks ago I am glad to say. I was just about to call it a day when one of the Siskin came on to the overhanging branch and with the sun perfectly positioned gave me a good opportunity.

I thought you might like to see how important the apple tree is to the birds in my garden. It is like a beacon to all the visitors that come and go and they stop off to sing and look around before deciding what their next move should be. I think it is fair to say that there is a bird of some kind in this tree almost constantly. I am think of positioning a camera up there and streaming it live to the blog…. watch this space.