This female Blackcap warbler was in the garden today, as you can probably make out from the bottom image, it was taken through the glass of the kitchen window.  Even though I had sat in the hide waiting for it to show up, I only got a quick opportunity for a photograph when it came and went very quickly. Imagine my frustration when I went back inside and then  saw it from the kitchen.  Had I have beenin the hideI would have got a few tremendous shots.  Never the less, I did manage to, at least, record it's presence in the garden today.

I am still persevering with my "reflection" shots and at last I have it all set up. I have bought a large seed/gravel tray from a local garden centre.  It is full to the brim with water and primed  with some nice moss and  hidden seeds to attract a bird down to take one.  As soon as this happens I will get some   really good shots, I can't wait.  It has been  quiet day in the garden though with just Doves, the Blackcap Hen and Dunnocks showing up.  Then at dusk, a Blue Tit came to feed when it was almost dark.  At lunchtime we travelled out to Lympstone for a meal out to celebrate Jenny's birthday.  As we went past Darts Farm at Topsham, a large flock of at least 200  Brent Geese could be seen in the field close to the road. What a fantastic sight to see these  small geese. Knowing that they have flown all the way from Siberia and Northern Russia to spend the  winter with us makes them fascinating to me.  Amongst the flock was the now "almost resident"  Red Breasted Goose that has been associating with them since they arrived back this autumn.  This bird was with them for most of last winter as well.  A mystery really……. did it travel back with the Brent to their breeding grounds or did it just coincidentally meet up with them again this year back in Devon? We will never know.