Feathered friends.

The feathered visitors to our feeders have proved varied. A variety of Tits; Great, Blue and Coal. The ever present photogenic robins, puffed up above the cold. Chaffinches braving the snow to find seed in it and for the first time, a Greater Spotted Woodpecker! You'll see him on another post.
We've viewed the doves, dunnets and the goldfinch eating his niger seed and also a tiny goldcrest, the smallest bird in Britain (along witht he robin or is he smaller?) nestling in the compact conifer where he kept finding bits of nut dropped from the messy birds above his head at the feeder.  I called Luke to see him and we both got within two feet of the little chap. Every season brings it's own beauty and I am pleased that I appreciate these things. Nature truly is the best artist there is.
Below is the goldcrest. It's not a great photograph; you have to just hope you get something without scaring the birds away but if you click on the photograph you will see him in the right of the conifer.

Here are some more of the birds we've been seeing today. The loner robin has been feeding from all the places he doesn't usually bother with. Normally he has a bowl on a ledge but here he has been feeding alongside the blue and great tits.
I read that last winter took it's toll on the robins but that a good breeding season took their numbers up to five and a half million in the UK. He's synonymous with Christmas, he seems to know how much we admire him this time of year and stands out against the snow with his bright red breast. Such friendly little birds.