Very frustrating, being confined to the house, as all the usual natural connections are cut off. Having to make do with what I can see and hear outside the windows, and what I can glean from the web.
Doubly frustrating because we had a glorious weekend here. Still quite cool for the time of year, but with almost unbroken sunshine on both days. Today its overcast, with rain on the way.
Noticed a Blue Tit and a Great Tit queuing up to visit the peanuts in the back garden. The Great Tit was making the wing-quivering display which I think females use to elicit courtship feeding. She didn't have any success, and eventually just went on to feed herself.
News from the 'net is that all the summer visitors are in, and many of the smaller residents are on to their second broods. Some winter visitors are still around, including several Waxwings and a Fieldfare in Edinburgh, and some migrants are still passing through, especially White Wagtails and Whimbrel on the Clyde.
Birds of prey around the country seem to be having mixed fortunes. The Osprey nest at Loch Garten has seen a variety of combinations of birds attempting to breed, but the pair in possession at the moment appear to have decided to cut their losses and just spend long periods of time perched on the nest soaking up the sun. The Lake District pair are doing much better (no doubt due to having fewer distractions to contend with), and are currently sitting on 3 eggs. The Exeter Peregrines have two lively chicks in the nest. The female sat tight all day Saturday because of virtually continuous rain. Come Sunday morning however, all three were completely recovered from their soaking and feeding voraciously on some poor pigeon.
Checking the webcams this morning, Edinburgh looks dry (no cars on Princes Street!), Oban sunny, and there is fresh snow on Cairngorm. Must try to get fit and get back out there.