Lovely little daisies to pop a smile on my face. Hurrah for the weekend! There's lots that can be done both indoors and out. We're entering the stage of undisputed springtime. After 21st there's no argument against it any more.  Exciting to see this bird, I think it's a mistle thrush. It looks like the song thrush from the post I published yesterday but the white face looks more like a mistle thrush. How intriguing. 
Catkins dangling everywhere at the moment. Ever lengthening. 
This looked like a big flat nest. Who lives in a nest like this? A big bird. Maybe a buzzard or a red kite.
The first few leaves are making an appearance. Good show.


I thought it was a skylark but no, it looks more like a serin.

The fluffy buds of the pussy willow are showing up. I must find some fronds to snip off any bring home. They are so fun in a little vase.

Dogs Mercury is rife.




Primroses add such prettiness to usually ugly areas.



Lesser celandine will be everywhere soon.
Have a wonderful weekend.

 

A song thrush gave us a full performance with front row seats and the opportunity for pictures. I'd not managed to spy any of the previous vocal performers before, you can usually hear them but they remain camouflaged. 

I've had no luck with the boxing hare hunt; although I am sure that we've seen quite a few more hares than usual so I have been lucky in that respect. Brown hare in a brown field with a brown backdrop. Brown. EDIT: since I drafted this post I have in fact seen a brilliant bit of hare boxing, see yesterday's post.


This curious bird flew between trees and I couldn't identify it. Sadly, the picture is not much help.

Long tailed tit. Aren't they cute?
More deer. These have stubby horns. I bet they feel all velvety.


Soaring buzzards remind me of planes stacking at airports. Buzzards are much more interesting to watch though.

 

This time of year is that turning point when things suddenly point in the direction of 'better times'. Although I approach March with mixed feelings, much of which is dominated by me shaking my fist angrily at the cold, windy weather, there is no doubt that nature is waking up and looking lively beneath the surface. Buds appearing, nesting, the first flowers of the year attracting the insects which are dozily looking for nectar. While in the car on Sunday we drove by a large expanse of field with winter wheat growing and to my delight, saw a group of hares, maybe 10 or 12 in a rudimentary circle with two in the middle having a brief box. Unbelievable. C offered to turn back so I could take some pictures but I was fulfilled entirely by seeing it with my own eyes. Amazing. Nothing to share with you except the pure joy of reporting that I witnessed something I've wanted to see for years and have finally been treated to a more than satisfactory spectacle. 

Obviously I was wearing a coat, scarf and gloves, probably a hat too and I just can't wait to leave them all at home in some lovely warm weather. 

 

A scarlet elf cup! How exciting to see  - I nearly disregarded it as a piece of litter. The colour was so unexpected, it could have been a plastic lid just dropped in the undergrowth, curling at the edges. 

Speedwell about to flower


Even red dead nettle is good to see at this time of year. All flowers welcome.
I saw the plant below, and wasn't sure of it so I did a search for butterbur and it does look like some of the images. This looks like it's soon to flower, rather than actually in flower. The above, which I know as winter heliotrope also appeared as butterbur so I'll conject they may be related. 

There's not enough wild clematis round our patch. Lovely to see this.


Some monster foxglove clumps!




Finally, a jay. Pleased to photograph one at a recognisable distance!