I can’t believe it’s nearly a year since I posted anything. However, the machine doesn’t lie! I’ve been pushed out of my lethargy by the huge numbers of customers we are now getting at our feeders. Even though the weather has been exceptionally mild. Just before the year finished I was told about the the owls at Lake Divonne: There were indeed about eight or nine in the willows by the lake. Getting a picture was more of a challenge Here you can just about make out four in a group. Their ears are long. They are impressively large, but not the size of Eagle owls. I tried to capture some colour in the last shot.

On the feeders things are a bit clearer. Blue tits, Great tits, Goldfinches, Long-tailed tits and the cheeky Woodpecker. The two dozen sparrows have kept a low profile as has the robin, but I’m sure they’ll show up soon.

So I hope I can follow the activities out there a bit more efficiently this year!

The woods near Versoix have provided some lovely walks and several sightings of deer. The surprise was to hear a strange call on a couple of walks and then finally see, far up a very tall tree, a black woodpecker. I think that managing to take a photo of him would be a feather in my cap:-) Wish me luck.