Thursday 17 January 2013

At last!

I've been having ongoing problems with the internet connection on my computer for quite some time now. There's a problem with the wired LAN connection, and since it's quite a new motherboard I'm a bit annoyed about that. But it works perfectly on wireless, so for the last couple of months I've disabled the LAN network, to free me of all the irritiating messages about being disconnected, being reconnected, being disconnected and so on. But last week my wireless adapter died.
So on Tuesday, since it was a bright and sunny day (even if there was still ice on the paths at midday) I walked over to buy a new adapter. On the way out the door I remembered that although I had made sure to tuck my camera into my bag, the memory card was still upstairs.
I'm glad I remembered! I'd just crossed the railway line and the canal, and in a garden in the first row of houses, I spotted two waxings. I couldn't get very good photos, so you can't really see the colourful parts. But those crests are so distinctive! I was surprised at how small they were - not much bigger than chaffinches. I think I was expecting something more like a starling size.





We also have one little bluetit, and a little wagtail stomping along. I saw him after an abortive visit to Woodies to get bird seed. They don't seem to have a good range at all since they took over; if it's so poor in winter that I can't even get sunflower seeds, I think I'm going to have to look into something else.




On a postivie note, spiking my apples into the ground with two skewers in an X seemed to have foiled the squirrel, and the blackbirds are happy again.

3 comments:

Carole said...

Yay! A bird in Ireland that looks like its name. (I saw your picture and wondered what you called this one) :) We have waxwings too and they look the same. And...I think your pictures are beautiful! I could only WISH for one that good.

Sabriel said...

wow, lucky you to see a waxwing, that's one I've never seen. Love the little stomping wagtail, I see lots of these around the place they are very comical.

Lorraine said...

Oh gosh, that stomping wagtail is something, isn't he! How lucky to see those waxwings. They are so distinctive, but I admit the one and only time I saw one was when we first moved into this house 30+ years ago and I didn't know what it was then and have never seen one since that I can remember. So glad you got everything fixed (I hope!).