Moved in.

The relocation to the new house has gone reasonably smoothly. All that’s left to do is move a few last knockings now. It’s a strange thing to be waking up and not having to feed the cats and hens or feed and walk the dog. I must admit it’s the dog (roy) I miss the most. On a sadder note tho Spike the snake died the day after we moved out. He had been struggling to eat for a long while, loosing condition and being quite lethargic. For the last while it had been a continuing struggle to get him to feed. He was almost twice the age garter snakes are supposed to live to so he had a pretty good innings, it is sad to see him go all the same.
We have a peanut feeder up in the corner of the garden trying to illicit some interest and today seems to be the first time its been approached. I noticed Starlings feeding on it this morning these were accompanied by a small flock of House Sparrows that managed to nip quickly in to the gaps left by the Starlings. Staying out of reach of the starlings sharp and aggressive bills they managed to all feed in a rotation. Greenfinches appear now and again moving through the neighbours shrubs. I think they will find the feeder soon enough tho.
Below the house there is a mile of so of grazed fields that runs down to the side of Harray Loch. These are grazed by the inevitable flocks of Greylag geese. Every so often the winds die down and the air if filled with their raucous chatter. They are not the only birds voices to drift up the slopes towards us though, The cries and calls of Lapwing and Curlew carry from the fields as they feed. There are winter wet pools down there as well. These hold Mallard and Widgeon whose quacks and whistles can be heard coming out of the darkness as they roost. Yesterday a pass by an RAF fast jet some way off put up a flock of Curlew from somewhere out the back and I had a count of 93 pass over the house. I wish the weather was a bit better, for this last while the predominant weather direction has been the west. This has carried endless wet weather over us. It seems like there has been drizzle and mist unending. No work is getting done as the ground is sodden. No birding is getting done and little else is getting unpacked from boxes cos of this damn computer. I think I might get out with the bins tho, I need to stretch the legs a bit and have a spy aboot.

Laters folks…