A FRUSTRATING DAY...

My last day off for some time today. So I've been catching up on must do things.
'Twas a beautiful day until lunch time - but since then the wind has really got up, and brought in "heavy horizontal showers".

All the shots of the squirl below, and the three shots of various birds above were taken from inside the house, through dirty (shame), rain-spattered double glazing - so they are hardly great quality, and not likely to find a spot in the "New Warren".

I missed the opportunity to photograph a small rat that obviously is one of a few? nesting under next doors' shed, wander across their patio (they would have a FIT if they knew!), and I missed ANOTHER opportunity to film (video) inside the nestbox, as the male Blue Tit (I think) moved the camera a little.

On the plus side, a male Great Spotted Woodpecker (the one I set up the feeding post for), returned to the Lime Tree at the end of the garden. Bad news being I did get a shot - but one of the worst photographs I've ever taken I think. You'll see it above.
Even worse than that - the Woodpecker in the photograph is sitting about 12 foot RIGHT ABOVE its suety, nutty post - it obviously didn't see it as food.... I hope it will one day - I think it will...

The birds in and around the garden were going mental in these on/off showers.
It was very nice to see a couple of Goldfinches alight on the feeder again, and also good to watch the Redwing feeding just over the fence.

I'm going to have to set-up another makeshift hide in a month or so (we chucked the old one in the dump at the weekend), to try and get some really nice, close-up shots...