Tuesday 29th December 2015.

A much improved day. Very mild and sun most of the day.
Carol and David called in for morning coffee before the long drive back to Lanberis.
Rest of the day working on my book project and packing cases ready for our holiday to Wales.
Wildlife recorded in the garden over Christmas has included spawk, great spotted and green woodpeckers. Jays, squirrels, fox, mice and the usual goldfinches etc.

Bank Holiday Monday 28th December 2015.

Another very mild but miserable day. Now have Spring flowering mini irises out. Will there be any flowers out in the Spring I wonder?
Another day ploughing through years of photographs. Apart from this project it is clear I have to arrange a major cleanse as have so many duplicates.
             Enjoyed an evening with the Mullens meeting Carol and David again, two years since we last saw them. Julian had stocked up on some cracking real ales. Was a good night!

Sunday 27th December 2015

Weather nothing like what the North are experiencing at the moment but pretty miserable all the same and so mild.
Met up with Jill, Vic, Joanne, Bradley, Ashley, Lucy and Bethany for a family breakfast reunion at Henry Street. As we were unable to arrange a Boxing Day meet thought this was the best idea. Was good to meet up again. My, how the children are growing up.
A relaxing day after a couple of hectic days. Have started my first project of the season. My goal is to produce a book of wildlife seen in the garden over the last few years.
This means trawling through thousands of photographs highlighting the wildlife picts'. Have initially created a folder for these photographs then the task will be to whittle down until I have 100 good quality photographs. From this I will choose the top 50. That is the aim.

Boxing Day Saturday 26th December 2015

Pretty miserable again, overcast, showers and very mild with temp' again reaching 15c.
Collected Lulu and Clive up this morning and enjoyed a day at home with another slap up dinner, a few drinks and a fair amount of zzzzzzz. Not before the annual tree hugging event of course.
Taxi arrived on time at 4pm giving us an evening to enjoy more zzzzzzz!

Christmas Day Friday 25th December 2015

A miserable day. Wet, overcast, no sun but so mild with temp' today reaching 15c. Was 14c at 11.15pm when I was outside looking for the moon. First full moon on Christmas Day for 19 years.
Father Christmas did visit and left me some great gifts. Bat detector and hedgehog house with camera system to name a couple. I'm well chuffed.
Day on our own, very peaceful. Turkey cooked to perfection helped by a good glass of white wine.
Relaxed in the afternoon enjoying a few whiskeys and NQB so unable to report what I did during the evening as can't remember!

Christmas Eve 24th December 2015

Two words to describe the weather, not seasonable.

Day spent relaxing and making sure the chimney was cleared for Father Christmas.

Wednesday 23rd December 2015

A much better day, sun most of the day, very mild with slight breeze.
More food shopping today can you believe?! Henry Street first to wish everyone a Happy Christmas then on to Lockey Farm to collect the pre-ordered Turkey. Cheese counter look so tempting so would have rude not to have bought some. Marmite Cheddar top of my list, get in.
                 Once home it was an afternoon getting the bar and observatory ready for tonights nibbles and beer with the neighbours.
Did spot the Spawk with a great tit this afternoon, interesting to watch but sad for the great tit. Difficult to photograph as through glass with strong sunlight.

Tuesday 22nd December 2015

What a miserable day. Overcast, windy, no sun and pretty wet tonight. Not seasonal weather.
Was the Morrisons Christmas shop today as thought tomorrow would be pretty busy. Today was bad enough, why on earth do we buy so much food for let's face it, one day, two at most?
Another thing, why sell hot cross buns at Christmas?
                Tonight, enjoyed a couple of hours at Winter Wonderland in the Forbury finishing off with a meal at Cafe Roug. A very good set up in the Forbury, very busy, just a shame weather was pretty awful. Very windy and wet. Photographs reflect this.
Sorry blogger.com no like my photographs. Will post tomorrow from desk top.

Monday 21st December 2015

Not a bad day, very mild, dry with little sun. Mostly overcast.
Good to catch up with gossip with my former work colleagues at Lavers this morning. This year has seen many changes so actually do not know so many now. My closest mates are still there however.
This afternoon it was the Santa run to my sisters delivering the children's presents.
This evening Lulu popped over also delivering! My pressy is a bit big, what has she bought her Dadsy?!

Sunday 20th December 2015

A glorious day. Sunny, very mild with a slight breeze.
Well this was a day I hadn't planned. Problem occurred with the bar lights. Appeared to be shorting leaving one main lamp continually flashing. At times like this I am glad B & Q are open on a Sunday. Downside were the vast number of customers trying to park, eventually I found what I required at a cost of just £1.98p, didn't have the nerve to use my club card!
Although awkward I managed to replace what I thought was causing the issue and after switch on we had light again so no fear of arking now.
          Relaxed back in the lodge this afternoon once again admiring the birds but also noticing the summer baskets still in flower, spring bulbs well out of the ground, the robins doing their mating dance and so mild. 
Picture taken from inside the lodge.

Saturday 19th December 2015

A pretty good day, some sun, dry, slight breeze and very mild with temp' touching 14c this afternoon.
                  Can't say I enjoyed my afternoon at Fobney litter picking but did enjoy the walk as the sun was setting late afternoon. Nothing annoys me more than the amount of litter left by such inconsiderate dog walkers, fishermen, walkers and people that now think it's fun and enjoyable to have a bbq then leave the unused meat along with bottles and cans. 
                   During the morning I relaxed in the lodge watching the birds feeding and drinking from the pond. Have as many goldfinches down the bottom end of garden as the top end now, think the flock I see in the mornings fly into the silver birch tree are in fact all ours. The BTO will be pleased with this result as they are at present conducting a survey on numbers across the country.
All the photographs taken at Fobney this afternoon.

Friday 18th December 2015

A pretty good day. Very mild, some sun, dry with a slight breeze.
Enjoyed a catch up with Tony and Heather this morning over a mincy pie and coffee. Pleased to advise on what bird food is best for a small garden and type of feeders as have a resident squirrel.
Then this afternoon good to welcome my old mate and past neighbour Doug (Boyo). Could have talked and listened for hours, we just get on. Happy Christmas Boyo.
                 As regards wildlife today the Scandinavian blackbirds arrived. Foxy was about last night. Both the blue tit and starling roosted and the mice busy in their respective habitats.
Hopefully some photographs tomorrow.

Thursday 17th December 2015

A much better day, mild, sunny, dry with slight breeze. Stunning sunrise and sunset courtesy of the sahara desert dust blowing our way.
Enjoyed a good evening at the Leaping Frog with Lulu and Clive last night. Spitfire Gold was the favourite drink along with a few crackers to pull. Well it is close to Christmas.
House looking more festive now Lorna has added some little arrangements here and there.
             Bit of a lazy day today watching birdlife from the comfort of the observatory. Looking at the monitor I was somewhat surprised at the number of times the starling used the nest/roost box. Jays very busy and still loads of goldfinches. A fair few blue tits, starlings, blackbirds, robins, sparrows, magpies and just a couple of greenfinches. Enjoyed just lounging today.
Picture 1 - Pressy to self.
    "  2 - 4 - Decorations.

Wednesday 16th December 2015

A much better day, mild, dry and a fair amount of sun.
Spent the day in the garden weeding and mooching about thinking of the next project I need to plan. Have never weeded in December before but with temperature still averaging 14c weeds have not died down. All the spring bulbs are now well out of the ground which includes tulips, snowdrops, bluebells, daffodils and crocus. If weather stays like this during January it will have the makings of a mad Spring?
                 Amazed at the number of goldfinches today. Eleven on the feeder this morning and this afternoon a huge flock flew over the house and landed in the silver birch tree. Seen them like this over at Fobney so perhaps they have moved on from there?
Not sure if my experiment to photograph red kites as they fly over is working, will check tomorrow. Certainly were flying low again today but not sure if low enough?
Pictures of the goldfinches on the feeders.

Tuesday 15th December 2015

What an awful day. Very mild but so wet. Fed up with this now. Want some seasonal weather.
Not much doing today due to the weather but did manage this afternoon to work on a project have wanted to do for some time now. 
Have fixed a trail camera to the longest length of wood I had to see if I can photograph a red kite or any other bird flying over. Do not foresee great results but worth a go. Not sure if this rain will have any undue affect however. Pouring as at 16.15.
Picture - Sky high trail camera.

Monday 14th December 2015

Very mild, slight breeze and very overcast.
Highlight of my day was having my hair cut this morning. Actually it is always good to see my hairdresser pals as they are so interested in wildlife and are always anxious to hear of my garden wildlife news. Subject was hedgehogs today. Another family who have seen hedgehogs as long as they can remember but sadly none seen this summer. It really is a worrying sign.
            Male great spotted appeared on the feeder again today and the jays were busy with the monkey nuts. Have made changes to the main bird feeder as thought for some time now it is a little congested, certainly for photography purposes it is. Have created another feeding station to make up.
             Tonight was very nostalgic, there was a lot of reminiscing with Jackie, Marian and hubs. So pleased they could visit bringing a couple of items from the cottage that had been the Brinds family home for generations. 
I now have the original house sign and a glass light shade also from the cottage. So grateful to the family allowing us to share these items.
Picture - Hartley Cottage sign now fixed to the Lodge.

Sunday 13th December 2015

What a gloomy day. Mild but  dark and miserable, not at all seasonal.
Despite the dark, miserable and drizzle I did enjoy my dawn walk today. Did see more wildlife back home than I did at Fobney or was it because it was so dark and I couldn't see?
                  Day for the annual ritual of putting up the decorations. Normally a day of arguments but this year we kept our distance and all went well, very peaceful in fact!
Really pushed the boat out this year with some outdoor lights, lovely.
                  Now for some interesting stuff. Good to see the long tailed tits this afternoon. Five in total, the most difficult bird to photograph as they are all of a twitter. Managed one and that is spoilt by the feeder hanger. 
Heron spent time on the Bandstand roof, no result however as a magpie dive bombed it after a few minutes.
Tufty was very friendly this morning resting on the fence by the conservatory for a good ten minutes. Not worried by me at all. Appeared to be eating an acorn.
Picture 1 - Indoor decorations.
      "     2 - Outdoor decorations.
      "     3 - Tufty.
      "     4 - Long Tailed Tit.
      "     5 - Heron.
  "    6 - 9 - Fobney, dawn to 8.45am.