The wildlife around us..

Living on the edge of woodland and in a fairly quiet village we are very blessed to have a wealth of wildlife on our doorstep, and, as every year, I have been so thankful in the first days of the year, especially as the weather begins to brighten up, to be able to watch, face upturned to the sky, as buzzards circled above – their colours catching in the light, gliding so effortlessly.

Once summer comes nearer, it is not uncommon while sitting out later at night to hear hedgehogs emerging from their various corners of the garden for their evening forage, such a beautiful thing to be able to witness.
One happy couple who are never far away are our nesting pair of blackbirds. Three years ago they first came to roost just outside our house and we were so lucky to be able to watch their nesting and their young being born and making their first flights ❤

Last year and the year before they nested just over by our garden shed, in a thankfully slightly safer and more sheltered spot! And this year we’ve yet to spot a nest, but lovely to see them swooping and perching and look forward to seeing them begin to gather again as spring comes closer.
Our little blackbird family has led to us learning more about them – I was surprised to see them coming back the next year looking identical and fascinated when reading up to learn that they do indeed mate for life, generally speaking, forming family units unchanged by the seasons tumbling by, and choosing this as their home just as we have done to stay in year on year.
In the trees, the sparrows have been swooping and perching, and they are just so lovely to observe. I feel very blessed to have our little corner of our wonderful natural world, and to see it coming to life for a new year and singing again. ❤