Most Unexpected Visitors

3 May

We rarely consider the profundity of living in a land of peace and long winters.
– Charlie Angus

Two things to share today …

Firstly, Pine Siskins are delightful, small birds that come down from the far north in the winter and often keep travelling past us - but they are an irruptive species that doesn’t always come south to the same places. While we had hosted them many winters in the past, for the previous three or more they have been conspicuous for their absence. Now, however, two days ago we got a distant glimpse of one and then a little band of three or four dropped by for a snack yesterday. This particular fellow was beautifully coloured and he posed just long enough to have his portrait taken. Such a treat - a favourite. You can keep all your flashy tropical birds, I’ll take the tough chaps from the north any time.

… then we have Magnolia Stellata

Perhaps not quite so unexpected, given that this tree has been in the garden for many years. However, in recent years it has not been covered with flowers because our resident squirrels discovered that the flower buds are very tasty (sugars?) in the couple of weeks before they open. This spring however, the squirrels have found other food sources and so have left us a few flowers to admire … which look even better when a Goldfinch kindly poses amongst them: