Saturday 22 February 2020
Snowdrops, Christophstal February 2020

Snowdrops, Christophstal February 2020

Crocus, Christophstal February 2020

Crocus, Christophstal February 2020

Lesser celandine, Christophstal February 2020

Lesser celandine, Christophstal February 2020

It was a nice, sunny day today and felt quite spring like. The snowdrops, crocuses and lesser celandine all added to the spring flavour.

Wednesday 19 February 2020

This is a tree we've mentioned in our diary a couple of times over the years (see 7th December 2014 for example). It had a very impressive bur which was getting bigger and bigger every year (you can see it in the photo on the left). Sadly the recent storms have had the better of it and the bur will get no bigger.

Fallen tree, Christophstal February 2020

Fallen tree, Christophstal February 2020

Sunday 16 February 2020
Colt's foot, Sankenbach valley, February 2020

Colt's foot, Sankenbach valley, February 2020

Christine spotted our first Colt's foot flower of 2020 today on her walk over in the Sankenbach valley.

Saturday 15 February 2020

We've had a few storms to contend with over the past week or so which has brought down a lot of dead wood from the birch and the plum trees in our garden. It's been mild though and this has meant that there are already a lot of snowdrops out.

I had a look at our hazel tree to see if there were any flowers on that, not really expecting any, but yes, they were out in numbers.

And we discovered a new plant growing in the garden: petty spurge.

Earlier in the week, I'd had a message from our moth group back in England that they were seeing lots of leaf mines for the Citrus leaf miner, Phyllocnistis citrella in supermarkets on oranges imported from Spain. I thought I'd have a look in our local supermarket and sure enough, here's a photo. Not sure I can really claim that as a new species for the garden though as I deliberately searched the shop and brought home what I found.

Hazel flower, Christophstal February 2020

Hazel flower, Christophstal February 2020

Petty spurge, Christophstal February 2020

Petty spurge, Christophstal February 2020

<em>Phyllocnistis citrella</em>, from Spanish oranges, Christophstal February 2020

Phyllocnistis citrella, from Spanish oranges, Christophstal February 2020

Sunday 2 February 2020
Long-tailed tits, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tits, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tits, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tits, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tit, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tit, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tit, Christophstal February 2020

Long-tailed tit, Christophstal February 2020

Today, the weather has been horrendous. It's been pouring with rain all day and it has been windy but mild.

Our garden is full of birds - mainly bramblings. As we've seen hardly any bramblings this winter, a flock of over 30 in our front garden is quite a novelty.

The light was really poor today so I didn't bother with photos until these really wet long-tailed tits visited our fatballs.

Saturday 1 February 2020

After a brief spell of snow, it has suddenly turned really mild. The snow brought in our first real numbers of bramblings and a few siskins.

Here's a selection of photos from today.

Marsh tit, Christophstal February 2020

Marsh tit, Christophstal February 2020

Marsh tit, Christophstal February 2020

Marsh tit, Christophstal February 2020

Coal tit, Christophstal February 2020

Coal tit, Christophstal February 2020

Brambling, Christophstal February 2020

Brambling, Christophstal February 2020

Greenfinch, Christophstal February 2020

Greenfinch, Christophstal February 2020

Nuthatch, Christophstal February 2020

Nuthatch, Christophstal February 2020

Bank vole, Christophstal February 2020

Bank vole, Christophstal February 2020