What did you get up to in 2015

So how was your year?

Feeling in a reflective mood as I sit looking out the window on this dreary January Sunday - well it's what you do at new year, put the old year to bed, bank the good memories and plan for the new. 

Despite the foul weather, my garden birds are battling on, the goldfinches (counted over 20 today with a sprinkling of greenfinches too) have taken to picking the seeds from the evening primrose stalks and I've just seen a male house sparrow pass a mealworm to a female, early courtship because of recent mild weather perhaps?

This time last year, the weather was drier and colder and we had an honorary member with us - remember Monty Adelie who went to live with our Fran.

My year, like probably most of you, had highs and lows. But I'm only going to pick out some of the highlights from my year.

Monty Adelie our endearing penguin gifted from Lewis's brought a smile to our faces and raised the group a lot of dosh!

Monty and Crew...Speke Garston Coast Jan 2015

Getting a great and unusual view of a female scoter sitting on the tide line (sadly appeared unwell, waterlogged) straight after seeing the snow buntings on the beach on the Wirral.

Poorly Scoter

It was a miserable day in March when I joined the wildflower centre and friends of Everton Park to scatter wildflower seed on Everton Park, but I enjoyed watching it develop over the year, cumulating in the land life tale of two cities celebration day in July.

Poppies Druid st patch

Our RSPB Croatia trip in May, what can I say- lovely scenery, great birds and good chums. Fond memories of sitting quietly alone, awestruck, listening to nightingales in an olive grove at 7am, and then standing in a dark churchyard searching for scops owls. Wandering through mountain gorges, visiting wetlands, and then there was Pag Island – griffon vultures and the wonderful wryneck. 

Olive groves between beach and mountains

If you haven’t been away with us before, why not review the past blogs; we’ve been to some wonderful places, Norfolk, Cairngorms, Mull, Croatia, and Hungary. .. Maybe join us in future?

A particular happy memory was coming across a nifty stoat in Clock face Country Park, heaving his rabbit dinner back home...small but mighty!

Stealthy stoat in the buttercups

Walking around the coastal path of Anglesey during summer watching peregrines, choughs and ravens. Saving a hedgehog from certain death, as it had become stuck down a cattle grid, I’ll never walk across a grid again without looking down... A trip to Penmon point & Puffin Island on a beautiful spring day seabirds galore including puffins and eider ducks.

Saved - should have gone to specsavers!

Attending the Hen Harrier weekend in August in support of our hen harriers, and other persecuted birds of prey and wildlife. Proud to be part of RSPB Liverpool standing up for nature (the only RSPB group who took a bus load of members by the way)

Hen Harrier champions

Enough from me, if anybody would like to share a few happy/exciting memories with the group; I will post it on our January blog page 

Don’t forget were also have a twitter account @RSPBLiverpool, and our group is now on WhatsApp, a real-time info portal to find out what’s about, certainly has been well used today, pallas warbler, black throated diver, Caspian gull. Once registered on the site call Chris T and he'll add you to our group RSPB Lpool- Local Birds.  Enjoy

Hope 2016 brings you all you could wish for, birdie or otherwise!

Laura