Still kinda housebound

I'm still pretty immobile but can get out and hobble around the garden and do some potting in the greenhouse at least.
Spotted my first chiffchaff yesterday, not calling yet, but being harrassed by a goldcrest.
Then today, my first swallow flew over twittering away to itself. So summers here eh?
I dispatched what I hope was the last rat in the garden with the .22 this week and the sparrowhawk pair have been working on the vermin too by taking at least 2 feral pigeons this week.
The mallards are still a mystery. They wander about the garden and back fields, 3 males and 2 females, but never seem to find a nest site. I've found 3 broken duck eggs in different places now. I'm sure a female will turn up on the front pond with a group of ducklings in May or June. She does most years.


















Lots of interest in my 13 nestboxes but the wren has tried to nest in the hosepipe reel again. I've blocked up the hole, so that we can use the hose during the summer. The cock bird usually builds several nests for the female to choose from anyway.

More news - I'm back with digiscoping capability again. Fuji fixed my compact digital camera (that I dropped and broke ) free of charge. I got it back today ;)