A nuthatch getting fat

Today was busy again getting back involved with the Neighbourhood Development Plan process.  We have a series of meetings for the next two weeks which will be critical to the creation of the plan, after which will come the delivery process and a range of public presentations of various sorts, including the final documentation.  

After I got home this afternoon the sun came out again after some very heavy rain and the garden called.  I drove to town later to pick up Helena on her return from her day out in Cheltenham where she bought me some of my favourite French cheese, a Vignotte, which I am about to tuck into.

With a cup of tea we sat in the warm cabin in the early evening sunshine.  Bomble joined us after feeding and sat on the sofa.  I sat on a chair in the open window with a camera and waited for birds to arrive for food.  The first to appear was a robin followed by great tits, bullfinches, a blackbird and two nuthatches.  I photographed them all but chose this greedy nuthatch who checked me out with a a pair of beady eyes.  The nuthatches don't seem afraid and fly in to feed even when I am standing on the patio close to the hanging feeders.

Bomble went out just before I went indoors, and walked over to the rhus tree where the feeders are hanging and sprayed his territory and then climbed up the  trunk.  I am so pleased that he is well again after his rather serious problems last week.  He is getting old and arthritic but still needs to express himself.  Don't we all.  So I have put a picture of him in the 'Extra photos' section and a bullfinch who also liked stuffing its face.