Nesting.

Four or five days into spring and it really felt like it.  The result was I had a very productive (well productive in my terms day).  I began by doing some clearing up and getting ready for spring in the greenhouse.  While kneeling near the door I noticed a movement outside.  One of the pigeon fledglings was strolling past about 45cm (18") from my shoulder.

Later as I was gathering up the dead fern from from the various ferns round the garden (I leave them on to help protect the plant from frost) I noticed movement down in Clickychick's woodland garden. This female Robin (I know it is female as the female alone builds the nest) was pulling up moss.  The Robin's nests we have had in recent years have been mainly moss.

Incidentally the shot shows how many twigs are dropped from a Silver Birch during the winter.  There is quite a layer down there over the paving so that is another job looking at me.