Handsome chaps

It’s definitely been a day for the chaps. First off was my regular great spotted woodpecker, who flew up into the ash tree after having a nibble at some peanuts in the feeders. (He’s in extras.)

Then it was the turn of a green woodpecker, who I was thrilled to see up in the oak tree. He gets pole position because I don’t see him as often. He stayed around for some time because I could hear his distinctive yaffle sound for an hour or two afterwards.

Both of these sightings were captured with my heavy long lens through the kitchen window when I should have been concentrating on cooking the lunch. That’s the advantage of having a kitchen window that overlooks the bird feeders and the trees behind them. It’s also a slight disadvantage, when the cooking takes second place to my urgent desire for a photograph … sometimes with slightly unpalatable results (but fortunately not this time!)

Once the meal was finally cooked, it was eagerly consumed by three even more handsome chaps – namely Smithers, plus our middle son (temporarily bereft of his wife and daughters) and our youngest son (temporarily bereft of his girlfriend).