First thing this morning I went in to the upstairs room where my computer is situated. I needed to charge my mobile phone.
Movement in the garden distracted me. The light rain had enticed my garden birds out of their perching places. My upstairs retreat is the perfect place to watch and enjoy my garden birds. I got distracted from anything else I should have or thought I should have been doing…
Initially a blue tit family and a couple of great tits were flitting around nearby trees and branches, occasionally flying towards my window and roof above and below (the attraction was water in the gutters). They were joined by three blackbirds on my lawn and a squirrel on the fence near to my house.
The squirrel kept bobbing into next doors garden and returning to the fence with a nut which he proceeded to nibble. At one point as he was running backwards and forwards on the fence. His chaotic run coincided with a blackbird that was about to land on the fence. The blackbird had quick reactions and flew on by. The squirrel was quite unnerved and started flicked its tail around in an alarmed way.
A robin briefly visited followed by a flock of around 12 sparrows that were devouring some tasty feast from my lawn and the edge of my path. The three blackbirds came back to enjoy the tasty feast!
Some time later after a few household jobs I set off for a walk around my local pathways.
In the woods I encountered an unexpected ‘no go’ area. A tree was being felled.
By the pools I was wondering if I would see the cormorant which I had seen in profile flying overhead on my last visit.
The cormorant was absent, instead I saw a heron, firstly flying off. A wonderful sight although I was regretting that I had disturbed him before I even saw him. I was able to follow his journey around the pools until someone got in his comfort zone and he flew off beyond the trees.
The birds having been active much last few days. There been quite a few white tail deer around.
Coffee is on
Nature is wonderful
Why was the tree being felled? Can anybody cut down whatever they want to?
The woodlands are owned by the council and looked after by the council and a ‘friends of the woods’ scheme.
The tree wasn’t being felled, some branches seem to have been removed. This is done from time to time in this wood to maintain health of the woodland. So it might be the branches were interfering with the health of other trees or it might be that the branches were overhanging the pathway to much.
The council are very tree friendly.
All of that in your neck of the woods?! Good for you, Cherry!
I am so lucky
I too often get distracted by wildlife in the garden
Super photos of your walk and I particularly like the heron photo 
Thanks Caroline
My garden birds are a delight and so was unexpected sighting of the heron.
By Harry, it’s Prince Harry the Heron! He flew from my lake to yours, to pay you a visit!
Magnificent, aren’t they?
So looking at your brilliant photos versus my crappy cell phone ones lol – it seems there just a few slight differences – not sure if that’s a slight species difference from the UK to America or individual difference. No spots on the neck and the black on the black above the wings extends down in front of the wings a bit further.
I’m putting a photo of our local Prince Harry up (next to a copy of yours) on my blog for us to compare, I hope that’s okay? I’ll credit you, of course (as IF people couldn’t tell it wasn’t you versus me and my cell phone anyway). I never got him from the front, though.
Slight differences between the herons here and there, but much is the same, much like the UK and UK
BTW, some Native American cultures believe seeing a heron brings you luck and if it flies in front of you, you should follow him (particularly if it’s your totem) to your luck or treasure lol
(However, it seems you had a lucky day already seeing so many of nature’s wonders that day.)
BTW again, a Snowy Egret has taken up residence in the small lake near us along with Harry. He’s much shyer than Harry, so difficult to get a picture, but I’ll try
I have never been able to get quite so close to a Heron. It is a shame that others wandering around the lake scared him off. Otherwise I know I could have got closer.
I found this about the differences between the blue and grey heron.
http://www.arthurgrosset.com/sabirds/greatblueheron.html
Or if you want information overload…
https://frank.itlab.us/TBL/Harvesting/Herons/Birding0202p24-33.pdf
Bookmarked for a full read a bit later this evening – thank you!
I’m still going to pretend it’s our same Prince Harry, just back from his world tour, just with a change of wardrobe lol
If you can catch one earlier in the morning, when less people are about, they seem to be less skittish, I’ve noticed. They can see/hear you coming a mile away, though – very slowly walk up, even use a soft greeting from fairly far away, to let them know you’re coming, so as not to surprise them – and they’ll stretch up their long necks to look at you. Once they get used to you and know you won’t try to catch them or get to close, you may be able to get a few close-up shots. Beautiful job with these, though, by the way!
I’m so excited you got to see one even this close, though, amazing, aren’t they?
And I’m so glad I know another “bird nerd” that gets as excited as I do upon finding one lol.
I think my Heron was happy because there were no fishermen present
It is the first time that I have visited those pools where there was a total absence of fishermen!
This makes me so happy – for both you and the heron
It sounds like it was a gift from above day … for you AND the herons lol 
oh so winter approached at your garden dear Cherie
i loved your story of birds
so engaging:)
The birds were engaging, I loved their activities