I hope all’s well…
Thank you for your kind comments regarding my bird and wildlife photos. As I have said I have been interested in photography for many years and although I occasionally dabble in the odd human portrait and landscapes, it’s really wildlife that’s my main passion and during lockdown it’s been much easier getting shots of wild birds in or close to my garden. I am lucky to live near heathland and as I’ve had a few days break recently I managed, with a bit of patience and a long lens, to get this lovely shot of a heathland specialist – the Dartford Warbler.
This shy little bird is only really found in a few parts of the UK, mostly in the South and South West, so yes, I was chuffed to get such a clear picture as they dart around the gorse and pine tree saplings.
“A bird in the hand”. Last week I was looking out from our kitchen watching a couple of Coal Tits buzzing around chasing each other at great speed, when one of them suddenly misjudged their flight and careered into our bi-fold windows. Unfortunately this has happened before and it didn’t end well, so I rushed out into the rain and saw that the little fella (a tiny male) was in spasms on his back and I feared the worst! I gently picked him up and cradled him in my hands and gently massaged his tiny body in my chubby (but warm) fingers, slowly he started to open his eyes and nestle down into my hands.
It took a while but he gradually came to and started gently pecking at my hand, which was a fantastic sign – I was over the moon. I gently felt around his tiny neck and stretched out his wings, checked his legs and to my layman’s eyes he seemed OK? As he started to fidget more I decided it was safe to release him before he became too stressed. I opened my hand and he looked back at me, looked out to the feeders and flew straight to them! Result!
It’s hard to tell but I saw two or three Coal Tits on the feeders about 10 minutes later and I’m sure one of them was my little friend – you’ll see a difference between the first and last pictures.
On Saturday it’s Jewellery Day! We’ve got a beautiful Double Strand Heart Necklace from the wonderful brand of Lola Rose as our Today’s Special Value – in fact it’s available to order online right now, just click on this link.
If you’re new to this exciting, colourful collection, Nikki Gewirtz MBE has an amazing ability to select stunning combinations of wonderfully coloured semi-precious stones to create necklaces, bracelets and earrings. The finish of the stones is exceptional and it’s no surprise that Lola Rose in one of our most popular jewellery brands at The Q.
I’ll be with lovely Anna Green, founder Nikki’s right-hand gal, at 2pm. Then I’ll be following on with an hour of the stunning Tova Diamonique Collection and then at 5pm we have an hour of gorgeous Premier Tanzanite with jewellery expert Kieran Glen. It’s a wonderful day with new designs and favourites set at prices for everyone and every occasion, and of course backed by our generous 60-day money back guarantee.
I hope you can join me at some point in the day and as always, look forward to your company!
Andi Peters and I return on the 25th March for a two hour Andi Peters’ Food Fest – I can’t promise another sea shanty but I can promise fine food and fun!
Until next time… stay alert and sparkling!
Dale x
26 Responses
We have had the same problem with birds flying into windows. Luckily all seemed to recover. Lovely pictures. You are a very good photographer.
Thank you Lynda, very kind of you to say x
Loved the bird rescue and photos, hoping he’s made a full recovery. X
Thanks Diane, I’m pretty sure he was feeding fine – great result 👍x
Well done Dale, I think that you really should put some kind of sticker or hanging ornament in your bi-fold windows.
Love the Food Fest with you and Andy.
Best wishes
Janet
Thanks Janet, Yes I’ve heard that can help, the biggest problem is that there are windows at the other end of the room and I think they think they can fly through, so now we always close the curtains the other end and it seems to work – this little fella was being chased and misjudged his flight – it happens so quickly x
Hi Dale
Thank you for sharing your heartwarming story of the lovely little Coal Tit who found himself in trouble. Thank goodness you saw events unfold and rushed to help – he was very lucky 🍀 Well done on saving his life 😀👍
A few years ago, after witnessing a fledgling blue tit caught in amongst nesting and twigs in the garden, my Dad and I were able to cut him or her free and drove to a wonderful Wildlife Hospital so that they could remove the remaining bits stuck round his tiny legs. I will always remember how appreciate our little friend seemed 🙂
I’ve not seen a Dartford Warbler before – you managed to take another stunning picture to remind you of your encounter.
It’s always lovely to see your amazing wildlife pictures – thank you for posting them 🙂🐦.
Best wishes
Jules x
Hi Jules, I really appreciate your regular comments – thank you x
Hi Dale
Such a moving tale and proof of love and human touch which brought a tear.. Then a smile. A little miracle indeed!! Perfect timing that you were there.. Bless the little bird and bless you. He must have felt safe..
Thank you for sharing that heart warming story..
Stay safe and keep well
Much love
Christine x
Thank you Christine- Yes I like a happy ending too 😀I’ve been very grateful for the lovely comments regarding my wildlife photos – you just never know what you’ll capture next 😀so I’ll keep them coming x
Oh Dale, what amazing pictures, my husband too loves his wildlife photography also the floral & fauna which is amazing in the spring, although all seasons have there amazing things to photograph, you certainly are a very good photographer & have a lot of patience which is a much needed gift to await the one time only (sorry bout the Pun!!) photo opportunity & persistence really does pay, & the photo of the little rescued tit, you are so much like my hubby Gary he would have reacted in the same way when that poor little bird hit your window, but amazing how you tended too & it flew away & I am sure you were right that it flew back to your feeders, I do know that very often birds do fly back to familiar & safe feeders so that little fella will return to you many times after the lengths you went to too revive him. The most important thing I think is in this last year so many of us have pleasure in the small things in life, nature the most precious natural thing in our lives & certainly many families have been able to reconnect with the outdoors & found so much benefit to their general health & wellbeing.
Hi Sue, yes I agree there are positives to come out of the dreadful pandemic and appreciating our environment and wildlife has definitely helped many, as you say. Sounds like Gary and I are “birds of a feather” 🤔x
Fantastic Dale what you did for the birdie, who’d thought such a big softy, I love little birdies too, very mindfulness watching them darting back and forth to to the bird feeder. Carmen X
Hi Carmen, I love watching them on the feeders too – thanks for your comments x
My dream purchase would be PREMIUM TANZANITE AAAA DROP EARRINGS, but in a pure, simple design that would be wearable all day, and everywhere. I’d never take them off !
I purchased some very beautiful TANZANITE AAA square/cushion cut earrings some years ago, and I do love them.
The colour, however, I think because of the cut, is a tad disappointing – a little paler than I would like.
I prefer Drop earrings anyway – so…… please ! AAAA DROP Earrings
Hi Lynda, Yes I love Tanzanite and it’s my birthstone 😀 I’ll pass your request on x
Hi Dale
What an amazing picture of the Dartford Warbler, which I confess I’d never heard of before! You’re quite a photographer!
Lovely ending to the coal tit misadventure- well done, I’m always afraid they’ll die of shock after a hit, but surprisingly often they do recover.
Your blog cheered my day, thank you,
Helen
Thank you Hele, I’m glad you enjoyed it – thank you for your kind appreciation x
Really enjoying Jewellery Day. Some suggestions for consideration please:
I have two pairs of Earrings from QVC that I love: Green Garnets (Diamonoid) and Apatite (Mexican?)
The Apatite (DROP Earrings) are an incredible and distinctive colour – love them. Only slight disappointing in that the setting doesn’t quite show them to full advantage. Doesn’t quite sit right in some way.
Green Garnets: Stud earrings, but the colour is not as vibrant as they looked online. I still love them, but obviously would preferred a more intense colour and – from personal choice- a DROP setting.
So – Tanzanite, Green Garnets and Apatite – Three relative newcomers that are my firm favourite and maybe there is a great market out there for them all.
Love these photos so cute of the birds and so glad you were able to rescue the little coal tit so lovely to see kindness towards birds and animals
Thank you Carolyn – like you I get a huge amount of pleasure from wildlife and it’s great that we can help out from time to time x
My hero ………
☺️☺️
another brilliant show with yourself and andi on thursday.
Cheers Martin – we’re back on the 4th 👍
hi dale, you and andy I counted 7 andi peters kitchen in 2021, one in january, 2 times february, 3 times march, 1 in april, why not qvc maybe try him out as a presenter maybe one day just a thought. I am still on furlough.