Apple tree and birds

Despite the severe drought we have had most of this summer, the apple trees have managed to produce a lot of apples. Most of them are small but sweeter than normal. The birds are taking advantage of the situation and try to get to them before we do :)

Once again a bird with a funny looking head. Can it be the one I saw much earlier this year?

The bird of the year!

Every year a particular bird dominates both what we see and what we hear. Most of the time it is the wagtail that can been seen and heard all the time but this year I think the Common blackbird (Turdus merula) has played that role. I have not been able to find out where they got their nests but there have been and still are a lot of them. Many of them have spent time in our juniper bush eating its berries. 

Apples

It has been a very HOT and DRY summer as you have seen in previous postings. Despite the lack of rain the apple trees are full of fruit that might never get really ripe. If we cannot get a big harvest, they are already very appreciated by the wasps and birds :)

Nuthatch

A very nice little bird is the Eurasian nuthatch or wood nuthatch (Sitta europaea) . From what I have read it is the only bird that can walk head first down a tree!  

Flowers and bumblebees

The bumblebees have enjoyed the many flowers that have survived the drought thanks to my wife's hard work watering them every day. In particular the Calibrachoa or Million bells is a favorite!