Patch looking wonderful today! The village with the snow-capped peaks in the distant, and the village of Malpas with the Welsh hills behind also with a snow covering.

Today’s Raven news. They found me twice on my walk, and flew over a few times with what looked like nesting material in their beaks. They were also collecting leaves off the floor after they’d eaten their suet. Love how Gravy blinks when she clacks! Think it shows she’s relaxed!

A perfect morning walk full of birds! Highlights: Bramblings with the 100's of Chaffinches & Linnets, Stonechats, Greenfinches, Reed Buntings, Siskins, 100+ Fieldfare & Redwings with Starlings in the fields, Ravens, Buzzards, Tawny Owls, Pink-footed Geese, Great Crested Grebes, #ukbirding

3 Great White Egrets on the mere again today and 2 of them appear to have paired up. I don't know whether Great White Egrets have ever bred in Cheshire. #ukbirding

Happy Valentine’s Day from Chips and Gravy!! What a stunning morning it is 🥰

Highlight of today's wet walk wasn't a bird, it was a close encounter with a Hare! Bird wise highlights: Ravens, Tawny Owls, Buzzards, Kestrels, Goosanders, Meadow Pipits, Siskins, Reed Buntings, Redwings, Mistle Thrush, Linnets and a LBB Gull having a scratch while flying! #ukbirding

Absolutely miserable weather again and it’s hard not to let it get you down! But go can you be miserable with the birds singing,this view and of course the Ravens coming for breakfast!!

Nesting behaviour has become much more noticeable today with the Ravens. Saw them today seeming to break off twigs in trees and collecting mossy material. I have read that the male does the main structural parts of the nest and the female does the smaller more intricate bits!!

Busy birding walk this morning: Ravens, Tawny Owl, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, Fieldfares, Redwings, Song Thrushes, Goldcrests, Siskins, Meadow Pipits, Greenfinches, Goosanders, Tufted Ducks, Great Crested Grebes, Great White Egret, Pink footed Geese, Great Spotted Woodpecker

My first mystery raptor for ages! It was very distant and I thought Sparrowhawk at first but it did seem larger and more powerful. I am probably just being over hopeful! These are the best photos I could manage.

8/12 in Marbury VC58 last night. My wishes were granted when I opened the traps & there were 2 Oak Beauties! They have to be one of my fav moths there is something quite perfect about them! Also Common Quaker(NfY),4 Dotted Borders, Chestnut, March Moth, PBB, Spring Usher, Acleris hastiana #teammoth

I know I am biased but Ravens have to be one of the most stunning and expressive of birds. Maybe that is why they occur so much in literature and mythology

Shorter walk today in mixed weather! Lots of Goosanders on the mere lately, 12 today, Ravens, Kestrels, Buzzards, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle & Song Thrushes, Great Spotted Woodpeckers, Great Crested Grebes, Nuthatch, singing Goldcrests, Jays, Pink-footed Geese, Tufted Ducks #ukbirding

Today’s Raven news😁 Could only manage a shorter, afternoon walk today and I thought they were not going to come. Gravy came first in the rain and then I heard Chips’s dulcet tones behind me as I was going home down the hill! They had some lunch and flew back to their trees!

4/4 yesterday in Marbury VC58: March Moth, Dotted Border, Early Moth,Chestnut. Today 5/15 NFY: Hebrew Character. Also 4 Early Moths, 5 Pale Brindled Beauties, 4 Dotted Borders & Agonopterix Heracliana? (Common-brindled Brown). All lovely moths but really hoping for an Oak Beauty!! #teammoth

Some Raven-Crow interaction today. The Ravens are actually very tolerant of the Crows. Chips did tell one off for coming close while he was eating but when he had had enough he was happy for the Crows to finish the dregs. It is also nice to see the size comparison too!

There cannot be many things better than watching birds!! Today the Marsh Harrier was gliding over the reeds putting on a show, the Ravens were flying above me tumbling, the Great Crested Grebes were courting ( vid in comments), the Siskins were chattering away and Kestrels everywhere 🥰 #ukbirding

This might not be my usual close up video of the Ravens but it is much more interesting and exciting! After coming down for a quick breakfast they went back up to the trees and appeared to be collecting sticks. Maybe the beginning of making their nest. So exciting 😁

Lovely, almost dry walk absolutely chocka with birds! As well as 100's of Finches, Fieldfares & Redwings. Other highlights my 1st singing Cetti's of the year, 3 Great White Egrets in the field by the mere, 10 Goosanders, Nuthatch, Kingfisher, Ravens, Buzzards, Kestrels, Siskins #ukbirding

Difficult to show in photos or videos, but today 100’s of Finches & 1000’s of Winter Thrushes & Starlings were on the canal. Video is the Finches. I feel really lucky that the Marbury area is a habitat that still attracts so much bird life, and I love to share some positivity! #ukbirding

4/10 in Marbury last night: Spring Usher, 3 Dotted Borders, 3 Pale Brindled Beauties & 3 Chestnuts. Also this Ophion Obscuratus (according to Obs) Looked it up and it is a parasitic wasp that targets the caterpillars of noctuid moths 😬 #teammoth

Despite being privileged that the Ravens choose to spend a small part of their day with me, I realise that lots of their behaviour is a mystery to me! Today they suddenly both called & flew off into the distance, then they came separately each doing different vocalisations.

The icing on the cake, on what was a wonderful sunny walk, full of birds, was watching this Treecreeper creep from tree to tree eating

I said my day couldn't get any better, well it did! Our patch Marsh Harrier normally gives distant views, but today it flew over me. It was also having a little spar with a Buzzard. Still feels lucky to get to see Marsh Harrier most days on patch.

It doesn’t get much better than this warm sun on your face, in what seems to be the first time in forever, and the sound of Pink-footed Geese flying over.

5/10 in Marbury VC58 last night. Spring Harbinger ( Torticodes Alternella) , 3 Pale Brindled Beauties, Dotted Border, 2 Early Moths and 3 Chestnut Species. I thought they might be all Chestnut but Obs is 100% convinced the last one is Dark which would be NFY. #teammoth

Chips says good morning

Morning from Marbury. It’s not raining! First time I have seen a hint of a sunrise for weeks! Promises to be a lovely day with lots of birds 😁

Inspired by some of you I have started to notice fungi! It is really quite beautiful. Can’t believe it has just passed me by before now. Today saw this (according to obs) Hairy Curtain Crust (Stereum hiatus) and Black Witches Butter (Exidia glandulosa)

After a couple of blank days it was 2/5 in Marbury VC58 with 4 Pale Brindled Beauties and an Early Moth. I was surprised to get anything at all as it was so wet, windy and cold walking back from the pub last night!! #teammoth

Today’s Raven update 😁 They didn’t come early but I could see them in their fav tree so I was happy! Later they joined me for the end bit of my walk. They were very entertaining: flying doing the water droplet call, enjoying an egg lunch before doing lots of bonding behaviour☺️

Walk was a bit less wet & cold today! Highlights: Stonechat (NFY), Linnets, Reed Bunting, Treecreeper, Goldcrests, Pinkies, Tufted Ducks, Siskins, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle & Song Thrushes ,13 Goosanders, Ravens, Grey Wagtails, Buzzards, Sparrowhawk, Kestrel, GWEgret, Tawny Owls etc! #ukbirding

What an absolutely miserable morning for a walk, non stop rain! Still saw some lovely birds: Ravens, Buzzards, Kestrel, 2 Great White Egrets, Goosanders, Pink-footed Geese, Siskins, Goldcrests, Fieldfares, Redwings, Song & Mistle Thrushes, Great Crested Grebes, Herons. Jays #ukbirding

I think I have mentioned the Buzzard that watches me feed the Ravens sometimes. Managed a bit of video on my phone this morning!

Some stills of the Ravens from today. I was going to put one as my new profile pic so it would have both Ravens in, but I don't know which one I like best! They are just so photogenic!!

Today’s Raven news. Just a couple of fly overs this morning. Went back late afternoon and spent a lovely 3/4 of an hour with them. Interesting behaviour: one Raven (Chips I think) seemed to pick up dead grass while being groomed. Also Chips fed Gravy again. #ravens

It was worth going out again as saw a stunning Brambling NFY on the canal. There is a flock of 400+ mainly Chaffinches and Linnets with some Greenfinches on the canal which I have been searching for ages thinking there must be a Brambling in there somewhere 😀 #ukbirding

Horrible morning weatherwise! Shorter walk, will try again later! 2 flyovers by the Ravens, 2 Great White Egrets, flock of 80+ Siskins & Redpolls and while watching the Redwings and Starlings feeding on the floor this falcon came flying in. Terrible photos but Peregrine Falcon? #ukbirding

The sun is finally shining and the Ravens have come for tea!! I will have to get used to not seeing them as breeding season comes. Last year I often didn’t see either of them for over a week. I am actually happy to see them starting to do their breeding behaviour. It’s exciting!

Didn’t see both Ravens together this morning. Think though that Gravy came in for breakfast early & then Chips came barrelling in later for a quick snack I will go back late afternoon to see if I can see both going to roost, I can’t relax until I am sure both are safe and well!!

Birding highlights on another dank, cold walk: Ravens, Marsh Harrier, Tawny Owls, Buzzards, Kestrel, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle & Song Thrushes, Treecreeper, Siskins, Great White Egret, Shoveler, Wigeon, Goosanders, Pink- footed Geese, Tufted Ducks, Great Spotted Woodpecker #ukbirding

These moths that fly in winter are really hardy souls! Snow on the car in Marbury last night but had 2 Early Moths and a March Moth on the wall by the traps #teammoth

Apparently UNESCO is trying to safeguard the art of bellringing by making it an “intangible cultural heritage “ It is one of my loves after Birds, Moths & Animals 😅 and I would encourage anyone to have a go if they get the chance! You may not imagine it but it is such fun 😁

Today I had a moth called the Spring Harbinger, it didn't live up to it's name as it was freezing with light snow! I long for some sunny, warm weather for my walks! Had a NFY today though with Redpolls. Also Siskins, 8 Goosanders, Redwings, Fieldfares, flock of LBBGulls over etc! #ukbirding

The ultimate lurker this afternoon with this Torticodes Alternella (not living up to its other name Spring Harbinger as it was snowing and freezing while I photographed it!!) It was 3/5 all together with also a Chestnut ( I think not Dark!!?), and 3 Early Moths. #teammoth

Ravens behaved differently today. They came later & when they did come, Gravy ate while Chips called in the tree. Eventually both came down but didn’t spend as much time down today. They did fly over me a lot, flying together, which was lovely. Video footage is from yesterday.

Bit quieter for birds today's walk. Highlights: Ravens, distant Marsh Harrier, Tawny Owl, 9 Goosanders on the mere, Fieldfares, Redwings, Mistle and Song Thrushes, Siskins, Jays, Buzzards, Goldcrests, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Meadow Pipits #ukbirding

3/5 in Marbury VC58 last night. Dotted Border NFY, 3 Early Moths and a particularly prettily marked Spring Usher. When you look closely moths are really stunning, even the Early Moth which at first glance looks plain! #teammoth

I am truly blessed! Just now I sat on the water trough & scattered some suet & sat & relaxed. Couldn’t believe it when both Ravens jumped on the trough with me & had a drink! Then Chips fed Gravy just a few feet away from me. Has to be one of the best experiences of my life 😊

Chips often flies in doing a barrel roll. It is the most amazing sight. I think this is the first time I have captured him doing a full roll. Amazing to see him upside down in flight! He is a real show off 😆