Lisa G Saw • April 2, 2023

The Bird Feeder Show

SWT Woods Mill

There’s a hint of spring around the nature reserve, with Daffodils already past their best, Wood Anemones carpeting the woodland floor and the promise of Bluebells yet to come. I can hear the soft hum of the bees buzzing around a beautiful row of Blackthorn trees awash with their pretty white flowers. Buds and catkins can be seen on the deciduous trees, and plenty of lichen decorate the branches and trunks, but the leaves are yet to appear. We didn’t arrive early enough to see any butterflies on the wing, though I’m sure the afternoon sunshine and warmth would have been enough to entice a few.

It’s wonderful hearing all the birds singing as we walk around. The recognisable trill of the Wren conjures up fond memories from my previous visits. It’s as if I’m being welcomed back by friends. I’ve been away too long. Life has been busy. Now, I can slow down and breathe deeply, inhaling the fresh air. I can just feel myself relaxing as we slowly amble through the reserve. It’s so good to be walking along the familiar paths once again. The calm of nature is so alluring.At the start of September, I returned to Boat of Garten in Scotland, where I’d visited back in March. This time I was on my own and staying in different accommodation – a lovely comfortable, warm chalet at the holiday park. I enjoyed the familiarity of the location, but mostly made a point of exploring new places and having different experiences.

After our walk, with little tempting my camera into action, we decide to rest a while in the hide that overlooks the bird feeders. Maybe there’ll be more activity here! We slide along the wooden bench and sit next to a stranger already poised with his camera facing the feeders. Soon, I’m doing the same, excited about what I’ll see. It’s like we’re sitting in the front row at a theatre about to watch a show, only I realise I’ve missed the start, as birds are already coming and going frequently. It’s the last frenzy to feed as the day draws to a close. Much of the scene in front of me is cloaked in shade, at the edge of the woodland. Only small shafts of light still manage to penetrate through the trees. Ever so slowly, these golden pathways change as the sun continually lowers. Even in these last hours of light, there’s much to enjoy.

I’ve photographed the Great Tits many times before. I enjoy watching them, but only when they perch in a picturesque spot do I bother to capture the moment. As weird as it sounds, I think my lack of love for them has something to do with their appearance. They look so harsh and stern with their black head and belly stripe. I chastise myself. I know I should love and appreciate all the birds!

The Great Tits and Blue Tits are dominating the show. They fly to a perch in close proximity to the feeders, glancing all around to check the coast is clear. Then swiftly, they fly in and out, grabbing something to eat and disappearing into the trees in a heartbeat. Sometimes they loiter, when it’s quieter and feels safe. Other times, they scarper, as if threatened by something dangerous nearby. I’ve photographed the Great Tits many times before. I enjoy watching them, but only when they perch in a picturesque spot do I bother to capture the moment. As weird as it sounds, I think my lack of love for them has something to do with their appearance. They look so harsh and stern with their black head and belly stripe. I chastise myself. I know I should love and appreciate all the birds!

Now, the Blue Tits on the other hand, I love. Their gorgeous blue and pale yellow colouration and feisty character warms my heart. In a way, they’re like the underdogs when it comes to the hierarchy of the bird feeder. But today they’re faring well. I was hoping to capture a shot of one perched on a branch in the last of the sunlight, rather than on the feeder, but I kept missing them. They’re so quick. The opportunities are fleeting. One time, I stayed focused on one spot in anticipation of a Blue Tit landing there, and for ages none did. I waited and waited. I started thinking, I’m never going to get the shot I want! Briefly, my attention was diverted to a Blue Tit in another good spot. I quickly shifted my focus and just then, it flew to where I had been focused on. Damn! I missed my moment!

It was lovely to see some of my other favourite birds frequenting the area. Early on, a Nuthutch was feeding – a gorgeous masked bandit – but, it didn’t stay long and never returned. A few Long Tailed Tits came to join the show early and again later on. One very kindly perched long enough for me to grab a shot of it looking cute and fluffy. I even took one on the round bird feeder. I particularly liked the way its distinct shape was slightly silhouetted with the bright light shining on the vegetation in the background.

Surprisingly, skirting the main stage and only hiding in the wings, there was a male Blackbird. I expected it to wade in and at least collect some seeds on the ground, which had fallen from the feeders above. A Robin did exactly that, but didn’t linger. A Grey Squirrel was also skulking around, a little uncharacteristically. We thought it might have been injured, as it didn’t move as deftly as expected. It lacked a spring in its step and the confidence I’ve seen in others. It crept up tentatively, and fed from the ground, before sloping off again.

There were two species that took centre stage on the ground. It started with the Reed Buntings. Not a species I’ve seen before at feeders. The first one looked a little shabby, as if it had forgotten to put on its best feathers for the occasion. Moulting, it wasn’t quite in its full breeding plumage yet. However, it was joined by a much more handsome fellow who was sure to attract the attention of the females soon. The two of them enjoyed a good feast, but they kept to the shaded spots virtually the whole time, often choosing to stand with their back to me. I kept willing them into the shaft of light on the ground, so I could see their eyes and beak. Of course, I didn’t want any of the vegetation to get in the way either or for it to be distracting. Is that so much to ask? I chuckle to myself. Sometimes the quest for photographic perfection means you miss the beauty in the present moment.

The star of the show was an unexpected interloper – not even a bird. A gorgeous little Bank Vole stole my heart for the hour. There were actually two of them. Though we only saw them both at the same time very briefly. I think they sniffed each other and then one scarpered. The Blue Tits may have been quick, dashing in and out of the scene, but the vole was lightning fast. It hid in a clump of tall grass. Every now and then it poked its head out. Then in a flash, it grabbed a seed and retreated. Its very survival depends upon its speed, so it was no wonder it was hard to capture a photo. Only when the coast was clear, did it loiter for more than a few seconds. I was so grateful for the opportunity to take a few lovely photos, especially when the vole was kind enough to pose in the light for me too.

There were two species that took centre stage on the ground. It started with the Reed Buntings. The first one looked a little shabby, as if it had forgotten to put on its best feathers for the occasion. Moulting, it wasn’t quite in its full breeding plumage yet. However, it was joined by a much more handsome fellow. The two of them enjoyed a good feast, but they kept to the shaded spots virtually the whole time, often choosing to stand with their back to me. I kept willing them into the shaft of light on the ground, so I could see their eyes and beak. Of course, I didn’t want any of the vegetation to get in the way either or for it to be distracting. Is that so much to ask? I chuckle to myself. Sometimes the quest for photographic perfection means you miss the beauty in the present moment.

The star of the show was an unexpected interloper – a gorgeous little Bank Vole stole my heart for the hour. There were actually two of them. Though we only saw them both at the same time very briefly. I think they sniffed each other and then one scarpered. The Blue Tits may have been quick, dashing in and out of the scene, but the vole was lightning fast. It hid in a clump of tall grass. Every now and then it poked its head out. Then in a flash, it grabbed a seed and retreated. Its very survival depends upon its speed, so it was no wonder it was hard to capture a photo. Only when the coast was clear, did it loiter for more than a few seconds. I was so grateful for the opportunity to take a few lovely photos, especially when the vole was kind enough to pose in the light for me too.

I could have watched the Bank Vole for hours. But, it was growing colder by the second as evening approached. We were leaving before the show was over, but felt we’d enjoyed enough of the main event to be ready to depart. There was no big grand finale, but just before we left, we took one last look at the stage and saw a female Mallard hoovering up the leftover seeds.

It was a wonderful way to spend an hour. Nature is the gift that keeps giving!

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Books and Courses

By Lisa G Saw • March 11, 2026

THE FIRST SET OF BOOKS AND COURSES THAT HAVE HELPED ME ON MY JOURNEY I began this blog series, Living My The Best Life Possible , back in 2022 after a series of events, and a couple of chronic injuries, quite literally stopped me in my tracks. Having followed conventional approaches to try and turn things around, but to no avail, I felt compelled to seek out help from alternative approaches. I opened my mind to the possibility they could help me, taking a more holistic approach to my healing. Along my journey, I've done some serious soul searching, dug deep to uncover suppressed and hidden trauma, and held a mirror up to myself, realising there were things I needed to let go of and much I needed to change. It's been uncomfortable at times and emotional, but completely worthwhile, as I've worked through things and persevered. Awareness was key . From that I had the power to change my thought patterns and my view of the world. I know all my relationships are better for it, including the one I have with myself, and I wouldn't be where I am today without what I've learned. I've discovered there are many different ways to heal and I've been amazed by what I've learned. It's been surprising, uplifting and most of all, empowering. Along this journey I've been led from one book to another, then another, and on it goes. Sometimes the books have been recommended to me by family, friends or health practitioners, other times they've merely been mentioned in passing or in another book, and I've felt as though it was something that could help me further my knowledge and understanding. In many ways, they were like signs guiding me along at just the right moment when I needed them. My curiosity to learn more has led to a voracious appetite to read, which I've never experienced before. I love it! I feel like I'm on a fast train to somewhere, but the landscape out of the window isn't a blur as I whizz by, metaphorically speaking, but a glorious view of the world around me, simply seen from a new perspective. There is still much I wish to share in this blog series about my experience, in the hope it helps others and not just myself. But, it will take time to write it all whilst I'm still working. So, in the meantime, I decided to share some of the most significant books that have helped me along the way. It isn't the full list, by any means. For now, I'm only including a brief summary and snapshot of the significance to me, but hopefully this will be interesting and/or useful. Perhaps one of them will grab your attention and be something you might wish to read to help you on your own unique journey. I will continue to add to this list gradually, and new entries will appear at the bottom of the post, so scroll down if you're returning to this post and go directly to where you left off. You can also see a list of all the books that will eventually be mentioned in this post by clicking on the button below.

February 26

By Lisa G Saw • March 10, 2026

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS Bob and I have visited West Rise Marsh a few times this month to look for Jack Snipe, but sadly without much success. We did see one, we think, on one visit, but it flew off before we set eyes on it. It's much the same with the Common Snipe, which as their name suggests, we see more of, but they're super skittish and fly off well before we're even close to where they're hiding, around the boggy wet marshes. With so many wet, windy and dull days, plus the fact I still have to go to work, I was starting to wonder if my February Highlights would be virtually non existent, so I was content with photographing and observing a Heron, standing in the water. They can stand motionless for ages, and move very slowly, stealth-like through the water to new areas. Unfortunately, I was just moving into a new position, when it actually caught a fish. I missed capturing that moment when its head quickly and unexpectedly darted downwards and snatched its prey from the water. But, you can see the Heron in mid-gulp (first photo).

January 26

By Lisa G Saw • February 7, 2026

WILDLIFE HIGHLIGHTS January can be a difficult month for many people. I don't usually suffer from the January Blues, but I did notice this year I felt a certain flatness. I think it was largely because there were days when Bob and I would go out for a walk and hardly see anything at all. Well, that is, anything out of the ordinary. There's no doubting it - I get a real lift when nature reveals its beauty to me in its many wonderful and surprising ways. But, it's been a good reminder that even the simple things can give great pleasure if we take the time to appreciate them. Sometimes, it's worth looking with more careful eyes and appreciating even the ordinary. The year actually was off to a great start, when the snow fell early on in the month. I love the snow! I'll leap at any opportunity I have to walk in it! Living close to the coast meant we didn't have any on our doorstep, but Ashdown Forest had a good covering and it wasn't too far away to visit. Even the car park looked lovely, with the sun shining through the wintry trees on this gorgeous sunny day. It might have been crisp and cold, but we were dressed for it and of course had some welcome hot drinks after our walk. The highlight of the day, aside from the snow, was having some brief glimpses of a couple of Crossbills at the top of the fir trees, though not as good as we'd had in December .