Both ends of the scale

Absolutely bitter one day with temperatures well below freezing and well up in double figures the next. It has been a weird few months - I have seen bumblebees and honey bees much earlier than ever before and the birds started gathering nesting material weeks ago. 

I always tend to notice the rooks gathering material first, but this year have noticed many species with beaks full of dog hair, twigs and other "stuff" in readiness for their nest building. The pigeons always seem to think big and go for big twigs they can barely fly away with.

The first picture was taken at -5 with a winged assassin trying to warm his wings with the little warmth available from the sun - doubt there was much in the way of food on the coast for him, so no doubt a raid inland to one of the well stocked lakes nearby to piss everyone off. Gig rowers in the background, rather them than me.

   
Literally a day or so later and this gorgeous Small Tortoiseshell was doing exactly the same in my garden. It gives you such hope that we are coming out of the dark days.