No new visitors over the winter except for the usual fayre. Last summer, sitting out in the garden there was a clattering of Jackdaws making an awful racket. I then saw a jackdaw fly into our bushes quickly followed by a Red Kite which summarily dispatched it and spent the next 20 minutes devouring it. It was only about 15 feet away and I didn’t want to disturb it so no pics I’m afraid.
We have had a regular visitor over the last couple of summers.
It’s the blob down at the red chips.
This should be better
The pheasant and our cat squared up to each other. Lucifer being the elder statesman/shitebag, backed down. I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt as he is old enough to vote this year and can’t be bothered with that nonsense. Anyway we call him Cocky as he does strut about and craik a lot.
X.
He’s certainly passionate about what he does. The full version of that interview on the Tommy Tiernan Show is very good, if you can find it!
Credit Martin Clarke British Birdwatch.
Loved this.
Up at the bird feeders this afternoon and i took this photo and just look 
at the facial expression on the robin. Bathgate hills West Lothian
Not a bird but never seen a bat feeding during the day before. 3pm darting about a clear space between trees
FFS…
String the cunt up 
Apparently there is no such thing as a ‘seagull’
Who knew? 
Saw a goshawk during today’s dog walk - sadly no camera with me, not that it would have been much use as this fella had no intention of letting me anywhere near enough to use my little compact.
First time I’ve seen one locally, and the first since I lived in Oxfordshire, and I’d forgotten how damn big they are relative to most local birds. I got quite excited yesterday when a red kite crusied past the back of the house at roof height, but the goshawk is bigger and butcher altogether.
The panic amongs the local greylag population was impressive, too - ALL of the enraged honking, not least because they nest quite extensively on a couple of secluded ponds right where the gossie was hanging-out…
Someone else’s pic of anther individual, but the look is unmistakeable:
You have been away from Oxfordshire too long…
Although I like living in a world where red kites are common.
Agreed. I’m just over the border in Berkshire but they apparently roost out in the country overnight then commute into Reading to scavenge.
It’s still an impressive sight, and I remember first seeing one, probably over thirty years ago and thinking “what the hell’s that?”
They’re rare around here, habitat’s poor - very few trees, too much agridesert, and far too many knuckledraggers with shotguns…
Meanwhile, at home, we’re under attack!!! By tiny flying-spoons (AKA long-tailed tits).
Quite why, I’m not sure. There’s not much reflection bbecause the room’s very well lit by big windows at either end, and both of the pair are doing it. They’re not feeding on insects either, as the sparrows get most of the crevice-spiders, and there’s nowt else. The LTTs are just fluttering at the windows all around and pecking at the glass.
I’ve tried shoo-ing them: but they’re barely scared of me and just sit in the bushes waiting for me to P-O! Put a saucer of food out: they ignore it… I’m a little concerned for their wellbeing. Spring Madness!
We had a great tit do it for about three months. Tried everything to stop it, even covered the window with a sheet. Moved to another window!!
Sparrowhawks will probably get these two unless they just die of exhaustion first… 
Pecking at their reflection, thinking it’s another LTT
Slightly annoyingly, a fence that has a nest box on it blew down in the wind yesterday. We had to slightly tear down the ivy and honeysuckle that was holding it up to see what the damage was and have seen that there is what looks like a couple of sparrow eggs still in there.
We have tried to put a bit of cover back in (that side of the garden is where our 10 or so sparrows hang out), but is that likely the end for that brood?
I’d be surprised if they returned.