Tuesday 6th February 2018

Dry, sunny and very cold.
Builder over this morning capping the chimney pots to stop pigeons pooing down the chimney.
Started another project this afternoon. Making a quirky bird feeding station using recycled material. Base is a solid lump of timber that was a shelf in an alcove that housed a huge galvanised water tank in the front bedroom. Using the square section metal legs and roof supports from an old folding garden canopy for the roof. On this will be fixed feather edged fencing material.

Monday 5th February 2018

Hard overnight frost and a very cold day with sun most of the day.
Most of the day spent with John and Hillary which included a pub lunch at the Pack Horse.
            Interesting re great spotted woodpecker. At breakfast two male great spotted woodpeckers appeared at the feeders at the same time. Managed a reasonable photograph. Do I have a pair of gay peckers or is there a female out there who will have a choice between two handsome birds!?
Good to see a pair of chaffinches feeding today, all coming together now. Just need the dunnocks or sparrows to return now.
Hilarious clips of a fox eating last night. Bits of unwanted chicken from our Sunday dinner was placed on the lawn in the foil dish that the chicken was packed in.
Foxy was so unsure of the foil dish but was determined to eat the chicken. He basically layed stretched out on the lawn with hind legs outstretched. Will post video clips later in the week.

Sunday 4th February 2018

Dry and cold with a fair amount of sun.
Day spent in the garden but not gardening?
Cleared and tidied the two sheds. Everything in their rightful place and a space found for the winter tree uplighting equipment.
          Brilliant news re birds. Greenfinches appeared, not seen for a while now. Chaffinches, pied wagtails, great spotted woodpecker, magpies and jays busy feeding today. What is noticeable over last three weeks is the demise of the dunnocks, puzzled by this.

Saturday 3rd February 2018

Another cold and miserable day, showers most of the day.
A day not doing much. 
My Garden Fox Family book arrived today. Three books this year covering and recording all wildlife seen in the garden during 2017. Well pleased with the end result. As mentioned previously my only self criticism is the lack of identification. This I will be addressing for any books I produce covering 2018.

Friday 2nd February 2018

Cold and damp, pretty miserable.
Spent a little time in the garden. Have sown grass seed in the sensory area of the garden and covered with chicken wire. As mentioned previously I turfed this area last year but the foxes had other ideas and were forever pulling the turfs up.
Trail cameras picked out two foxes in the garden last night, also a hedgehog came out of hibernation for a drink before climbing back into its hotel.
Pair of pied wagtails appear to be regular visitors now. Seen in the garden on a daily basis. The male great spotted woodpecker is also a regular but as yet no sign of a female.

Fox with an egg last night.

Looking at this again I think perhaps the fox has an apple?

Thursday 1st February 2018

Cold day helped by being sunny most of the day.
Spent a little time in the garden. Preparing now to grass seed an area in the sensory garden. Layed turf last year but the foxes did nothing but pull the turfs up. Never had a chance to germinate.
             Great spotted woodpecker, Jays, magpies, goldfinches and all the regular birds were particularly busy in the garden today.
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