Big frog

Just one thing was alive in the pond after the fish death disaster and that was this very large frog. We scooped it out and it waddled off into the bushes. Tomorrow, the pond will be filled with gravel to half its depth, and then refilled and started anew. I hope the frog will like it, even if it won't be five feet deep any more.

Window stickers

A few weeks ago, first a blue tit, then a parakeet, flew full tilt into the patio doors. Both were OKI and flew off again, but not only was it a terrible shock having a bird bird like a parakeet strike the glass when you're sitting inches away, but I don't know how it didn't sustain terrible injuries.

My partner did some research and came up with these infra-red stickers. They look like ordinary stickers from inside the house, but from outside, they have an infra-red pattern that deters the birds. We've put them up and so far there have been no other patients for Brokebeak Clinic!

Heron!

My partner has been scooping the dead fish out of the pond and placing them in a bucket. A heron which was flying over the garden spotted them and came right down onto the lawn. I'm sure it would have grabbed one from the bucket, but one of us made a move for the camera and it took fright. Shame. It would have made a brilliant shot.

There is an ivy covered tree close by the bird feeders which last year had a pair of blackbirds nesting in it. This year unfortunately, squirrels have taken it over and set up camp amongst the thick foliage. Every day, the furry wretches oust the birds from the feeders and stuff themselves with peanuts, leaving the jay and bluetits queuing patiently for their turn. There is another peanut feeder closer to the house were the tits often feed, but never the jays. They are too shy to come so close.

We've seen both green woodpeckers and great spotted woodpeckers in the garden recently and our pied blackbird is there every day, though sadly he hasn't attracted a mate and gets chased away by the two female blackbirds who are paired with two males with no distinguishing white feathers.

We thought there were only two goldfinches but the other day there were five of them having a fight around the sunflower seed feeder. They are feisty as well as pretty.

More fox photos

The fox has got so cheeky, she is actually peering in through the patio doors and watching us eat. Talk about a scrounger. These photos were all taken on Sunday. Flad is not at all afraid of the fox. They were chomping ham only a few inches away from each other. I think they've made friends.