Mr and Mrs

'Our' vixen is keeping company with a large, fit dog fox. I threw some scraps out last night and she ate some, then stepped back so he could have a go. I think we can expect to have to feed another litter in the Spring.

Squirrel for the high jump!

We found a use for empty suet ball containers by cutting holes in them and attaching them to the bird feeder stand, to prevent squirrels from climbing up and raiding the peanuts. For a while, it seemed to work. Then along came this one. I couldn't work out how he had made it to the top so I waited until he leaped off to bury a peanut. When he came back, he steadied himself, then made one almighty leap, about 20 times his own height, straight to the crossbar at the top. I think they should make him part of the Olympic team!

Posing Parakeet

The golden feathers on the underside of this parakeet's tail echo the tints of the last autumn leaves on the cherry tree.

Collared Doves

This sweet pair were sitting on top of the bird feeder stand just as dusk was starting to fall. Now, they really do have beady eyes. They are like little shiny juniper berries. I still haven't got used to it getting dark at 3.30pm! Though a friend did cheer me up by telling me that in less than a month, the days would start getting longer again.

Ghostly bird

Looks as if the stickers to prevent birds flying into the patio doors have lost their effect. They didn't stop a collared dove flying smack into the glass and leaving this spooky impression.

Latest fox shots

Three of the vixen's four cubs have dispersed, but the runt is still hanging around Mum, though she often gets snarled at. No doubt the vixen will be expecting her next family soon. As fox family members often help babysit the cubs, I wonder if this role will fall to the runt? Or perhaps she will produce her own family and I shall have to buy more bags of budget dog biscuits!

Here are a couple of recent shots of the vixen.

Sparrowhawk attack

Having marvelled at a huge flock of wood pigeons, about 200 of them, swirling around in the sky, I threw out some bread and settled down to see which bird would be first on the scene. As usual, it was a magpie, but just as a pigeon swooped down from the roof to join it, a brown arrow hurtled after it. The pigeon narrowly missed being exploded into a hundred feathery pieces as the predator missed its strike and darted off between the trees. It was thrilling to watch. It was also quite a while before any birds appeared in the garden again!