Garden Update - 22nd February, 2010

We only have a 'postage stamp' of a garden, and have to work quite hard to attract the birds. There is a small plot of Council-owned land at the back of us, which separates us from a Council Estate. At the turn of the year, the Council embarked on a 5-month programme of refurbishment of the Council Estate - new roofs, windows and doors. They are using the land behind us as a temporary depot - storage, portaloos for the team, skips for the rubbish, etc. etc.. The skip into which they chuck the old windows is about 3 metres from our fence, and it makes a racket!!! Add to this the disturbance of people on the scaffolding in hi-viz jackets, and it's enough to scare off any birds. To make matters worse, we have got a programme of pavement replacement outside the front of the house, using heavy machinery. We don't stand a chance. No small wonder that we have not had any new birds for the year since 13th January!!!

I am pleased to say that our 'regular' birds have learned to come when it's a bit quieter, and our pied and grey 'waggy' have also stayed with us (pied waggy has even started to be less antagonistic towards grey waggy). So during they day, we don't see many birds, but get a concentration early and late in the day. Below are some of the birds that found us this evening. However, I don't hold out much hope for any new casual visitors until its all over.

View from the bedroom window

View from my study

Pied Wagtail

Grey Wagtail

Coal Tit

Blue Tit

Chaffinch (female)

Woodpigeon

Song Thrush - in the snow on 21st February