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[CLKD]

It is a empty nymph so once it's dried I will remove it carefully from the stem to take to Bird Fair in August. We have sparrows everywhere and robin is at the window for live meal worms ....... that's the robin from the front of the house, not the 2 from the back 

[Taz2]

I've got a little plastic box of nymph cases - but then I would wouldn't I   

Taz x

[CLKD]

    

[mucca55]

Our House Martins are back.

The two nests that they built under the fascia board last year are still there - they seem to be using one but also building another one.

It was lovely watching the young ones last year on their 'training flights' around the garden before their departure.

The pampas grass has been stripped during the last few weeks - gone for nesting ?

[Taz2]

That's brilliant news Ghiro. I really miss our House Martins. When we first moved into this house the road ended in a footpath and the house martins used to take the mud for their nests from here. In September they would all gather on my garage roof before setting off on their long journey. After two years the road was extended as they were building new homes and I will never forget the first spring after this when the house martins turned up. They were landing on the road - their inbuilt satnavs were taking them back to where they always found their nest mud but all they found was tarmac. We have very few around here now.

I am watching the baby starlings bathing in the frying-pan birdbath. I have lived here for thirty years and every year the first babies arrive on the 13th May (apart from last year I think which was a bit later). Last week there were three and this morning there are twelve. What a noise they make.

Taz x

[jenny]

With not sleeping at night, I have been spending a lot of time looking out across our back (and front) gardens - during the wee small hours, it's great seeing the hedgehogs, and deer and other animals paying us a visit.

jenny

[Sleepless in London]

Our little garden is like an aviary at the moment. So many starlings and sparrows, the fledglings are .... fledging. The parents are ... parenting. How do such little things make so much noise. Nice though. We currently have a greater spotted woodpecker visiting too.  I now have a book of British garden birds at the ready for identification. 

Sleepless

[jenny]

Well done withe the greater spotted woodpecker, have been trying various things to get either lesser spotted or greater spotted in garden for ages - no success Lovely seeing all the different varieties of wild birds

jenny

[Sleepless in London]

I've only ever seen one hedgehog where we live, about 40 years ago, and that was crossing the road not in the garden. I'd be quite shocked to see a deer! 

Sleepless

[jenny]

Hi Ghiro, have you seen the squirel proof bird feeders, not sure how well they work, but I know they sell them at lot of garden centres.

jenny

[mucca55]

Not seen any but i will look into them.

Thanks x

[Taz2]

Jenny - be careful with wanting to entice the greater spotted woodpecker to your garden if you have nesting birds. A lot of people don't realise that they eat nestlings. Everyone is really down on the Magpies and Jays because of this but the wonderfully looking woodpecker is just as predatory. They have been known to enlarge the hole in nest boxes in order to get at the nestlings inside which is why good bird boxes have a metal plate fixed around the hole.

Taz x

[CLKD]

We have nymphs  ...... 2 so far, probably damsel flies 

[jenny]

Hi Taz, thanks for info on woodpeckers - will be careful for what I wish. Do get Jay's in garden but seems to be towards the Autumn. Get green woodpecker in. And so glad that this year we have song thrush in garden, they haven't visited for years, lot of neighbours tend to use slug pellets etc, and the thrush tends to avoid us. I know the birds are supposed to leave things alone when polluted with chemicals, but I'm not convinced they do. Black red start has not been here for while, I made a phone call to report I'd seen it here. Was a male hatched last year, and was told they are not often seen where we live. So love the birds and wildlife. 

[CLKD]

Himself was taking photos of damsels mating and laying eggs  on our pond