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[Hurdity]

Hi there Taz - yes I meant the're not resident here in our small village - we never see them during the breeding season and never at all in our garden or at the feeders - but we do get the large flocks now and again and the odd murmuration which is lovely to see. I don't know where they breed near here?

The fungi were delicious - the ones we ate are very easy to identify but you fdo need someone to show you first of all and there are some that my husband eats that I won't because I am ultra-cautious!!

Also we have a group of coal tits that now come reguarly to the feeders - have only had the odd one in previous years, but they are getting through the whole sunflower seeds at a prodigious rate - striking looking birds and so fast!

Hurdity x

[Taz2]

I've noticed more coal tits this year too - in fact all of the different tits seem to have had a good season!

As for the starlings  some of mine nest under the eaves in our house. There's one hole that my husband forgets to fill in each year and then, when they start nesting, he remembers but can't obviously do it then and after they've gone and all is quiet again.. he forgets. I don't remind him because they do need more nesting sites. Maybe you should put up a nest box or perhaps you haven't got many holey trees around?  http://www.rspb.org.uk/discoverandenjoynature/discoverandlearn/birdguide/name/s/starling/nesting.aspx

Taz x

[Hurdity]

....talking of tits we had a riot of them visiting today!! Coal tits galore still - but the long-tailed tits visited the fat balls, and blue tits and great tits were at the table and the peanuts - a pleasure to see all four common species here at once

Thanks Taz ( re starling info) We do have lots of trees as we have a small orchard and some of them are old and holey and there are plenty around but the birds (starlings) just don't seem to be resident in the village at any time of year - as I said, just the occasional vists from small flocks.

Hurdity x

[CLKD]

Anyone find that the birds don't eat the pink coloured fat balls?  I had to throw some out as they ignored them.  Perhaps they are too full of berries and goodness 

I think it's been too warm for birds to be bothered with too much on the feeders yet, John is on The1Show so maybe they will be back by Thursday. 

[Taz2]

Mine have been busy all year but, then again, they always are. They never seem to have a holiday from my feeders! 

Taz  x

[Limpy]

Our birds have been very busy on the feeders.

Blue Tit, Great Tit, Coal Tit, Woodpecker, Nuthatch. Long Tail Tits occasionally.
Sparrow hawk wanting to feed on the gathered birds.

[CLKD]

Sparrowhawk will take 1 bird at a time 
Anyone know why there is sweet corn in the black sunflower seeds 

[Limpy]

Sparrowhawk will take 1 bird at a time 

Well that's OK then   
The one bird still ends up pretty dead though 

The SH then keeps coming back.

[CLKD]

Yep.  If we put out food it is like hanging chocolate on a C.mas tree  - I have counted 7 blue tits and 3 Great tits on one nut feeder …….. mild 2-day, they are probably anticipating the forecast cold spell 

[CLKD]

I keep reading reports about starlings dying in their dozens by drowning in ponds or puddles ……. hasn't happened in our pond fortunately, wonder where 'they' get these stories 

[Taz2]

It makes interesting reading especially as the Starling is on the Red list for endangered species http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/earth/wildlife/12016839/Starlings-mysteriously-drowning-en-masse-in-garden-ponds.html

Taz x

[CLKD]

I read that but haven't known of any evidence locally and certainly, 'our' starlings seem OK

[Taz2]

It's only a very small number of reported incidences but it's just interesting as to why it happened.

"Researchers studied 12 separate incidents of starling drownings between 1993 and 2013 and found that in 10 of these incidents more than 10 birds died."

Taz x

[CLKD]

Not many then  and probably juveniles ………

[Hurdity]

Saw a merlin (so my husband says that's what it was) dashing along the lane and dipping up and over the Devon hedges as I drove back this afternoon from being out working. It was tiny and very fast I can't recall having seen one for very many years...

Hurdity x