Fat balls

Spring is battling its way through the weather. The apple is in blossom (with Katy leading the pack) and the damson blossom has come and gone. The new Victoria plum is doing its best to settle in, with a little blossom and now some leaves, though the new greengage seems to be struggling to establish itself.

Bird life is picking up in terms of numbers, though not species variety. Garden birds have been

• dunnocks
• house sparrows
• blackbirds
• robins
• blue tits
• great tits
• long-tailed tits
• wren
• blackcap (one male)
• starlings
• jackdaws
• wood pigeons
• ravens
• magpie.

No finches at all, and no coal tits so far. I heard at least one owl hooting softly a few nights ago, though couldn't see it

Several of the above have been drawn by the bird food at the back of the garden, particularly the fat balls. As happens every year, though, this only lasts until the jackdaws see it--and I've noticed that every so often a jackdaw will come and have a look to see what's there before winging off to bring its hungry chums

My evening walks are mostly populated by foxes at the moment, but I did see my first bat of the year, a pipistrelle I think.