If you can imagine me back garden, which we can see out of the kitchen window, our feeding station is about 8 feet from the window and the fence is another 10 feet beyond that with fields behind. It's a rickety old post and wire fence. A frequent visitor is a gorgeous male sparrowhawk, scourge of the songbirds. He strikes in surprise attacks at enormous speed, swooping round the side of the house to the feeding station. He's nearly knocked me head off dozens of times as I go out of the back door, not realising I'm there. Yesterday he was sitting on the fence post, looking glumly towards the feeders, presumably hoping that a songbird or two would be tempted to take the risk. He's done this an awful lot, and they never do, and he never learns. So he's a superb athlete who's a bit thick. I went to school with a good few lads like that...

Beautiful pair of bullfinches yesterday as well, on the bird table. I love to see 'em - as long as they stay off my apple trees...