Hello Mr Robin

It has been a miserable wet day here, as they say typical bank holiday weather. I have been working on the computer all day so it has not bothered me especially as my water butts will be filling up!

The girls have been digging about in the rain and looked rather bedraggled! They were feasting on the worms that the rain had brought to the surface of the soil. They enjoyed a big bowl of leftover mashed potato and vegetables from yesterdays lunch too. We only had the two eggs today.

Whilst I have been sitting here editing I have noticed that we have had a little robin that keeps popping in and out of the hedge. It must have a nest there. I must admit we have had quite a few birds visiting the garden, we get a lot of blue tits in the tree and I have also noticed more sparrows and chaffinches flying about the big silver birch tree we have at the end of the garden.

At the end of January this year the Royal Society Protection of Birds encouraged people across the UK to become involved in the Big Garden bird watch. The public who had taken part were asked to watch and count birds for an hour and state which birds were coming into their gardens. With hedgerows becoming less common and replaced with wooden fences, the wild common birds appeared to be in decline. Over the last couple of years more and more people are concerning themselves with feeding the wild birds and putting up birdhouses. At the local garden center last weekend there was a big display dedicated to bird tables, feeder, drinkers and food for the wild birds.

At present we have two birdhouses attached to the big tree and a hanger full of nuts, and I have purchased another two houses that I am going to nail to the summerhouse just under the eve of the roof. Encouraging wild birds in the garden is also a way of being an organic gardener as the birds help to control the pests that savage our plants. So next time you are down the DIY store and see the wild bird products for sale remember the good they do for your garden.

And finally..... As the bank holiday draws to a close, I hope you have all had a lovely weekend where ever you are x

Further reading.....
An oddity among the rhubarb!
Among the muck!
Talking herbs and flowers