I've not been posting much, as amongst other things, I had a pair of Rats to discourage from the garden... I didn't want to kill them, so it's taken longer than it should, but (fingers crossed - touch wood) I've not seen them for weeks now. The 11 Feral Cats had one of them, and all of the Mice - the other one had no food source (I reduced food for Birds and Squirrels, dug up the Monkey Nuts the Squirrels had buried, brought all food in before dark, and changed things around so there's less ground cover).
Garden is getting back to normal now... juve female Sparrowhawk visiting now and again (sick juve male Sparrowhawk killed by one of the Cats (bastard)). About 7 Jays, 2 Magpies, 4 Ring-necked Parakeets, 5 Squirrels. Lots of Goldfinches, less Sparrows and Starlings than other years - the rest (Robin, Chaffinches, Tits, Pigeons etc) about the same as before.
Here's one of the Jays with it's foot on a Monkey Nut - it's one of the regulars that's been visiting for at least 2 years. Looks like Scaly Leg Mites (which they can get like Finches apparently) on feet and legs... doubt it would have survived this long without the extra food it gets from me, as it gets bullied by the other Jays.
