The more creatures I see and hear in my garden the happier I am. I spend a fortune each week on food to put out for the birds. It's been a few days since this year's young starlings fledged and appeared at the feeders. Today I've spotted the first young sparrows.
My orange ball bush (Buddleia globosa) is in full flower, and is covered with bees. It's a relief to know that they haven't yet become extinct, hereabouts at least.
While I was filling the feeders this evening, right over my head, an invisible wren sang its amazing song, loud for such a tiny bird, and very intricate. As usual someone had uploaded a suitable video to YouTube:
Two years ago I started feeding the local fox after two of my chickens were killed. I thought it was better to make sure they had no need of fresh hen. Of course, since then we have had two dreadful winters and two appalling summers, so I've found it very difficult to phase the feeding out.
It became impossible when a fox started waiting at the end of the garden while I filled up the bird feeders, in full expectation of a feed.
A couple of nights ago, as I watched the fox approach the food, I suddenly became aware that there was a rough and tumble going on, and realised there were two cubs with their mother. I rushed in to get my camera, but when I snapped a picture, unusually the flash was on, and the youngsters fled. I haven't seen them since. But with a bit of tweaking, I brightened the picture I did get enough for the figures of the three of them rather than just the flash reflected in their eyes:
I think the resemblance of my garden to a piece of unkempt woodland helps them feel at home.
