Changing seasons

Today marked a change in the weather, a definite shift into autumn with much cooler temperatures. In the garden the tit flock has grown and is accompanied by numerous Chiffchaffs who spend their time around the pond looking for aphids, stoking up before making the journey south. The Jays are back again, birds that are absent during the summer and are resident in the churchyard a couple of hundred yards away but never visit. Flying to and fro with beaks full, with what I am not sure, I know they like acorns but I don't think we have any oaks in the vicinity. However there are lots of Holm Oaks - Quercus ilex, to the south of us, covered in small acorns. The Jays are definitely caching for the winter months, I wonder how they remember where they stored their treasure.  We have had our first Blackcap, I'm not sure whether it is one going or one arriving, we don't normally get our residents until early November.

Chiffchaff - Phylloscopus collybita

 We have resided in our Goring-by-Sea home for nearly 25 years and yesterday I recorded the first Nuthatch, a bird that I rarely see south of the Downs. Pretty sure I won't make another twenty five years waiting for the next one.

Sat on the patio I was aware of a movement in the corner of my vision and sure enough there was "Wilf" our resident Wood Mouse under the bird feeders, a great opportunist taking advantage of the discarded sunflower hearts and suet nibbles. However, I know that he is a sucker for a peanut, just flick one near his hidey-hole and it won't be long before he comes out. I guess that a peanut is a great percentage of his body weight and will no doubt sustain him for some time. Wilf has obviously been busy in other directions as there are now at least three Wood Mice in the garden.

"Wilf" - Apodemus sylvaticus