Hi again

Well pretty much a whole day of rain and yet another day when I felt sorry for our wild birds!  We seem to be feeding more birds currently in the garden than in the winter.  Birds in and near to the village (Hanging Houghton) include a couple of Spotted Flycatchers still on territory and the trio of Tawny, Little and Barn Owl.  The regular adult male Sparrowhawk continues to raid the garden at least once a day, taking whatever happens to be in its path at the material time.  We have been checking Swallow nests and even they seem to be struggling a touch with the weather.  The first broods were either late, smaller than normal or failed altogether, and it will be interesting to see how many pairs attempt second broods (most pairs in Northants attempt two broods and occasionally three).  I managed to catch and ring a juvenile Magpie and a juvenile Carrion Crow today.  They were both in good condition and a further indication that the corvids generally have not struggled in the bizarre spring/summer weather which has produced a plethora of slugs, snails and other accessible morsels.  What weather (and birds) next?

N & E