At around 5 o’clock the weather had brightened up after an afternoon of near arctic conditions…… .yes even a flurry of snow………… The sun had decided to shine and a quick look around the garden gave me an insight into the dramas that takes place. Perched in my “Bathroom Hide” that’s basically the bathroom window, I have a good aspect around the garden and behond. The large beautiful apple tree that actually grows in my neighbour’s garden but spreads over to me is the scene of many a drama. Without warning the Collared Doves were the first to take to the stage, immediately they were cautious and alert, obviously worried about something on the ground below. On the photograph you can see by the pose that they are not at ease, both focused on the same thing. Suddenly there was an alarm call sounded by the Blackbird and there was the object of their concern, a cat!!!! This is a particularly hateful example of the species, it is a sly and committed hunter and

has been responsible for the deaths and injuries to several birds in the garden over the last year or so including a Collared Dove that I nurtured back to health last year and several baby Blackbirds. Knowing that we are bound to have newly fledged babies in the garden again soon makes we wonder how many it will get this year. Domestic cats are thought to be responsible for predating at least 50 million birds, frogs and slowworms every year in the UK and I for one hate this statistic. Cat owners should be held responsible in the eyes of the law!
After the dust had settled I made the cat aware of my presence and like the cowardly individual that it is, it slunk away no doubt it will return to kill soon. Life went on and the Blackbird came down to the wildlife pool for a very quick bath.
I watched some Carrion Crows flying in the strong winds and took this photo, they are a very wary species and I have never ever seen them come down into the garden but they are always somewhere in the vicinity.
Scanning the sky for a photo opportunity led to an exciting sighting, the first of the year and another first for the garden. A Sand Martin flew over and headed towards the City. There have been a few sightings of them so far in other parts of Devon and the rest of the country. They are the first of the swallows and martins to arrive from their winter quarters, I have seen them before in Devon on 23 March, so it is not unusual to have them here at this time of year. But all in all a really good sighting.