Hide-and-seek

There's nothing like having a visitor to focus the mind on a good tidy-up.  It was a visitor that prompted me to tackle tidying up the greenhouse, though not quite in the usual way; this wasn't preparation for a visit, but an attempt to find the visitor.  The cooking apples are stored in the greenhouse, and I noticed that something had been nibbling them.  With the obvious exception of the door - which is kept closed at this time of year, other than for very short periods for airing - the greenhouse has no way for intruders to get in; I can only think that something (probably a mouse or vole) has got in when the door was open, finds it a frost-free and safe home with food provided, and has made itself at home.  It looks as though something has been shredding the edge of the bundle of fleece, which would make very comfortable bedding.  But despite having gone through the contents of the greenhouse, I can't find the perpetrator; it's still in there (more apples being nibbled), but I can't think where it's hiding!  My main concern isn't the apples, which are destined to be fed to the blackbirds anyway, but that the mouse will be trapped in there and unable to get out.  A complete emptying out of the greenhouse may be the only way to find it.

Pheasants and partridge

The first couple of weeks of the year have been mostly grey and damp, with some strong winds (Storm Eleanor), chilly but not very frosty and with some fog.  There is colder weather in the forecast.  The mist cleared at times to show a little sunshine, before creeping across the fields again at dusk.  Despite the chill the birds are starting to display signs of spring: there has been more singing, and the robins are starting an uneasy relationship over the food on the patio, presumably with a view to pairing up in due course.  Other bird visitors have been a pair of chaffinches, a female greenfinch (and there's a male around somewhere too), a female yellowhammer and a goldcrest; a wren is about regularly, and a goldfinch appeared today.  The other day a dozen collared doves appeared from somewhere, picking up the droppings from the seed feeder; and five male pheasants and four partridges came in to hide from the local shoot.  Lefty the woodpigeon and his mate are also regulars.  I don't know if they are responsible for the untidy nest in the hazel tree which was revealed by the falling of the leaves in autumn; it doesn't look like the most secure construction and I didn't expect it to last long, but it survived the recent gales, so perhaps it's better built than I thought!

Nest in the hazel tree