Foxes And Snowdrops

Ailz: You brought in a smell of fox.

Me: When?

Ailz: Just now. On your boots.

Me: Ah. Very likely.

The first snowdrops are out. I found them on a bank that faces the house's southern wall,  just under the place where the spring breaks though in very wet weather. 

Nuisance Calls

Hello Sir, I'm Kevin. I'm calling from the Department of Minor Car Accidents. According to our records someone in your household had a minor car accident recently....

We had two of those yesterday. I string them along by pretending to be worried or uncomprehending or dim. I feel sorry for the poor saps in India or wherever it is who have to make the calls- so I'm unfailingly polite- but I like the idea of wasting their employer's time and money.

My mother was listening in yesterday. i could hear her chuckling.

Bird Watching Notes

For two days running I've had to refill the new bird table around midday.

Nuthatches are aggressive. They'll dart at anything that lands on the table while they're feeding. All the other small birds defer to them. It's that rapier-like beak that does it. They're the musketeers of the small bird world.

Blue tits use their claws to hold larger items of food steady while they nibble.

Species seen this morning at the front of the house:

Blue tit
Great tit
Nuthatch
Robin
Pigeon
Greater Spotted Woodpecker
Dunnock
Chaffinch
Blackbird
Jay

I'm particularly pleased about the Jay.