SHIVERING WILDLIFE GETTING A SOAKING

Is it autumn already? The weather has been distinctly autumn-like following the hottest recorded temperatures for June in more than 40 years.

The blue tit chicks have paid occasional visits to the garden in the last couple of weeks, and so far it appears most have survived.

I’ve not seen a bird of prey around for a while, even down the lanes, so perhaps the sparrowhawk and kestrels are focusing elsewhere for the time being.

There’s been no sign of any robin chicks yet, although the adults are still regularly spending time in and around the garden.

Both blackbird parents are in the garden daily and, thanks to the wet weather are often tugging worms out of the soil – winning most of the battles.

There’s still no word on whether the house sparrows are sitting on eggs in the blue tit next box, but they are still hanging around there like they own it.

One noticeable visitor has been the crane fly, well actually hundreds of them. Many of them are coming in the house, which is not the best place considering the amount of spiders knocking about.

However it does mean they avoid the increasing amount of swallows, whose first ‘batch’ of 2017 youngsters.

Will July bring warm and summer-like weather? Let’s hope so.