Chiltern Birder

Not the name of a pub but this encounter caught by the camera trap.

It wasn't worth putting in another bulk order for feed so I bought some fat nuggets from the garden centre as there is still a lot of activity on the feeders by juvenile blue and great tits. I also cut up an old pallet as I needed some scrap timber which left me with a piece that would stand upright so I decided to try attaching the camera trap to it. After a few experiments I had it lined up to film the ground feeder overnight. I baited it with raisins and fat nuggets which I hoped would attract badgers. One did put his nose through the fence but turned straight round, I suspect that a cat was occupying the garden as I had plenty of shots of one who seemed to be watching for field mice. I set the trap quite early and had to replace the fat nuggets. I didn't think that a blackbird could carry this much. I put out fresh fat nuggets and between visits by the cat this little chap helped himself. Come the morning the blackbird was back for some raisins

The ring necked parakeets are working their way up the Chess valley. I was at the Van Hage garden centre at Chenies today when one flew overhead. Previously I have seen and, more often, heard them at Rickmansworth on a few occasions. I am not sure of they can establish in the Chilterns. Certainly where I live at 500 feet above sea level the difference in winter weather from the lower ground is noticeable before considering the London heat island. During the bank holiday I was in Bampton in Oxfordshire. The house martins were active in what appeared to be good numbers. I also heard swifts, I can't compare with previous years but it didn't seem as noisy.