Snow

A surprising heavy snowfall (for Sussex) this evening.

Winter bees and hoverflies

A nice clear (if cold) sunny day, very welcome after all the rain and gales. A red admiral flew around the garden looking for nectar. Two large bees visited the hebe which is still in flower.

One appeared to be a large buff tailed bumble bee posibly a queen) and a large red tailed bumble bee, which flew off before I could get a close look.

There were also numerous hoveflies also visting the hebe.

Woodpigeon

I'm not really a fan of woodpigeons, mainly because they they eat all the food that I put out for other smaller birds. However, this particular woodpigeon has been doing a great job in the garden eating all the acorns from the neigbours tree (not sure what species its not a traditional oak tree).

Anyway, come spring the acorns sprout everywhere - the early leaves are a bit like holly. Really hard to get rid of. If I left them we would be living in a firest by now!

Fox V Cats

There is often concern by cat owners for the safety of their pet in regads to foxes. cats seem totally capable of holding their own, in many cases its the fox that is entering the cats territory which automatically gives it the upper hand. Ourcat thropws itself at the window if a fox passes through our garden.

Last night, we were awoken by the sound of cats outside our bedroom window, including our cat which we keep in at night (until the roost birdswoken up). It turns out she had burst her way through the locked cat flap to get out. She appears to have chased the fox down the side of the house and into the front garden.

When we looked there was our cat in the front garden, two other cats on the other side of the road and the fox cowered down in the road. I think it was just bad luck that the other two cats were there. As the cats on the otherside of the road slowly backed away, the fox got up and trotted off down the road.

Long-tailed tits and Jays

A dull showery day was brightened momentarily by a small flock of long tailed tits. I estimated about 6, but they are very quick and erratic in the way the fly around. I was alerted to their presence by their calls as they foraged in the garden. The pictures are not very good because of the dark sky and the rain on the windows.

The jays are still very noisily feeding on the acorns

Acorn feast

The oak trees that overlooks our garden is full of fluttering at the pigeons and a couple of jays have an acorn feast. I'm not sure what type of oak tree it is (when the acorns first grow the leaves are more like a holly tree!).

Every time I walk out the back door about a dozen wood pigeons shoot off in every direction followed by the jays. I am quite happy they are making a feast of the acorns as dozen start to grow in our garden each year, on the rockery, in window boxes, the grass and almost everywhere else.

More jays appear to be moving into towns where they are doing quite well. Unfortunately, like carrion crows and magpies, jays also take birds eggs and young birds.

October and still in flower

Still having warm sunny days and the garden still has many flowers to offer food for the visiting bees and hoverflies (and occasional butterfly). Many of the plants in he garden have flowered for much longer this year. The passion flower was flowering until a few weeks ago, much longer than previous years

Hebe, a favourite with insect pollinators.

Red Valerian growing on the flint wall

One of the tomato plants still producing tomatoes

Lavender, particularly loved by bees.

One of several petunias that have been flowering all through the summer

Rock Rose
The nasturtium plants (self seeded from last year) are still growing and running wild.