I have more or less managed to keep some food available in my two feeders for the last few months. The peanuts last longer than the general purpose bird food, but that is partly due to the squirrel which can acess the bird food more easilly than the peanuts, however he has not been around recently.

Gradually more and more species are turning up, the blue, great and coal tits have been regulars for some time but recently a pair of Long-tailed tits have been visiting. A knowledgeable neighbour said that she saw Marsh or Willow tits occasionally but so far I have not seeen any. She also mentioned Lesser Spotted Woodpecker.

I have been getting Great spotted woodpecker for some time, originally they just flew onto nearby trees but would not drop down onto the feeders but now they flit in and out regularly. The same applied to Nuthatches but they are also regulars now.

I occasionally get Tree creepers, they do not visit the feeder but seem happy to be with the tits and just search the trunks for anything edible.

In my hide I have the company of a Bank Vole, he/she has become more and more used to my presence, when it first made an appearance, the slightest movement by myself and it was off. Now it will tollerate slow movements and is content to sit and feed and just keep a watchful eye on me. There is also a shrew which also feeds on bird food but that is very nervous and I have not got a shot of it so far.

I think I should give him a name, obviously it has to begin with V for vole so maybe Vladimir?