Sunday December 18

As the year ambles to its conclusion, there is little to see but garden birds.

The highlight was a very brief male Greenfinch on the feeder pole. About eight years ago Greenfinches visited our garden in good numbers, but then suddenly disappeared. I have no doubt that the reason for this change in fortunes was a virus which Greenfinches and Chaffinches can pick up from dirty feeding stations and then pass on to others of their species. I just hope our feeder wasn't the source. Since then Greenfinches are regularly seen in small numbers at the tops of the surrounding trees, but have become extremely rare in the garden. The visit was too brief for a photo.

We are still getting lots of Blackbirds in the back garden, and up to six at a time on the berries in the front. Disappointingly only one Redwing has been seen with the Blackbirds on the rowan.

A very uncooperative Redwing

About six months ago, at great expense, Lyn bought me a stone bird-bath to replace the rusting, grotty, iron ones which littered our back garden. It was almost completely ignored by the local birds. But a few days ago this happened.

I would like to think it will be the first of many visits.

Finally, with insects virtually non-existent I have had to turn to arachnids to have anything to say about mini-beasts. Last night Lyn alerted me, in no uncertain terms, to the presence of a large spider in the bathroom. I duly caught it and identified it as a tegenaria spider. I had hoped that after I had photographed it I would be able to identify it to species, but it seems that is not possible, or at least not advisable, due to the close similarity of related species.

Either a Common House Spider or a Giant House Spider

It seems that Tegenaria domestica and Tegenaria duellica can only be separated using a microscope and therefore a specimen. Presumably you have to look at their privates, which I am not about to do.