Chez Walter’s Feeder stations underwent a complete remodelling and refurbishment. A normal service was kept up which the starlings, robin, chaffinch appreciated. The new facilities have been well used , even the nut feeder is now attracting customers such as Blue Tits and Great Tits. The great news is that once again the garden is being visited by sparrows. This may not seem like good news, but after an absence of two years to get them coming in with their broods and feeding the young sparrows was a great pleasure to watch. The cheerful chirping of the young sparrows was in great contrast to your squawks of the young starlings – a nerve grating sound indeed. With all this activities and sound the usual suspects gathered and I was pleased to see that the new anti-cat fence prevented them from getting at the birds from the street side. One persistent cat did gain access, but this was at night - the installation of a small electric fence put a stop to that. Mind you I did think that the cats had gained on masse access to the garden via the site of the electric fence about 12 o’clock today. I had been busy in the garden today, cleaning down the slabs, removing weeds then watering the plants. During this activity I was getting a lecture from Mrs Blackbird who was anxious to get to the meal worms and feed her brood. 
I had no sooner finished and gone into the house when she, the starlings and sparrows descended on the feeders and garden like a plague of locusts. I had just bent down to pick up the camera when I heard bird panic sounds and the swift departure of all the birds in the garden and surrounding area. Next thing I saw a blue-grey streak pass the window chasing a starling. As the starling swerved it hit my windows and bounced off, I then heard a louder thud and the blue-grey streak came to a sudden halt as it hit my window. Stunned, the bird flew to my fence and sat there for a few minutes, during which time I grabbed several shots of not only a first for Chez Walter, but a first for any garden in my local area. The blue-grey streak turned out to be a female Sparrowhawk ( Accipiter nisus). Although it did not catch any of its intended victims I suspect that a new menu item has been added to Chez Walter’s fare and we can expect more visits from this lady raptor.
