We had a disaster at the point of submitting last month's diary, the hard disk on the computer decided to give up the ghost. Backing up the data was going to be done next week when we had time.

The weather is slowly getting warmer; the birds are noticing it more and have been very active mainly when they meet their own kind near to the seed feeder on the apple tree. Two cock birds will be happily getting on together but then a little girl bird turns up and there is instant mayhem. The Robin gets very aggressive and takes on other robins, tits nuthatches and any bird that dares to go anywhere near the feeder. He then chases a particularly hated rival away and as soon as he leaves his perch all the others rush in to grab a mouthful of food before he gets back. The others are less aggressive but behave similarly with little aerial "dog fights" taking place as the cock birds establish their claims. There is much noise and movement, and creates much interest.

Every morning I save some porridge, breadcrumbs and shredded fat to put out on the bird table (her husband has to go hungry). The robins and blackbirds especially like this mixture as they are not very agile and find it difficult to negotiate the peanut or seed feeders.  As before, the robins take the bird table as their own personal territory and spend so much of the time fighting off other birds and amongst their own kind in particular that the blackbirds and tits pinch the food from under their noses (or beaks).

Any bird boxes should have been cleaned out by now and put back up; however, it still may not be too late to provide a nesting home or move a box that was not used last year. It could be that it was not put in the right place.

In most exposed gardens, from north facing through east to southeast is possibly the most favourable. I have heard a number of theories on what is the best place but in the end the birds will decide. We have had nests facing all points of the compass over the years. Our boxes are attached to the house about ten feet up near to a shrub. The parent birds seem to like this as it gives them a perch away from the nest where they can look out for any danger; they sit momentarily on this before flying in with food. We re-enforce the small opening with tin, made from a flattened out baked bean tin to stop the Larger spotted woodpeckers from enlarging the hole and taking the chicks. You can buy ready made re-enforcing plates from the RSPB in their catalogue or their Internet site.

Woodpeckers look very pretty and give much pleasure watching their antics on the peanut feeder but beware; they do like to eat young birds as well. The blue tits usually use our boxes. It is an exciting time of the year as we watch birds starting to pair up and nest.

Sorry it is all birds this month but apart from a few foxes crossing the road, sightings of other wildlife, or hearing their calls have been few and far between.

All of the blossom and spring flowers are starting to come out and the village will soon reverberate to the thunder of lawn mowers, or more like, the sounds of attempts to get the perishing thing started. All is well with the world.