Christmas has been and gone so only 364 shopping days left! Should be 363 days, I hear you say, but 2008 is a leap year.

Fairly quiet Christmas spent with my mother, brother et al and now back home with Mum staying for a few days so this will be a brief account.

The bird numbers seem fewer in the garden but given the amount of Sunflower Hearts that have been consumed, they've obviously been around in my absence.

Delighted that I've seen one of the blackcaps and one of the Siskins this morning. Still hoping that they'll bring their friends; perhaps they could learn to surf the web and see my plea! Amongst others, the usual flock of Goldies paid their early morning visit and one of the Jays dropped in. The Parakeets, needless to say, visited the feeders and my squirrel numbers have doubled to two - hope more don't follow their example.

That's about it for now; hoping to get some fresh air today.