Another extract taken from "When There Were Birds", by Roy and Lesley Adkins

William Cobbett a radical journalist was riding his horse through the  Gloucestershire countryside, south of Cirencester: 

"Between Somerford and Oaksey, I saw on the side of the road more Goldfinches than I had ever seen together; I think fifty times as many as I had seen at one time in my life. The favourite food of the goldfinch is the seed of the thistle.

The seed is just now dead ripe...they grow alongside the roads; and, in this place, in great quantities....the goldfinches were got here in flocks, and as they continued to fly along before me, for nearly half a mile, and still sticking to the road and banks, I do believe I had, at last, a flock of ten thousand before me."

Just imagine, how absolutely amazing that would be!

This tiny hedgehog, which we have nicknamed Sweetie Pie,  appeared to be sunning itself on the warm gravel quite oblivious of the attention that our dog Dora was paying it; after about ten minutes in the sun it started to explore the garden and was seen for most of the afternoon quite happily trotting around and eventually disappeared; however most evenings at around 10.00 Sweetie Pie is seen rummaging below the bird feeders eating up the fallen sunflower hearts or bits of suet from the fat balls.

We will now stock Hedgehog food! Which will be available later this month.  Watch this space!