Hi Annie
The frog is still a bit of a mystery. I have been looking up foreign frogs, but can’t find anything at all like this one. It does look just like a normal British frog but with a round (although fairly flat) body. The only thing I did find was that some frogs become over-weight! Although it seems that is most likely ones in captivity who have access to too much food too easily. I can’t imagine it would be able to eat other frogs, because it’s head is a normal frog size – hope not, anyway.
I have stopped feeding the birds in the seed feeder and ratty seems to have given up for now. The interesting thing is that I still get loads of birds in the garden, possibly doing more interesting things. I still put out a small amount of suet pellets in a bowl in the mornings (the timing is a bit variable, so they don’t get used to looking out for them at a regular time, to hopefully allow for the smaller birds to get a share). Also for Mr and Mrs blackbird if they make their presence felt. I put out an occasional suet square – I think the starlings get most of that – but, smaller birds underneath to pick up any crumbs! The corvids (and a robin!) eat any of the kitten biscuits which the cats and hogs don’t eat. Sounds like a good idea to distract the corvids from the smaller birds’ food with soaked kitten biscuits.
Last time I looked the blue tits were still using one martins nest with martins using the attached one. Seems an ok compromise. The blue tits may already have fledged by now, so the martins might still use that nest as well. If only for some of the early youngsters to roost in.
I’m still getting the regular hogs – mostly males. One hog was sleeping in the feedbox today – he’s been in there a few times this year.
I agree about the young birds bathing. The other day there were about 8 young starlings in one water bowl! Looked as if they were having a lovely time.
Squirrel sounds cute – fussy thing not liking walnuts! But glad to hear it doesn’t have violent tendencies!
