I'm always amazed at how my tree fern manages to stay evergreen throughout the year, given our Northern climate. I think this is due to it's sheltered location in the courtyard, and the emissions given off by the boiler. It's been there for four years now , and totally dominates the space. I'm terrified of moving it in case it goes into a decline, so I dodge, duck and weave past it instead. I'm sorry to admit that I smirk with satisfaction when I see the Southeners getting their fleeces out every year to cover their bald tree ferns!
It's also becoming a mini tropical forest with all sorts of odd things growing out of it's foliage. A plum tree appeared this year, the stone must have been dropped by birds.

Speaking of birds, several blackbirds in the garden have become bald over the last few years. When I saw this condition for the first time I was horrified. The infected blackbirds looked like a mini vultures. I looked the disorder up and discovered it was something called feather mite. Apparently the feathers grow back the following spring. It must be awful cold for them in the winter though, having a bald head and neck, surely they lose enormous amounts of heat. It didn't seem to bother the birds much, they go about their daily business, and manage to feed and rear their chicks.

I'm having a hard time with woodpigeons at the moment. I'm always so sorry for them. Lots of people regard them as pests, but I persoally find them to be beautifl birds. The discreet colours that shimmer in their foliage are so understated.
I'm an artist by profession, so I'm often painting them. They are great subjects as they move so slowly. One bird ate 25 peanuts off the birdtable in one sitting. I got some great sketches!

Hardly a day goes by without me finding a pile of wood pigeon feathers somewhere in garden, usually the work of a cat or kestrel.
And twice in as many weeks I've come across woodpigeons with mangled wings. Both birds were taken to Animal Rescue, but both had to be put down. Apparently they are the most lively of the pigeons and when they sustain a serious wing injury, they can't settle enough to allow the wounds to heal.

I'm a volunteer at the aforesaid Animal Rescue. I muck out the cattery on Saturday mornings, collect unwanted cats, rattle cans and do the usual varied stuff that raises funds. The shelter is under threat of closure at the moment, [depleted funds] so times are hard. They care for all animals there,[cats, dogs, wildlife, farm animals etc] and have a programme were they trap and neuter feral cats, then return them to the wild.
They also have an enclosure full of feral cats that for one reason or another, are there for life. [ill health, living in areas where youths set their pit bulls on them...]
I've become very attached to that bunch of cats, and am honoured that four or five of them now allow me to stroke them. I find them to be better behaved than the domestic cats! [One of the domestic cats kicked my ass last week. Nine deep bites and hundred's of scratches and I was trying to help it.....] My other half is panicking at the moment, I've said I'd like to build an enclosure at home and take te or so. He's also worried about my interest in having cickens...rescued battery hens....
Anyway, today was fairly awful, three little feral kittens with cat flu. Their eyes swollen to three times the normal size, and bleeding...hope they pull trough.....