Blackie I was such a easy going bird that I almost stepped on him several times while he was having a nap in the garden during summer. He seemed old, and disappeared after a cat disturbed his nests twice in autumn 1996. We still remember his peculiar song. The Photo album of Blackie and his family

 
Brownie, aka Mrs Blackie, is more dominant and bigger than her partner. She raids my compost every spring. She has lost her four chicks to a killer cat. She looked lost for some days afterwards.

 
Pauline appeared in the spring 1999. We have two pairs and a single collard dove visiting the garden. Elegant birds. They soon become accustomed to humans and hang around all of the time. 

 
Thrush Chick Every summer there are several chicks come to the garden. They usually look hopeless just waiting for parents. This particular one (summer 1999) was too young to be safe out of the the nest. It is difficult to leave them alone when chicks are so small, but I try.  Parents always know where their chicks are by calls. I keep cats away from the garden. We just wish them the best of  luck. 

 
Cigar is a cigar shaped female sparrow. Mike made a nest box for Blue tits in the winter 1998. In the spring 1999, a pair of Blue tits showed interests, but they were kicked out by a pair of Great tits. Then, they were soon replaced by Cigar and her partner. They were really tight fit. Nonetheless they raised their family twice in 1999. 

 
Blue tits took our nest box in 2000. The first two photos were taken while they were srtll making a nest, and the next six were while chicks were still young. In the last two, you can see a chick's face from the hole. Soon after this four chicks fledged.