With natural food becoming scarce as winter bites at last, birds are now flocking to our garden feeders. Within the past week or so eight goldfinches( pictured) are almost constantly perched on the nyger seed dispenser with another five or six awaiting their turn on the garden fence.

Meanwhile, great, blue, coaltits, robins, the occasional nuthatch and most unwelcome parakeets that spook all the other birds target the sunflower seed hearts. Below, dunnocks, blackbirds and wood pigeons pick up anything split. Four stockdoves are regulars on the lawn but chased unmercifully by the larger wood pigeons all over the garden.

I've always thought that birds may sense the onset of stormy or severe weather so feed up before in case of difficulty as conditions worsen.

On Christmas morning I was delighted to see several redwings perched at the top of what I call my 'redwing tree' across the road. The tree seems to act as a lookout post for the birds surveying the scene below. They congregate there for several minutes before dispersing to home in on the numerous berry bushes dotted around.

Just before Christmas I heard my first songthrush for many months singing lustily on the outskirts of Richmond park. Sadly, returning to the same spot on a couple of occasions since I listened in vain for a repeat performance.

The dull dreary weeks of December and the shortest day are behind us so at least daylight hours will be lengthening as we head towards spring and the birds sense that too.