A lovely sunny autumn morning at Smallicombe Farm in rural East Devon, the change we need to dry up all our waterlogged fields. The colours on the trees in the wood behind the yard reflected in the sunshine is a real picture today.
I have topped up the fat balls and the seeds hanging from the bird table by the kitchen window. Almost immediately I had an influx of Sparrows apparently becoming scarce is some areas. I think 
they have all moved to Smallicombe Farm. We have also had the cheeky Blue tits, larger Great Tit and the timider Coal tits just in a space of 10 minutes. Earlier we had a Greater Spotted Woodpecker that visits us regularly and brought several of its fledglings during the summer. The Robins and the tiny Wren pick up the pieces from below the table as do our free-range ducks and chickens! Ian has become attached to a family of Pied Wagtails that have nested for several years under the solar panels on the kitchen roof. They rear several clutches of chicks a year in this warm protected environment. The Pied Wagtails have been joined recently by a Yellow Wagtail we have not seen before.
A retired vet living near Smallicombe Farm surveys all our birdlife and puts up bird boxes in the spring to encourage new families.
Bird Identification sessions for adults and children at Seaton Wetlands over the winter. https://eastdevon.gov.uk/countryside/our-events/
I still use my bird spotting bible ‘A field Guide to the Birds or Britain and Europe’ by Peter Mountfort Hollom (that must be over 50 years old now!) that has travelled with me as far as The Antarctic, Greenland and Unst in The Shetlands. My bird spotting guide was very impressed as this is still known as the bird spotting bible!
I am having more time to look out the window as we are not busy. We were full of guests over October half term several of whom have booked again for next year. We are offering a 5% discount to guests booking short breaks in 2020 or 10% for weekly bookings made by the end of December – Smallicombe Special Offers