I walked down to Pickerings Pasture today, the 13th February 2009, around 11am, to rub lard on the trees near the hide and push bird seed into it, to feed the birds. It was a quiet, calm and dry winter morning. I applied the lard and seed and within minutes the area was alive with greenfinch, chaffinch, blue tits and great tits taking seed from the tree trunks and dunnock, robins and blackbirds taking the dropping bits from the ground. Then a greater spotted woodpecker arrived, moving round a tree and taking it's time to pick at the seed that was clinging to the lard.

Some members of the FoPP have a very wide knowledge and experience of bird spotting. Others, like myself, know and recognize a lot less. I learn to recognize a few more birds each year and just enjoy the watching and learning. There is always plenty to see at Pickerings Pasture. I especially love getting a glimpse of a woodpecker near the hide or a kingfisher on the hide pond. Wander along and give it a go yourself. Binoculars are an advantage.

The task of topping up the feeders at Pickerings is shared by the members of the FoPP. Spreading lard on some of the trees and pushing bird seed into it has been particularly successful for us and the wild bird population too. In the past we have had a lot of shop bought feeders stolen and, at the moment, we are having a problem with one or two grey squirrels destroying feeders we have made, to get at the food. Donations of feeders or wild bird food is always welcome and we would love to find a sponsor to help us with the expense of bird feeding. Do feel free to leave wild bird food or suitable scraps at either of the two feeding sites. Many thanks to those who already do this.