Awake and up all night

I love birds Gill. I have a Robin that comes right near my patio door. I have put some nuts out but the squirrels steal them. I am glad you love them too.

I live near a small nature reserve lake and the other day I saw a heron perching on a branch. Don't see them very often so was lucky. There's an owl box too. Saw an owl in it last year but empty now.

I would love to see a heron. You are so lucky.

We certainly do love, and squirrels too even though they can be right little devils! One once got through the open window and ran along the curtain pole, making an unholy racket until I eventually got him to go back out. I was pretty nervous as he had a right set of muscles on him - the Popeye of squirrels. Our nut holder is fairly high up, but I've seen them swinging off that too. Little monkeys xxx

Fab photo Julie! Close up, herons look prehistoric - definitely descendants of dinosaurs xxx

I like to think it's my sister who I cared for before she died. I think she is visiting me.

My garden robin or the robin I see on my walk to work (hops out of a hedge to wish me s good day!) is my mum xx

So sorry to hear about your sister my lovely, but that's how we feel about mam when we see robins. It brings comfort and I always say hello when I see them. They're such sweet little birds xxx

Thank you kind Gill.

So do cormorants. There is a tree next to a largish landscaped lake in the grounds of a local stately house. It often had a cormorant perched at the top, wings outstretched in the sun. The tree was not very healthy. When a storm flattened it, the cormorants still visited but must have found a perch elsewhere. A pair of herons have nested near the water some years. They are handsome but brutal birds. I watched in horror as one consumed the contents of a coot's nest. Since then, coots have stayed away. Also, a swan lined up to land on the water, closely overflying my car. It was an incredible sight. A bit like a 747 coming in to Heathrow.  As for my garden birds, it's mainly fat pigeons at the moment but magpies and jackdaws make brief appearances. Where have all the chaffinches gone? Haven't seen one in years.