The Wanderers Return

When I tried to do the Big Garden Birdwatch at the weekend the only birds that deigned to appear were the scavengers - crows, jackdaws, woodpigeons and starlings, none of the more interesting or attractive species that are normally in abundance.

Today, in pouring rain, who should turn up but four goldfinches, a siskin, a pair of robins, three blackbirds along with the usual blue, great and coal tits. How do they know when it is safe to return to the feeders?

Many apologies for lack of commenting recently, the computer has been tied up with holiday plan research.