Sparrowhawks are nesting in our neighbour’s larch again. You can hear them halfway down the village. Is this why the smaller birds, for a second year running, are showing no interest in the bird boxes?

This doesn’t mean that there are no takers for the nesting accommodation. This morning a queen tree bee was prospecting the boxes above our front door. I waited in mounting suspense. Would she nest here? With that ginger thorax, dark brown abdomen, and generally relaxed personae, a tree bee colony would really welcome any visitors to the house in style.