However, no one should under estimate the resourcefulness of the corvid family – as when I looked this morning we had three immature jays hanging from the main post and merrily pecking away at the balls. We have at least eight of these ‘shy denizens of the woodlands’ at the moment and they can get through a helping of balls in a morning that would take the tits at least a week to demolish.

I do like to see them (even though they ate a load of my cherries) but they and all their friends are eating us out of house and home – our bill for all the seeds and nuts would need to be seen to be believed.