A number of you have expressed concern as to the woodpecker problem I wrote about before Christmas... so let me update you!

That persistent little bird hammered incessantly throughout the day for at least a couple of weeks. Ed left to travel back to the UK when I was at about screaming pitch with the helplessness I felt - being stuck in bed, unable to do anything to scare off my feathered torturer!

In the few days after Ed left and my parents arrived, a good friend of mine from church came to stay - true to form, at around 7am each morning we were both awakened by the drumming noise of beak against wood. Claire figured out that a firm banging on the wall near to where he was pecking seemed to scare him off - brilliant!

This worked for a few days, but each morning he would return and, after my parents had been here for a few days, the banging did little more than effect a brief pause in the hammering. It was not the answer. More drastic measures were needed!

My Dad went on the war path... with the HOSE! A stroke of genius! One powerful dousing into the hole and immediately that pesky bird flew out and away, looking bedraggled and shocked! To ensure victory, my Dad immediately climbed the stepladders (risking life and limb), armed with a piece of wood, a hammer and some nails... after a few minutes, the hole was secured - we waited over the next few days to see if our persistent feathered fiend would attempt to drill his way through this new wooden barrier - but to our great joy and relief, the woodpecker had met his match! He has not returned and we DO NOT miss him!