The Monterey pines were for many years the site of a rookery. A number of robin territories were present in the garden; the breeding season boundaries plotted using red wool "male substitutes" with careful observation of the defending males. Thrush "anvils" were mostly present on larger stones bordering the front drive and starlings were a frequent visitor to the raspberry beds and to the thatch, stealing straw for their nests. This necessitated the use of chicken-wire to protect the thatch. Wrens were common, often lining their nests with the fur from the family pet, a long haired silver Persian cat. Blackbirds are common and redwings ("Turdus iliacus") are an occasional visitor.