Today I had to mow ! - So in between ferrying the girls around I tackled the grass, the rain had turned the lawns back into meadows. I got up early enough to go for a quick walk before the family surfaced and the day certainly started bright but cold - about 4c !.
I walked to the furnace pond where 2 drake Mandarins were on the far side and there was plenty of bird song with the Chiffchaff and Blackcap territories being firmly set in place. At least 3 pairs of Bullfinches were seen along the way a party of 8 Crossbill and a singing Firecrest and a couple of Swallows, then a Turtle Dove flew past - the first I've seen this year and a good bird locally as I wasn't sure whether there would be any in the area. On my return route a Cuckoo was visible calling loudly and flying high amongst the trees and a small area of scrub held 3 singing Garden Warblers and 2 Whitethroat.
Sunday was spent pottering around the garden. We've decided we need to fence the area around the house to keep the Deer out as we want to start doing some of the garden but the Bambi's munch everything. I've chanced some vegetables and my Broad Beans are just showing their heads, but I know as soon as they get a bit of height they will be a midnight snack for the Roe Deer. Badgers are still making a nightly appearance, at least 3 calling Tawny Owls are around, one of which I saw briefly this week when I flushed it. There was also a sizeable group of hirundines over the garden on Friday evening with Swifts, Swallows, House Martin and even a couple of Sand Martin.
Given the stables we've inherited with the house have no chance of seeing a horse (both Hannah and I are allergic to horses !!!) I've strategically left all the stable doors open to see if I can tempt a Swallow to investigate for a possible home ! - I imagine if it hasn't happened by the end of May then I'll be out of luck for this year - but worth a try.
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