Haven't updated for a bit not least because our phones and broadband have been out for 2 weeks. Someone stole the cables running into the village and they've had to re-wire 3,000 homes. After neighbours had been back on for a few days we had several frustrating conversations with BT (Delhi branch) - " oh somebody stole your copper wires ? - we get engineer to house in 4 days " - aargh !
The past few weekends have been taken up with a Jubilee party, Hannah in Athletics, Mowing ! and trying to grow the vegetables, in weather that was exceptionally wet, then exceptionally hot and dry then cold very windy and wet - nothing unusual then.
I managed just a couple of local early morning bird walks including just up the road to Stanley Common, which was alive with
Chiffchaffs, Willow Warbler, Blackcap, Garden Warbler, 4 singing
Redstarts, a
Tree Pipit, and a pair of
Spotted Flycatcher.
The garden has been a flurry of activity with breeding birds (The ducks are sitting on 17 eggs between them ! - due next weekend). At least 3 pairs of
Blue Tits including one using the lamppost. A
Great Tit pair in the barn, 4 different
Blackbird pairs, 2
Song Thrush pairs, a
Dunnock threesome, at least one
Robin, Goldfinch and
Greenfinch pair, a
Wren nest in the garage and sightings of
Blackcap, Chiffchaff, Firecrest which may or may not indicate breeding. Fledged success on the other hand has been harder to come by as the weather has affected both food and the young birds chances. There have been plenty of other sightings, A
Whitethroat spent a weekend singing around the stables
Swifts, House Martins and the occasional
Swallow grace the skies, a
Cuckoo continued to be heard until the end of the month with a couple of flyby sightings, the
Tawny Owl is occasionally given away by the smaller birds and
Buzzards, Kestrel and
Sparrowhawk can be seen on most clear days and a group of 20 Crossbills flew over on the 4th.
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| Fresh Lamb ! |
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| Shame this Roe Deer jumped out of the frame |
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| Common Buzzard |
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| Despite a couple of inspections no Swallows have taken up the offer of accommodation. |
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| Wren |
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| Hiding - no one can see me. |
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| Mowing paths in the fields is easier than the whole field and the wildlife likes it. |
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| Wood Mouse from the kitchen window |
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| At least this jay was eating peanuts rather than young birds |
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| Badgers still appearing nightly |
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