A Passing Visitor

In our previous residence we were besieged by pigeons – those town pigeons, feral pigeons, which the RSPB call Rock Doves which sounds much nicer than they are.  We ended up putting spikes on our window sills.

Today we thought we might be able to add species number 41 to our bird list when our first pigeon (not counting Wood Pigeons) was sighted.  It seemed to want to take up residence with the young hens.  Closer examination showed a leg-ring and it was clear it was a slightly confused racing pigeon.  It was obviously in search of love and corn.

Details have been lodged with the RPRA.

Meanwhile, the insert for the woodland structure is taking shape

….

….

some chicks are getting very big

Bird Life

Having a visit from our totally qualified and certified bird handler today we were able to take a peep at the content of some of our nestboxes.  Blue Tit and Flycatcher chicks:

The Flycatcher continues to be a bold and fascinating presence on the plot

Today he was witnessed exhibiting an interesting behaviour – peeping into Blue Tit nests

There is research on this – it is thought that is a migrant incomer he has not quite got his finger on the pulse of current gossip: state of food supplies, recent temperatures, and inspects other nests to see if it might be time to lay some eggs.

The Robins have been spending all their time trying to keep fledglings satisfied

Back and forth to the mealworm feeder making beelines back to the offspring.

Some birds are less shy

Plot Life

Life around the plot yesterday

and today

Down at the bottom of the wood today…

…a structure was taking form:

 

Springwatched

Springwatched (IRL)

Give and Take

Give…

Tonight’s guinea pig dinner:

and Take…

This morning’s breakfast (not two eggs but a double yolker – Flora?)

Green shoots; fresh ideas

The resown field is pushing up green shoots

and green shoots also emerging in our minds as we make the second inspirational visit of the week.  Today 80 miles south to relations – out of touch for ever until a common motivation brings us back together.  Spending time with  people who have been ploughing the furrow ahead of us is so heartening – we see hugelkulture beds and learn about infrared heating plus seeing more cockerels than should ever be in the same place at the same time.  Drive home brimming with new ideas.

and why was a frog in our kitchen?

Looking after the land – the land looking after us

Today we were inspired by visiting some neighbours.  A retired couple – what do you do? Obvious. Buy up 43 acres of neglected farmland and manage  and care for it to let animals and plants thrive and expand. Now more bird, plant and tree species than you could imagine, the only located Goosander nest in Montgomeryshire, and visiting naturalists saying this is the best natural environment outside the Shetlands.  She leaps in her digger to carve out drainage channels; he will plant out hundreds of saplings to contour the woodland.

Our three and a half acres is less than a tenth of their custodianship but I trust the motivation is the same.

Sexing chickens

OK, we need your help – or if you think you have no skills in this area we need your predictions.

The eggs hatch, the chicks are chicks, and then they start turning into grown-up chickens. But at what point can you tell if they will be hen or cockerel?

With this lot we have mixed hopes. Normally people want hens but we got the Speckled Sussex eggs as we want a cockerel and think this variety are friendly! We also have French Morans and one Australorp.

So have a close look at these pictures

and make your predictions here

Ah, this is more like May

The A-road down in the valley is teeming with Bank Holiday traffic – caravans, roof boxes – people zooming off to somewhere they would rather be.  It is easy for us; we are already here.

The first day May feels properly like May

The owl is moved on by blackbirds, leaving behind one feather

and the house-bound look on with envy