“Ramblings’ in Words, Wildlife, Woodland, Walk & Work”

Tuesday 3^rd April  - Loved the Rain we received , fantastic as it thrashed against the windows....filling up the Ponds and listening to all the trickles flowing in all directions.

'Common Dog-Violet' ~ Viola riviniana

Wednesday  4^th April  -  I presume most of Wales is receiving this Rainy-snow brought in by strong gusts......freezin brrrrr!   “What could be blown about the garden”, “Was”.......so tried to rescue them.

GOOD FRIDAY

Friday 6^th April  -  A very cold start to a bright early morning.

4.p.m  Some visitors have arrived in the paddock>>> 'Pheasants' info> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Common_Pheasant

EASTER  SUNDAY

Sometimes its good to stay in from outdoors, we then appreciate whats out there and just sometimes notice different  Wildlife antics.... 'looking out of window  ~  was raining......

Tuesday 10^th April  -  Weather is good, although a little rain at first but I've been outside to look at the Pond and it's Full, Whey...hey !

We're receiving the occasional peep from the Sun amongst light showers – so a definite good day as can dodge these spots!

Wednesday  11^th  April  - Even though we received rain, new life forms emerge and spring into action - two 'Blackbirds'  were competing their Notes of Joy !  almost like another World has opened it's corridor of lively, frisky species of every kind !

7.30 p.m  Good day by all....birds singing in tune and winter coats loosening - both horse/pony 'lazy-eyed' for sun-bathed days.

'Bracken' & our young 'Cockerel' with his lady

Thursday 12^th April  -  I should have been up sooner to greet the morning Sun it was streaming through the curtains and smiling all the way, because now grey drapes are floating.

12.29 p.m  A narrow slice of sunshine bathes the dining-room floor......”problem, Bird and dogs trying to share same patch”

7.28 p.m  A solitary ‘Blackbird’ was casually walking the lines within one of our vegetable patches,  late night snacking......picking and selecting the best as he combed the rows.

I had almost finished clearing some over hanging brambles into the lane, to make it easier for the vehicle to drive down,  when  three Male Great Tits squabbling and dog fighting in mid-air, this a way and that, then a tiny female watched from other side of a bush (almost like peeking.)....checking who won.

Friday 13^th April  -  A dry start to the day with good intentions of staying that way until later in the afternoon when we were busying ourselves with our animals, just typical :((   We had let 'Bracken' out of his paddock to join 'Jack' the horse who runs freely around the Woodland..........this is what happened......

Saturday 14^th April  -  Fine rain amongst a grey sky......love that rain !

We had a visitor at our house,  not long ago and he called 'Sneg' (vermin) -I said "he's Not, he's Sneg" horrible man:(Sneg has the cleanest home of all birds! and I was glad he didn’t stay long.

The ‘Blackbird’ was showing his authority standing on top of the Bird house whilst others of smaller size  protest from afar.........and within a few moments he’s flown off and the others can breath out with ‘stomachs stuck-out’.

‘Sneg’   He seems to have acquired a skipping action to zoom about the place.......he needs to when outside- up against steps etc.. although..now he has his very own ‘Run-way’.

Link>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUFTpYXqBSQ&feature=g-upl

Caught 'Sneg' with eyes half shut !

 Sunday 15^th April  -  Early rise but soon went back to the warm covers of the bed, it was grey and dull outside at 5.35a.m ...... the Sun shone it’s best at 8a.m

‘Speedy gonzales’, the second Male hanging around Woods darted upon a Female Pheasant only to be   beaten down by 'Blondie' - with a Sting in tail leaving a trail of dust.....and 'Blondie' with a limp.

This pheasant was skinny and lean looking but fast......only name that suits I guess but not strong enough to cope with Blondie...is named this because of the fair streak of colouring on top of his head.

Arrived back from a two mile walk along the road with  ‘Bracken’ to get him used to..... traffic... , we let him have some pickings of grass on the way back as a treat....he’d behaved marvellously and considering a ‘manatou’ took majority of the road up (a few small steps of panic but still well behaved.)  the drivers slowed right down....thankfully.

Monday 16^th April  -  As it’s such a beautiful morning ‘Sneg’ was keen to join in and so off he went down his ‘Pigeon Runway’ to his world of delightful friends.
As we’re  not out I’ve just asked ‘Chuckie’ to go on patrol for a few minutes whilst I write this paragraph, he’s wanting to come in now by barking quietly........I went out to steer ‘Sneg’ to the back door and he detoured off in another direction, “am going to grow longer arms” ha haaa.........arrived in with great speed and agility....phew ! (as above video)

Jelly-Ear Fungi

Link> http://www.rspbliverpool.org.uk/Fungi.htm  < I captured this Fungi on 11th May'12.

Spring arrived a little too early and now returned to the brrrrrrr with wood stove giving it's best..

Tuesday 17^th April  -  Had a tremendous storm last night, thought the roof was leaving us, horrifying and no sleepL ~ the morning has given us a peaceful silent breeze with a sparkle of sunshine.

Wednesday 18^th April  -  Little Hen died...:((  We had a little 'hen' she was so very friendly and then her years of 3 + told her 'slow down' its time for  shut-eye.  She passed away peacefully... We made a fuss of her, she wanted to be aloan and so put her in the stable where she enjoyed her last hours..died in 'Himself's' arms.......best place to of been for last moments.

@waterwytche "Its always a sad moment when your friends are gone"..reply...The new cockerel is her Son so she'll live on and on......thankfully and massive thanks to @woadworks @PermaGoddess  also for kind messages.

As they turn ‘Senior’ they should be taken away from the ‘Cockerel’ and left to enjoy what’s left of their life in peace.

'Coral Spot' fungi

Link > http://www.rspbliverpool.org.uk/Fungi.htm  < I captured this Fungi on 24th April'12

IN EVERY WALK WITH NATURE ONE RECEIVES FAR MORE THAN HE SEEKS !

Thursday 19^th April  -  Chronic weather changes.......freezing gusts blowing in :((  just hope the warm patch we recieved earlier this year wasn't it !

3.07 p.m  On way home in car,"is that your nose making that noise"? , I asked....to 'Himself' he says "No", "its the Birds outside".....my hearings gone AWOL ! :))

Friday 20^th April  -  Rain was heavy and the temperature of the bedroom was “oh so cold” brrr....I didn’t want to rise but knew I had to do the early breakfast.

I believe the planet has a virus and it's throwing everything it can at us, in different directions!

Link > http://news.discovery.com/earth/toulouse-tornado-touchdown-120430.html#mkcpgn=emnws1

Saturday 21^st April  -  The beginning of the day was dull and cold but by 10 ish a.m that special glow arrived.

11.46 a.m  decided to fix the fence that ‘Bracken’ had pushed over and trodden down into the mud, we are never without a job.

Whilst the other two were just finishing off, I took the ‘three legged welsh stool’  (that ‘Himself’ had made) and plonked it down beside an Oak tree.....where I could observe a ‘Female Nuthatch’ .  She entered her front door at 1.50p.m and by 2.45p.m had left.....perhaps sitting eggs?  Can’t imagine for one minute it was anything else at this time of year.

A late afternoon saunter for ‘Sneg’ until I notice the ‘Crows’ swooping down at him.......he quickly ran indoors.  We gave him a present today, a beautiful log to stand on.......and very pleased he is too.

EARTH DAY

Sunday 22^nd April  -  We have been given Rain and quite heavy - so the 'amphibians' will be happy!

Good job the back door was open this morning as ‘Himself’ heard ‘Sneg’ a-calling and sounded in distress......he was lying on his back with a large ‘Crow’ stood over him.....I had a feeling the ‘Corvids’ were up to something.....the past week they were circling the garden area....I just thought they were friends of the ‘Jackdaw’ we rescued last year and the grapevine had told them a message of kindness, sadly Not ! “They were after the large tit-bit Sneg” !!!

A trip to recycle is worth a forage around - old telly died and a carpet rolled-up in return to use on veg.patch......   I wondered where everyone had gone off to......., this helps to keep the weeds down.

3.10 p.m  Was sat outside taking in the gorgeous wildlife when a very small ‘Bee’ was looking for a home......there were a few with the same thing in mind.  I searched the internet for clues to whom they were... ‘Solitary Bees’  each one found an old screw hole in which to house itself on our old shed.......

'Red Mason Bee'

Link >  http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/news/2011/may/swarm-like-behaviour-of-red-mason-solitary-bees97553.html   & http://www.hedging.co.uk/acatalog/Mason_Bee_FAQ.html

Monday 23^rd April  -  It was dull with a fall of fine mist (rain) the kind that gets you very wet!

7.27 a.m  As our Son entered the kitchen, all dressed ready for School, he noticed a ‘Crow’.... he thought it to be a ‘Raven’ because of it’s size and as it took off to land on our other shed across to the other side of our garden......it’s ‘wing-span’ appeared vast!  And hid behind some tall shrubs that gave cover to watch over the bottom half of the garden.  The size of it’s beak must have been  frightening to a small ‘pigeon’, Sneg , as they could rip a bird to pieces in minutes! (Corvids tactics)

Arrived home 3.07 p.m  Been collecting fallen wood for wood stove, Ash but no willow this time.

Tuesday 24^th April  -  A little Sun later on....mid afternoon it warmed up until it rained heavy and by the time our Son and his friend were on their way to see ‘Bracken’ the heavens opened with  ‘Hail ’ for a good ten minutes! ‘Hail’ of every size came down......dangerous if walking or cycling.

Have been watching a pair of 'Nuthatches'  and  just maybe catch a glimpse of the fledglings....perhaps next week?

Whilst the Sun shone for it’s few moments the Wildlife also appeared in abundance, here’s one...Bombus Bee...

Think this is Bombus Pascuorum

Wednesday 25^th April  -  And the days seem to leave us speedily as we busy ourselves.....taken another photo this afternoon...Red Mason  (Osmia rufa) Solitary Bee. 

Thursday 26^th April  -  Wet wet wet.......

‘Himself’ had been to a ‘Horse Sale’ and telling us about the Auctioneer and this is what he said:  "well then, we'r gonna have to trip'em all up now price has shot op" ! (horse+rider slipped and got up o.k) phew! ‘Sold at unexpected high price’ ~ the tricks of selling.

Friday 27^th April  -  Looks like ‘rain’ for All the day........wildlife will be pleased.


Link > http://www.bumblebee.org/pasc.htm

When your Son's School bag is full of discarded sweet and sandwich wrappers, you know you've taught them Well *smiles.........x  When I was young my School blazer pockets were bursting to let them out, looked as though I'd grown wings until mum said "time to empty" .

BARLEY  SATURDAY

Saturday 28^th April  -  Barley Saturday and the weather has been kind to us, it’s DRY but still some
Wild west winds.....

Link to the 'Parade' of 'Stallions' >>  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0U1xmW2FMlo&feature=g-upl

It is a celebration of the end of the 'Spring' sowing season, barley being the last cereal to be sown after wheat and oats.  The Show began 1871 and by 1877 there are records of hundreds of horses parading around 'Victoria Gardens' Cardigan.

'Derwen' Cob ~ section C

Sunday disappeared......

Monday 30^th April  -  A biting wind as I trudge against it’s strong gusts to post a letter....phew thats cold brrrrr !  Cold  with biting gusts, icy cold thats painful against the skin :((

MAY

Tuesday 1^st May  -  Dark clouds had filled the sky and 7.08 a.m with the lights on........so dark and dismal!

By late afternoon around 5 p.m the Sun had shone a warm beam so ‘Sneg’ and I took a wander amongst those glows of delight!

After Tea the three of us trundled down to the Woodland where the ground was all squelchy under-foot,  where you slid and had to go steady........

I was most interested to see if the ‘Nuthatches’ were still going strong with their family developments “they were”!

Link >  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_bzW6X6tBaM&feature=g-upl

Wednesday 2^nd May  -  Woke up to a brilliant sky, so bright it streamed in through the curtains !

Today the Wildlife rejoiced with the early morn glows from the Sun and the Birds flew in pairs busying themselves .....creating New Life !

Thursday 3^rd May  -  Was Rain stop Play !

NUTHATCH  ~   Nuthatches collect various nuts and wedge them into tree bark or in holes in walls and will even cover secret larders with bark or moss.

Friday 4^th May  -  Wide awake this morning with the Sound of ‘Blackbird’ song and ready for lifes gifts of the day.   An early song of hope for the day ahead  as dawn awakes.....he never runs out of notes...........x  He was singing into the late hours.

Very much a family affair with the Nuthatches, Male helps out quite a bit , they both sit inside the box, with their pantry of food .  They also sense when it may rain and collect more food supplies for that moment, thats why their movements are less and speed-up during the dry.

Sunday 6^th May  -  We're still slipping and a sliding around in wellies but first light gave way to a good start, so cleaned out the three Hen huts and blocked-up a ‘Rats’ trail to the nest boxes (where eggs were being found with scratch marks on.)  ‘Ratty’ had been leaving evidence of feasting them next to the hen’s nest boxes.,  the eggs were too heavy to roll away.....as he had been doing and left a smelly mess.

Sycamore explosion !

Link> http://www.british-trees.com/treeguide/sycamores/nbnsys0000003191

Monday Bank Holls  ~   You know you've been 'Slimed' when it's running along side of thumb 'Sneg's' deposit....' yuck'

3.p.m  We've just arrived back from Woodland and it was certainly brisk out in the cold wind brrrrr !

Tuesday 8^th May  -  The Sun doth glisten amongst the dew dredged hedge, a ‘Spider’s’ web gently moves with the breeze to catch the colourful rays......And the ‘Blackbird’ sings his Songs all day long with perfect pitch., he never fails to give a splendid sound.

Wednesday 9^th May  -  The Sun peeped-out but only for a moment until........

 Rain rain all the way, across the land it's so widespread, a needy drink for all of nature's species !

Thurs went....know not where ?

Friday 10^th May  -  Blackbird singing his 'feathers-off' he thought no one was listening so he did a archhhkkk sound!

The afternoon was taken up by clearing our Son’s patch of land,.......a ‘north wind’ was thrusting it’s way through the trees, there was “no” escape!   I walked back to the camp to collect two other jackets ......with a scarf wrapped around my head.....,my ears were frozen stiff !

The strong chilling ‘North wind’  has 't o r n'  the 'apple blossom' this-way-and-that ~.......

“I don’t bother to get the camera out as a split second of neglect and I would have missed this memory of a ‘pair of Buzzards’ flying directly overhead....with the streams of sunshine showing off their full colour of feathers.

It’s nice to hear the natural sounds of ‘woodland’ acoustics..........the drilling of a ‘Woodpecker’ far off in the distance, the parents of ‘young birds’ communicating their messages, a chattering sound from the ‘Magpies’ from over by the ‘top field’ and the ‘Swallows’ choosing a place to live, who  ventured inside the ‘stable’.  This was a day packaged full of delights to remember.

By mid afternoon I could hear an unusual ‘sound’ but whether it was ‘wildlife’ based or human.....I whispered over to ‘Himself’ to lets go see ‘who’ this was.........’Ravens’ debating about a ‘dead rabbit’ in our ‘neighbouring’ field and who was going to carry it home? Link> http://news.discovery.com/animals/ravens-remember-you-120419.html  & http://www.bbc.co.uk/nature/life/Corvidae

ACTIVE  PARENTING

NUTHATCH  ~  The ‘Female’ adult communicates  with high pitch sounds  ~  more frequent ‘feeds’ this afternoon with three ‘Spring’ cleans!  During the time we spent here > arrived at 9.50a.m – we left at around 4.00ish p.m

On one occasion a dried ‘leaf’ was quite plainly  in the way of the entrance.....being very particular one of the ‘parents’ removed this fairly soon, whilst the other  had chosen to shake-off all pests and give an airing for itself, just outside the entrance.   I asked myself “why they chose a ‘nest box’ so close to our camp” ~ they can use you for ‘cover’ from ‘predators’.

     

Sunday 13^th May  -  And the day is a good start.........with the ‘Swallows’ viewing the possibilities of setting up home in the ‘Stable’, then one went through the other end of building and thought it could get through a ‘window’ and spanked itself twice.......it was o.k and flew immediately off with it’s mate and didn’t return (their choice was quite clear.)

I repotted twenty ‘Purple Sprouting Brocs’ and made paper discs from an old animal feed bag to prevent the ‘Root fly larvae’ attacking.....they can give you two hits, one in May and other in September.

3.01 p.m  Saw my first ‘Orange Tip Butterfly’ ~ was long gone before I had set the camera ready.

Returned home to a  ‘baby Sparrow’  lying on our path, just infront of our back door....... "didn't make it".....  

was very tiny and still wearing it's yolk - horrible to see., poor thing.

Monday 14^th May  -  Through the night it poured with rain, so the weather has changed for the worst but around 8.30a.m it altered for the better........The ‘Nest boxes’ attached to the trees filled by the silence of young families.... grim weather, then after about five minutes or so the ‘Sun’ appeared from nowhere and the day’s ‘activities’ of Life joined in.

Red tailed bumblebee ~ Bombus lapidarius

9.20 a.m The early morning Sunshine running along the ‘Rockery’ in our garden had convinced a huge ‘Queen Bee’ that this was going to be her home, she disappeared into a hole under a large log of oak ....fab!  B rupestris ...cuckoo bumblebee of B lapidarius. Link> http://www.bumblebee.org/lap.htm

These are all the lovely People that helped I.D this beautiful Bee: @BeeStrawbridge @Bombusbohemicus @RichardComont @Bombusbohemicus @SarahReesTV   @TWBC_Museum Many many thank you's for help,appreciate immensely.....x

looks like a 'worker'

A beautifully written Blog by Kate Bradbury 'Bee longing' Kate Bradbury is mesmerised by the solitary bees in her mum's front garden > http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/gardening-blog/2012/may/17/solitary-bees-wildlife-gardening?CMP=twt_gu  < not to be missed.

Bee ~ Surprising what you can get inside a camera .......

B rupestris Queen may come and go once she's established herself in nest...will be interesting for you to watch comings and goings! From @BeeStrawbridge

Am really excited now you've mentioned the 'comings and goings'

Tuesday 15^th May  -  A blustery day of mixed givings....rain....hail.....sunshine, what more could we want.

 Found lying on the Woodland floor,...... moments later it flew off..... a Red tailed bumblebee ~ If the temperature of the thorax falls below 30 ^oC the bumblebee cannot take off. 

 Info.> http://www.bumblebee.org/helpbees.htm  &  http://www.bumblebee.org/cuckoo.htm

Bees cannot afford to lose any energy, so on dull cold days have noticed their buzzing’s under the new grown brambles and nettles....until the ‘Sunshine’ appears and it’s all systems go !

On our return  home we had the pleasure of some ‘Goldfinch’




Link> http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/g/goldfinch/index.aspx

 10.34 a.m   I have a 'gathering' of little faces watching me eat my early lunch 'Sneg' Snooty and chuckie are hopeful *smiles..........x

Wednesday 16^th May  -  Although it was a bright sunny morning it was still quite cold.

Down in the ‘Wood’ mucking out the stable and the ‘celery’ that we repotted has a healthy out-look.....the celery we grew last year ( in our garden patch)  has regrown and tastes gorgeous! 

Quite cold in parts of the wood with the sounds of different insects and bees taking cover....until the warmth from the sunshine reappears and they all arrive at once! 

11.32 a.m    A ‘Woodlark’ calls out aloud.......sadly I couldn’t see this species......but I did see the ‘Mistle thrush’ today through the binoculars.....wonderful species and slightly larger than a ‘blackbird’.,  I love the way they bounce upon the ground, obviously to mimic the rain and encourage the worms to the surface for a snack.

Link> http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/m/mistlethrush/index.aspx  

&  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GXTInICn4dA

Woodlark >  http://www.rspb.org.uk/wildlife/birdguide/name/w/woodlark/index.aspx

1.45 p.m  A ‘Blue-tit’ flew against the window inside the stable and slid down into a thick mass of ‘cob-webs’  , poor wee thing was all  bedraggled and forlorn L(  “It knew it had made a complete ‘error’”.......and flew off onto a ‘sycamore tree’,  with it’s head bowed down.

We were collecting fallen logs for the stove at home and I heard a ‘Bee’ ....it was a ‘Red-tailed bumblebee’ buzzing amongst the banking, next to the road.

Around 4.30 p.m another ‘Red-tailed bumblebee’ arrived...then went and then arrived a second time on the ‘Cornflowers’.

The evening is still light so we take our ‘ramblings’ down in the Woodland ~ We enjoyed our time and  was good to see the Woodland 's wildlife's clock change around.

Thursday 17^th May  -  Another day of mixed skies but at just gone ten O'clock in the morning had already been and dug over a plot for the 'Purple Brocs'.

'Green Longhorn' day-time 'Fairy Moth'

Bye for now !



And many thanks for visiting

xXx