Swift half news - 30th April 2010

• No swift egg in the roof yet - Anna and I have had a little wager on this - I predict May 4th and Anna says May 6th will produce first egg. Anna may be closer to the mark looking at the weather forecast for this weekend!
• My red mason bees are incredibly busy filling the bee-post holes with bright yellow pollen, laying eggs and bricking the drilled holes up with mud (lifted from our watered potato patch!) One hole has already been sealed by a red mason bee, three others are stained bright yellow inside and I guess will be sealed soon enough (complete with egg). Slightly worried about the torrential showers forecast for this saturday evening - I'll have to make sure the bee posts are sheltered.
• Very low, pale buzzard over the garden this afternoon, mobbed by the sentry crows of course.
• Male blackcap (warbler) in the garden yesterday.
• No damselflies seen as yet - very late now!
• The hen blackbird is back on the nest in the honeysuckle! I'll have a peep over the long bank holiday weekend to see if she's laid more eggs (2 at last count a few days ago - after I thought she'd abandoned).
• First Brimstone moth (photo of a brimstone moth at our old gaff) appeared at kitchen window tonight (didn't even set moth trap up!)

Swift half news - 29th April 2010

• You might have noticed that in my introduction to this (my) new blog, at the start of April, I suggested I'd post quite infrequently - but whilst my favourite birds of all are back with us (our swifts), I'll probably post every day. They're here for about twelve weeks - that's all.
• Great news for this blog today - I have connected the Handykam Swift Cam (click on any handykam flashing label on this page to visit their site) via a Gardenature USB connector to the PC - and from today, 28th April 2o10, I can feed live footage of our swift space in the roof of our house "Swift Half", to anyone that's running a computer that has the capacity to handle live webcam footage, and isn't blocked by firewalls (at work for example!) This webstream can be seen at the top of the blog's front page.
• Regarding the web feed - I am limited to ten viewers at any one time and also limited by the fact that I have to have the computer on to broadcast. It's a free service, so I guess thats fair. BUT. If you see an "offline" still- it either means I've turned the computer off, or there are already ten viewers around the world, watching the webstream.
• At present, there is generally only one swift in the space at any one time, we think the female, but two are around (we hope a pair).
• Very often, the swift(s) are hunting constantly during the day - please remember these birds are virtually unique amongst birds - they are flying machines - built to fly and not much else. They do everything on the wing - sleep (when not breeding), mate, preen, drink, catch prey and even catch and bring feathers and grass in the air, on the wing and bring it back to the nest site. The only time you will ever see a swift land is when it is breeding. Very often a young male, upon fledging, will spend it's first two YEARS on the wing - and not land ONCE in that time. Their latin name, Apus apus, quite literally means "No foot. No foot" They do have feet of course, but their legs are incredibly short and they are pretty inept at walking. Our British swifts are all chocolate brown in colour, with a white patch under their beaks. Quite incredible are swifts - and thats why I find them fascinating.
• As for our footage - generally there is always a swift in the roof space between 20:30 at night and 07:30 in the morning. Quite a lot of preening and sleeping, and not much else right now, but Anna and I are very hopeful we will get an egg or two before too long.
• Swifts generally have 2 or 3 eggs, and until then, almost all footage of swifts in the roof space will be at night (UK time). Once (if?!) eggs are laid, then it all changes, and both parents (if both are still alive) will incubate and also both will bring food to the chicks regularly, should the eggs hatch.
• This food is pure and simple mashed up insects, caught on the wing (of course) and rolled into a "bolus" in the parents' swollen crops. If this occurs, you might well notice their white chins (crops) bulging with flies and beetles, brought in for the young. Swifts catch thousands and thousands (maybe 10,000+) insects a day.
• This is all speculation however (as far as our swifts are concerned) - as some viewers to this site might know, I found a dead adult swift and an unhatched egg in the roof space during the winter - last year (and the two years before) were not good for our swifts in the UK -and combine the poor weather with the lack of nest sites (we like our houses to be neat and tidy these days - no gaps under the roof etc...) and its fair to say that our British swifts are in REAL trouble.
• You can also watch our swift cam on camstreams live (see "my links" on the RHS of this page or click HERE).
• Today? Well - at least one of the swifts has caught two small fluffy pigeon down feathers in mid air of course and brought them into the nest. The female (probably) might glue these together with a little swift saliva to form a, cough, nest. Hem. There was a swift in the space when I started broadcasting live at 5pm tonight (UK time), but I think they're hunting again now. Its pretty humid here tonight, I guess the insects are out in force for them. EDIT - One swift (the female I hope) returned to the roof at 7:30pm. It has an hour or so of light still today, so may disappear for a while before settling down for the night - watch to see...
• Well anyway - Anna and I hope you enjoy our live swift footage at "Swift Half", and we hope even more that we have a successful swift year.

Swift half news - 28th April 2010

• I'm convinced the bird (swift) in the roof space at present is the female, quite literally feathering her nest -I watched her carry a feather in to the nest at about 1800hrs tonight and arrange it on the upturned carpet bed! Not the best nest-builders, swifts!
• Will we have eggs soon - I think so!
• I have bought a camera-computer USB video grabber and am investigating streaming sites - I hope to have a live feed to the world wide tinterweb maybe as early as this weekend, for any interested swift-fans to watch our swift(s?) at their leisure and indeed, pleasure...
• Watch this space...
• As for other nests - there are two eggs in the dumb blackird's nest (in the honeysuckle on the shed). I'm not sure if she's even carried on with that, with the spostles around... aw well, time will tell.

General (county) news - 28th April 2010

• I've been told my bluebell wood (on the Berks / Bucks border) has exploded this week so I'll be off there at the weekend for the annual bluebell pilgrimage. This is of course if the weather holds up (or improves by then anyway - we're due at least two cold, wet and windy days before bank holiday monday I hear).
• Mandarin drake on the Thames again at Caversham.
• Great Crested Grebe eggs have hatched on view island, Reading.
• Black Swan eggs also hatched - four cygnets. Awaiting second pair's eggs to hatch now.
• First ducklings and goslings on Thames now.
• First common tern back over Caversham weir.

Swift half news - 27th April 2010

• Day 4 of occupation of our roof by the lone swift and..... I think he's found a mate!


• This evening I watched two swifts courting (well... not fight anyway) in the skies above the house and as I type, one has gone in and I think (she?) is starting to arrange the grass strands in the space - mixed in with a little swift saliva.


• I think (she?) looks sleeker and prettier than (him?) also -but I may be wrong here.


• Anyhoo - there are definitely two swifts interested in the space now, and if I was a gambling man, I'd put money on the female now occupying the space.


• I'm recording constantly now (its tea-time for me and my mate) so I'll see soon enough if I was right I guess...


• Other news - Malu caught a holly blue butterfly today and I wrestled it off him before he could eat that too...


• Another queen tree bumblebee in honeysuckle this afternoon also.


• Full moon tonight -sometimes known as the egg moon or seed moon or growing moon in the UK in April...

Swift half news - 26th April 2010

• Still no obvious "other half" to our roosting (male?) swift, although for the first time this afternoon I did see (and hear) five (other?) swifts high over the garden, coming in from the south. I guess we're still not even in May yet, so there's time.
• The swift leaves the roof at around 07:15am each morning and returns briefly to the roost late in the afternoon to make sure all is ok - then finally returns to bed down for the night at 20:24pm (tonight).
• Took the tiles out of the pond today and found lots of caddis fly larvae (which had constructed little homes from vegetation (like hermit crabs)).
• Also found a leech - but I'm not sure where the tadpoles are?

Swift half news - 25th April 2010

• Went for a long drive at dawn this morning to give my little car's battery a boost and as soon as I turned her over, the heavens opened for the first time in about a month. We desperately need the rain - I have a feeling April 2010 may go down as the second dryest for a long time (I'm pretty sure April 2007 was the record-breaker - if I remember correctly, we didn't see a cloud for 4 weeks here in central England and the daytime temperature was always around 21c).


• Pear blossom almost over.


• Damson blossom over.


• 11 mason bees in my bee post (including two blue mason bees - male and female).


• Blackbird determined to nest in our honeysuckle, despite both Yala and Malu (our kittens) watching her every move - I'm afraid that nest is almost certainly doomed.


• Damson trees with good leaf growth now.


• I haven't mentioned it yet I don't think, but our robins abandoned their shed nest some time ago (the cats put them off I think) and also their front garden nest I think -sensible robins - they'll find somewhere safer to nest I'm sure.


• I will try to get the video from the swift space in the roof connected to the computer (rather than our portable tv) so any interested parties can watch our swifts 24 hours a day if they so wish. This may take a little time for this technophobe, but please watch this space and be patient!

Swift half news - 24th April 2010

• OUR SWIFTS ARE BACK AT "SWIFT HALF"!
• We have a roosting swift, called in by my phone in our roof - came home today.
• Live footage via a camera in its nest space is beamed onto out tv.
• Now I've got to work out how to rig it up to the computer and put this live feed on the web!
• Anna and I are VERY happy!
• Click HERE to find out more about the lives of British swifts (in Oxford).
• Click HERE to visit the most comprehensive "swift website".

General (county) news - 20th April 2010

• Airspace over UK opened again for the first time in over 5days. I saw 4 planes this afternoon!
• I know a lone swift (my favourite bird of all) was reported in Berkshire yesterday, so my eyes and ears (?!) are peeled now for the homecoming!
• My sister let me know today that the swifts are in Paris and have been for a day
• A pal from Jersey also told me today that he saw three swifts pass through the island today.
• I am ready...

• NB. A friend of mine in Ireland has sent me a link today (after airspace was tentatively opened over the UK again) to watch live plane radar on the web. The site is a little slow, but I thoroughly recommend it. Click HERE or use the 24hr flight radar (live) link in my "general interest links" to the right of this page.

Swift half news - 19th April 2010

• Hedgehogs (a pair!) in Swift Half back garden - for the first time (that I've seen) this year, tonight.
• Rain for first time in about three weeks tonight - almost stormy briefly and quite humid - the rain only lasted 20 minutes or so though and I hear we're in for another sunny, warm week, with the wind shifting to a southerly after mid week, blowing away the volcanic dust I hope!
• The humidity has brought the male palmate newts out of the pond n all. I found one strolling across the patio (in the pitch black), getting followed by our Yala (female tabby kitten). zzz (A shot of one of last year's palmate newts).

Swift half news - 18th April 2010

• Woodpigeon nest found in ivy-clad tree in garden - with young. This was the nest the local female hawk was checking out a few days ago.
• Jays have started taking nesting material to a fir tree within view of the garden.
• Even though swallows have been in the county for exactly a month now (in small numbers) -FIVE passed through the garden this afternoon, all from the southeast.
• Male and female hawk aerial courting above the garden this afternoon.
• Another tree bumblebee spotted today - checking out the chicken coop. NOT a good place for a bumblebee nest!
• Glorious weather over this weekend - pretty well unbroken sunshine and two hot air balloons over the garden tonight.

General (county) news - 17th April 2010

• Barn owls have left their local winter fork in tree in the last 5 weeks (all I have to show for their presence over the winter is a big owl pellet!) I hope they have found a nesting place (or box) nearby to breed this year. I shall keep my eyes peeled.
• Fox cubs at Pumpkin's house (next door but one) have showed themselves above ground for the first time today (2 cubs) in glorious unbroken sunshine.

Swift half news - 17th April 2010

• Orange tip butterfly in garden for first time this year.
• Also speckled wood butterfly first of year (Malu caught and ate that one...)
• New bee post drilled - immediately taken to by red mason bees.

Swift half news - 16th April 2010

• What a wonderful two weeks of weather we've had for all the kids (and teachers) on holiday- 'though I hear it's due to get a lot colder next week
• Early grey moth on kitchen window at dawn this morning (likes honeysuckle allegedly).
• Unidentified blue butterfly (common blue I assume) in garden this afternoon.
• Jays attacking blackbird's nest in rear ivy yesterday.
• UK spends second day as a "no-fly zone" due to a volcano erupting in Iceland and putting up a vast plume of pumice at 18,ooo feet. We are due spectacular sunrises/sunsets I hear - though I've not seen owt yet...

Swift half news - 12th April 2010

Stop press!

• Last night I removed a queen bee from our bedroom curtains for Anna, and immediately knew I'd not seen the species before.
• Upon looking it up on the web today, I am utterly convinced it was a queen TREE BUMBLEBEE!
• Looks like they're in the news also.
• I just wish I'd taken a photo!

Swift half news - 11th April 2010

• Bee-flies appear in territorial flights above patio
• BLUE MASON BEES (my favourites!) return to bee post
• 7-spot and 14-spot ladybirds mating in garden undergrowth
• Early mining bees (Andrena hameorrhoa) mining nests in lawn
• Buzzards overhead on thermals

I do hope the swifts make it back to their nest (video camera still in place). If they do make it back, it will be between two and three weeks from now, thats all...

Swift half news - 10th April 2010

• Damson blossom appears on our garden trees this week
• Marsh marigold blooms appear in pond
• Cuckoo bees find honeysuckle leaves this week
• Red Mason bees investigating shed and walls
• Tadpoles have hatched, but not very active
• Robins have deserted shed nest (thanks to cats probably) and now nesting in front garden
• Heron visiting most days to be mobbed by local crows
• Potatoes planted today in rear (rear) garden
• First mow of lawn today
• First bat of year seen today at 05:30am
• Cutlery finally lays an egg with a shell after two weeks of no-shelled eggs!
• After a week of warm, sunny weather, moth trap set up for first time this year, tonight.

General (county) news

• Bluebells not in flower yet (2 weeks away?) but foliage thickly covering local woods.
• Toads back to breeding ponds (they've crossed their roads etc...).
• Most hirundines back in UK (but waiting on swifts - 3 weeks?).
• Many birds (blackbirds, mallards etc...) sitting on eggs already.
• Local Barn Owls still not in breeding hole(s).
• Weather very unsettled still.

Swift half news

• Robins still intent on nesting in shed, despite attention from our kittens.
• Two male woodpeckers and one female fighting in garden - interesting to note that the male woodpecker with the larger, brighter red flash on his nape always comes out on top in his fights with the male with the smaller, duller flash.
• Long-tailed tits nesting in neighbours garden.
• Palmate and Smooth newts active in pond.
• Frogspawn still frogspawn (no tadpoles yet).
• First pondskaters of year in pond.
• No activity in swift nesting space in roof, not even from sparrows / blue tits.
• Daffodils finally up -and visited by feather-footed flower bees.
• Kittens eating tawny mining bees and FFF bees in garden.
• No sign of local foxes presently.
• First butterfly (peacock) and tree buds appeared last week.

Photo of the month (Mar 2010)

Click photo to see larger sizes in FLICKR

Photo of the month (Feb 2010)

Click photo to see larger sizes in FLICKR

Photo of the month (Jan 2010)

Click on photo to see larger sizes in FLICKR

Introduction part two

The basic site is up and running now with most links, badges and widgets in place.

• To visit my flickr site (and see all my photos) use the visitors link to the right.
• To preview &./or buy one of my books, use the badges at the foot of this page
• To view my commended photo in last years BWPA awards, use the visitors link
• To view and buy handykam products (all my nestbox and garden cameras come from this wonderful family company) click the affiliated badge
• To view my youtube channel (which I will start adding to again) click the large badge at the foot of this page.

• Please use the general links - I use many of them myself - for example BWARS and the spider ID site are second to none in my opinion.

• Still to come - a live feed of any swift nesting activity at our house "Swift Half" (May 2010 onwards), guestbook, brief TBR news and photo of the month (linked to Flickr).

Thanks.

TBR (Doug Mackenzie Dodds).

Introduction

I have set up a very basic blog to enable me to publicise my wildlife & photography activity in a simple to use, one stop fashion.

Some visitors might remember my old blog - "BLUE GREY".
This blog will differ from that as there will be no regular posting, just the odd bit of current TBR news (be it photography or wildlife-based) and a series of easy to use links.
These links will be to my regular websites and sites that any followers of TBR might like to use - i.e. a link to my flickr site (for all my photographs), a link to my flickr profile (from there visitors can visit my blurb book site to preview and purchase any of my books), a guestbook for visitors and eventually (with luck) a link to any wildlife camera I have online at Swift Half.

This blog is currently under construction.

Thanks, TBR.