Swift Half update - 7th November 2010

• The lull before this week's storms (the first tomorrow morning, the second on thursday), with sunny, still skies today.


• Took the opportunity to sit in the garden hide and watch our jays, woodpeckers and robins.

Swift Half update - 12th September 2010

• Firstly the bad news. The caterpillar (that I thought was a red admiral in the wrong place) that started to pupate on our big shed has been "broken into" by a wasp I expect and eaten. The chrysalis is still there - but has a hole in it and is empty. Sad, but there you are.
• Plenty of migrant hawkers and common darters, field grasshoppers and spider-hunting wasps in and around the garden still.
• The leaves on the trees (especially the damson trees) are yellowing quickly and falling in the blustery winds.
• Pears beginning to rot on the large pear tree (I'll have to rescue the still-edible ones now. We tested (by tasting) one t'other night and it was very nice indeed!
• Two woodmice still under the corrugated iron.
• Newts (and frogs) still in pond after I gave it a little TLC (blanket weed removal) yesterday.
• Hawks still apparent and a nice large dark buzzard flew low over the house this morning -always nice to see. Fewer kites at present though (always seems to be the way at this time of year, when I assume they follow the tractors round farmers fields at grass cutting / harvesting time).
• Jays still coming for their monkey nuts - I'll turn up the volume on that project in October.

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.

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...