Swift half news - 6th May 2010

• Last night both swifts spent the entire night in the roof space and this afternoon, both came back for 30 minutes or so, but as I type this, only one is in the roof. I trust the other is around and ok - the only things that can take a swift are the weather (no food) or a hobby (pretty well the swift's only predator). EDIT (20:56) BOTH swifts back now...
• Talking of birds of prey, this afternoon provided a three species bird of prey afternoon from the back garden at "Swift half" - with kites, a female sparrowhawk and a male kestrel all seen within one hour.
• A new addition to the birdtable - one of the local jackdaws had a go at the monkey nuts - must have learned that trick off the jays (which the nuts were successfully, originally put out for).
• Had to drag Malu off the blackbird's nest in the honeysuckle this evening - the hen is still sitting on four eggs - Malu will get them in the end - I still think thats pretty well inevitable.
• Anna (6th May) and I (4th May) both wrong with timing of first swift egg then -no swift eggs in space as yet!
• No odonates (especially damselflies) over pond yet - incredibly late this year.

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...