- Last night I came home from work to find a fledgling blackbird in the sitting room. It may have been brought in through the catflap by Malu (or male kitten/cat) or more likely fell down the chimney - the daft get. Anyway - I got it outside ok, only for it to be hit by a bus. (Only joking).
- Talking of fledglings - this morning, the first (and possibly the last again like last year?) fledgling woodpecker left the nest. Last year we had one young woodpecker (strange as woodpeckers have four or so eggs normally) arrive on June 9th - - this year it was one day early. I think there may be one more to come, as the adult male took a large lump of woodpecker bait back to the nest late this afternoon. We'll see.
- What is for sure is like last year, the female and the fledgling woodpecker are very cautious of the adult male - seems such a shame after all the hard work he put in during the time that the chick(s) were in the nest.
- Heavy rain last night and a few heavy showers today should help the damsons, pears, blackberries, raspberries and strawberries in the garden!
- As for the swifts - well the female is sitting tight on the chick(s). The male is bringing in food, but with all this rain around, its not ideal for the little swiflets. Should improve as the week goes on I hope.
- Anna and I made 12 litres of elderflower champagne (from the elder tree in the garden) at the back end of last week, and after a little yeast added yesterday - its time to bottle it tomorrow!
- A belter of a day with the large red damselflies emerging (the nymphs climbing up the (pond) water soldier plants and in 5 minutes or so, splitting along their backs to reveal an adult damselfly. A lot of fun to watch, if slightly "other worldly".
- The Swifts are still incubating two (from three) eggs, and in this very warm, sunny weather, can be seen panting in the roof space. I think the heat did for them last year, so I've still got my fingers crossed it doesn't get too hot this year - mid 20s should be fine though - we don't want another re-run of 2007 or 2008 where we got rain all summer!
- Plenty of elderflowers out on our tree - so Anna and I will make some elderflower champagne tomorrow - to be quaffed in July.
- Quite a bit of moth activity at night (knowledge gleaned from the trap). In the last few days I've caught a "Marbled Minor", plenty of "Heart and Darts", a few "Setaceous Hebrew Characters", a "Small Magpie" a "Waved Umber", a few "Spectacles" and a few "Treble Lines"- not to mention a few ichneumon wasps.
- Talking of parasitic wasps or bees - managed to get a half-decent shot of a very sorry-looking "Nomada bee" the other day - an insect that I've always had difficulty in photographing...
- All our chive flowers are out, and all twenty-one potato plants are trying to flower...
- Hawks are busy in the hood - watched the female kill and carry off a small passerine the other day (photo on flickr).
- This weather is due to be good until sunday. Be warned grapple fans...
