- As described below, even though neighbouring counties are officially under drought conditions and we are under potential drought conditions (after the driest spring evvarrrr), I'm in a very privileged position at work, surrounded by forecasters - and am well aware at present, that like a few recent years, once again the Azores high has failed to build so far this year. This means the rain and wing bringing jetstream has once again moved south over southern UK and we are in for an extended period of unsettled weather - until that high pressure system builds over the Azores (not looking likely just yet).
- So.... the rain and wind we've had on and off for a week or so now and big-time today is bringing much relief to the local wildlife.
- Insects and more importantly, insect larvae are finally getting what they need - midges are hatching, sedgeflies and longhorn moths - caterpillars are doing well - and of course this is all good for the insectivorous birds, not to mention the worms and snails for the blackbirds, robins and thrushes (who have hardly had any molluscs or annelids to eat since March!)
- I walked round a local nature reserve at dawn yesterday and watched the newly-fledged tits make hay of all of sudden and the local sedge warblers do the same.
- I also was lucky enough to hear (and watch, AND get a photo of) a nightingale.
- 122 young black headed gulls were ringed by the local ringers on the nature reserve yesterday and this morning my walking pal and I were treated to the sight of four muntjac (and a fawn) at the same reserve on an early walk. Photo courtesy of Mr.T. (well done Pump!)
- A few words from me on the garden, rather than our incubating swifts...
- After the driest spring since records began and neighbouring counties have been given official (agricultural) drought status, its rained on and off here (ON all day today) for a week or so now.
- The garden has certainly appreciated the rain, even if I havent!
- The evening primrose has given us its first flowers, the sunflowers are doing well and the pond is not evaporating at all at present!
- The damsons and pears will get the moisture now they so desperately need to swell - maybe we will get a good fruit crop after all, this year.
- We have many tree bumblebees taking nectar from the bramble flowers in the rear and rear-rear gardens - I've not located their tree (or bird box) nest yet, but I'll keep searching.
- A huge foxglove has appeared in the garden (along with a good size clump of wheat again, like last year) - and the bumblebees seem to love this!
- At last I've finally seen a lone young woodpecker in the garden. A couple of days later than last year and on its own- no sibling, not even a parent feeding it. Very strange!
- The newts still dominate the pond - all sizes from tiny wee newts with gills, through mid size, orange-brown newts with shrivelled gills, gravid green females and small, lively leopard-headed males. All palmates still.
- A local fox bothered the hens this morning, I caught the tail-end of the action at ten-past five (am) this morning - the poor girls have had a bit of day - scared to buggery and back by a very inquistive fox at dawn and then rained on all day.... still.... no damage done yet - I'll probably keep them in all day this week, whilst I'm at home - and I've bricked up the bottom of the coop, so with any luck the fox'll not be able to dig itself into their run.
- Finally, I caught a new moth for the garden t'other night - a "beautiful hook tip". (Quite badly named in my opinion, unlike most other moths. Hook tipped it certainly is, brown, dull and distinctly un-beautiful (I'm afraid) it is too!)
