Saturday 22 April 2017

Saturday 22nd April 2017

A very warm and sunny day, temp' reaching 20c this afternoon.
Day spent organising the garden to make life easier for Lorna next week. Water butts topped up, mower charged etc.
           Looked at 4728 trail camera images of the fox family. Retained over 300 images showing how the parents bring up four cubs in a busy garden. Amazing images, will miss all this next week.

Friday 21st April 2017

Slightly chilly but otherwise a good day.
Day spent at Greys Court near Henley with Janet and Colin.
Such a gem of a place and so close to home, why had I not visited before. The bluebell walk through the woods are the best I have ever seen. Superb.
Back home in time to see the fox family out on the decking. What charmers they are, some fantastic photographs.

Thursday 20 April 2017

Thursday 20th April 2017

Very little sun but a mild day.
Squirrels causing havoc with all the plant pots of shrubs or roses. Cut circles of chicken wire for all the pots today. 
Garden now already for Lorna to take over while I am out of action.
            Fox cubs now being taken out of the garden presumably to teach them how to forage. All had returned to the decking home but 8.30pm.
Will move the trail cameras tomorrow as need to know if the hedgehogs are still about. Hopefully there will be some good fox images to upload before I re-site.

Wednesday 19 April 2017

Wednesday 19th April 2017

Warm and sunny day, chilly thus evening.
Winding down now. Decided to have the car washed with a full valet today. My word, like a brand new car again. Driving days almost over for a while as after operation not able to drive for twelve weeks.
This afternoon chilled out in the sensory garden, love it there. Will be next Spring now before I can plant as I originally planned. Have run out of time.
Have eradicated the rats for now, they will be back I'm sure.
A bee fly flew into the conservatory this morning, so many about this year, why? Good to see so many butterflies about, wish the blues would land somewhere convenient for photographic purposes.
Spent a couple of hours in the hide again tonight on fox watch. Mr & Mrs appeared but not the cubs, can hear them under the decking, probably waiting for food to arrive.

Tuesday 18 April 2017

Tuesday 18th April 2017

Warm and sunny all day but again chilly tonight.
Cleared and tidied my two sheds and the workshop today. This is in case Lorna needs to access them for any reason while I am away.
Watered the new lawn and plants, water butts emptying fast now, we need rain for sure.
             Great photographs of a hornet emerging from a plant pot this afternoon. Stayed and watched while it warmed up before a vertical take off. Amazing.
Dog fox in the garden this afternoon but no sign of the family as at 8.30pm. Are they just late or has she moved them on? Hopefully the trail cameras will give me the answer tomorrow.
Cubs I'm sure are rather young to be moved.

Easter Monday 17th April 2017

Warm and sunny all day, pretty chilly out there tonight.
Relaxing day, bit of clearing up after planting up the baskets, some watering and chilling over a pint in the afternoon sun.
                                 Squirrels doin my head in, four of the buggers going mad in the garden. Taking out plants as Dady as I plant them, holes everywhere. Started covering the pots with chicken wire now. I suppose if I encourage wildlife I must expect this type of action?
Great to watch the four fox cubs tonight. Teaching the cubs how to eat tonight, really interesting. Some decent photographs.
Trail cameras still set hoping for late evening action.

Sunday 16 April 2017

Easter Sunday 16th April 2017

Warm and sunny most of the day.
A day not doing much, bit of watering, bit of weeding and some relaxation.
In the hide tonight to watch the fox cubs and not disappointed. Emerged from under the decking seconds after mum appeared. Mum then led them to under the deck path behind the hide. I stayed for a further hour with no sign of them. 
With three trail cameras now set in this area of the garden I am hopeful for results as they re emerge.

Saturday 15th April 2017

Warm and sunny day.
Day spent planting up the hanging baskets. Cut back by 50% on previous years as will not be able to look after due to restrictions from my imminent operation.
Highlight of the day was sitting in the garden late this afternoon and watching four fox cubs emerge from under the decking by the pond. Mum soon appeared and it was clear she was in a playful mood. Better than any television program.
Managed some half decent photographs.

Friday 14 April 2017

Friday 14th April 2017

Mild and sunny most of the day.
Two trips to Henry Street for multi purpose and plants for the hanging baskets. Have to work on this now as unable to carry out any manual work after the operation.
Will leave out the pits and troughs this year however. 
Cut the lawn and edges this afternoon, another job I will not be able to do, poor Lorna will have her work cut out!
              Yesterday I mentioned the trail camera picking out a fox cub, today I was mindful the decking is sloping badly and a heap of soil had appeared on edge of the pond. 
During the afternoon Marianne called to look at a big hole by our boundary fence. This is actually a fox hole that clearly runs under the decking towards the pond accessed from the boundary fence. 
Have trail cameras set both sides of the fence tonight, interesting. 

Thursday 13 April 2017

Thursday 13th April 2017

Another warm and sunny day.
Day in London for my pre med at Guys Hospital. Operation booked for 7.30am on 24th April.

Wednesday 12th April 2017

Another good day, warm and mostly sunny.
Another hospital visit, this time over my hearing issues. Mr Hearing man carried out a good job and all good again.
                       Wildlife news today is all about the fox and cub. On looking through the trail camera images a cub was seen feeding from Mum on the lawn.
Also good to see were the two hedgehogs on the lawn again. So not all bad news but do wish birds would start nesting, no sign yet.
                          Enjoyed an evening out with Lulu and Clive. Heron the Lake tonight, not been for a while, was not disappointed tonight.
Big day tomorrow, Guys Hospital.

Tuesday 11 April 2017

Tuesday 11th April 2017

A gorgeous day, warm and sunny all day.
This morning fixed a camera in a swift nest box. Now have two swift boxes connected to a monitor. Don't let me down now my little beauties.
Roland about this morning drinking from the bird bath, also sniffing about the bird feeder but of course I have now removed the ground feeder.
           A lovely afternoon with the cousins, this time the turn at Rosemary. Always good for family catch-up these events. Our turn next in June.
Arrived home to a message from Guys informing me of my pre med this Thursday, getting scary now.

Monday 10 April 2017

Monday 10th April 2017

Mild and sunny, drop in temperature due to a strong breeze.
A day in the garden, a day on general weeding from the borders, pots and troughs. With the amount of mulching I do during the year the weeding is never much of an issue.
                Think I captured my best image yet of the fox, once again in the right place at the right time and a camera at my side.
Roland and a pigeon shared afternoon tea from the ground feeder this afternoon. Decided now enough is enough. Have reset the cage at the entrance hole under the fence. Hopefully will be more successful this time without caging a squirrel or a blackbird.
Rescued two wasps today from cobwebs, one in the conservatory and one outside at the bug hotel.
Not a single butterfly today and nothing in the moth trap. Strange?

Sunday 9 April 2017

Sunday 9th April 2017

What a scorcher of a day. Reached 100f in the alpine house this afternoon. Bit of a breeze today which started bringing the flowering cherry flowers down.
Sun good for wildlife of course, plenty of bees and butterflies about today. Not so many birds however, they don't do sun.
           Repositioned an archway as a lead in to the sensory garden. This archway has had four different positions in the garden over the years, was a recycled item in the first place.
Watered the turf, a job to carry out every day for a while as no rain is forecast for the coming week.
This afternoon relaxed and enjoyed our first BBQ of the season.

Saturday 8 April 2017

Saturday 8th April 2017

Hot and sunny all day.
A little hot for laying turf but needs must. Finished by mid afternoon and yes, looks real good. Well worth doing. Just the planting of the concrete troughs (Dad made 50 years ago) and a border I have created. A job now for when I am back to full fitness, no time before the operation.
             Photographed a speckled wood butterfly today. Missed out on a photograph of a blue, there will be another chance I'm sure?
Finding some large grubs in a hanging basket it turns out they are Stag beetle larvae. Exciting, now placed in my rotting wood pile.

Friday 7th April 2017

Very warm and sunny.
The shot I have been waiting for, a photograph of the orange tip fully open, brilliant.
Mrs. Fox in the garden again late afternoon, some great photographs to post.
               Turf for the sensory area of the garden arrived lunchtime, arrived on an artic, what a performance unloading. Manual job, knackering would be an understatement.
Rested over lunch before moving them all to the bottom of the garden. Quite enough for one day.
Looking forward to laying the turf tomorrow, will almost finish this project then.

Thursday 6th April 2017

Very warm and sunny all day. Bootiful.
Enjoyed the day at Lyn and Nigel. With the weather so good it made all the difference in appreciating their garden.
           Back home to be greeted by foxy on the back lawn. A cracking photograph of her sniffing the flowers.
Trail camera picked out another evening of porn. Sadly also picked the damn rat.
Orange tip butterfly in the garden again, loves the aubretia. Sure I also spotted a speckled wood today.

Wednesday 5 April 2017

Wednesday 5th April 2017

Mild and sunny day. There was however a chill factor to the day.
In town today for jim jams and bathroom bag ready for my imminent stay in hospital. Have not worn jim jams since the fifties!
           Brilliant photograph of an orange tip on the aubretia this morning. No sign of Roland today so fingers crossed.
Trail camera has picked out hedgehog porn by the side gate, pretty sure they are the same pair that were seen on the lawn last week.
Trail camera also picked up a red kite sitting on the lawn yesterday afternoon, must be one of those strange camera illusions?

Tuesday 4 April 2017

Tuesday 4th April 2017

Another decent day but not so much sun, ideal weather for working.
Day spent on the alpine lawn project. Today planted the herbs in the pallet planter. Cleared up and did the final level and rake ready for the turf this weekend. Looking good.
              Rats a nuisance now, still taking the poison but not killed them yet. Using the underneath of a plant trough now for shelter just outside the back door.
Foxy appeared at 5.30pm tonight outside the kitchen, managed another good photograph.
Trail camera managed a couple of good images of the red kite, one is odd as looks as if sitting on the lawn. Not sure what it was doing.
Jays have returned, but no sign of the great spotted. Spotted both blue tits and robins mating today so perhaps may now see some nest production?
.

Monday 3 April 2017

Monday 3rd April 2017

Another stunning day, sun all day.
Have started watering the plants/shrubs in pots now as been a while since we last had any meaningful rain.
This morning created a herb planter out of a pallet, this is in the alpine house area. Ultimately I am hoping this will become the alpine, herb sensory part of the garden.
This afternoon it was a trip to Henry Street for bee/butterfly friendly herb plants for the pallet planter. Will plant up tomorrow.
          Wildlife highlight today was a brilliant photograph (at last) of an orange tip butterfly. Red Kite made me jump as it flew low to the lawn again, just not quick enough with the camera.
           Lunchtime I attended a meeting at the community centre to discuss the Whitley Museum. Looking really good. Reading Museum now interested in the project and have offered invaluable help.

Sunday 2nd April 2017

A stunning day, wall to wall sunshine all day.
Cut lawn this morning and cleared up from yesterday working on the fence project.
A pleasant afternoon relaxing over a cuppa with Nigel & Lyn, they popped over to discuss final arrangements for the 70th celebrations later in the year.
         Wildlife highlight of the day was the kissing between Roland & Tufty, brilliant photograph. This rat is proper brazen, not at all fazed by anybody/anything. Could easily catch it if I was not such a wooz!

Saturday 1 April 2017

Saturday 1st April 2017

Warm and sunny all day. Rain that was forecast did not materialise.
Day spent on the alpine house fence project. All but finished now, looks good. Will order the turf on Monday. Need to finish before I have the operation. Three months not being able to lift or push will test my patience.
               Orange tip butterfly in the garden most of the day. Bees everywhere, all good news. Foxy appeared on the back lawn this afternoon. It amazes me, he just arrives, never see where it goes or comes from. Do know he comes under the fence from 481 however because of the huge tunnel it has created.
Still no sign of birds nesting, what is going on? Still, soon be April 23rd and we know what that means? Let us hope for some swifty results this year.

Boyo - thanks for your message of last night.