Tuesday 29th September 2015

A warm and sunny day, this weather said to continue for another few days yet. Bring it on.

What a strange sort of day, nurse visit at 8am, in town for lunch with Colin and Janet then went to sleep once home early afternoon.

Hopefully a more informative blog tomorrow?!

Monday 28th September 2015

A stunning day once again with temp' reaching a high of 22c this afternoon. Warm and sunny all day.
Day started at 2.30am, camera, tripod and a cuppa sitting outside watching the amazing bloodmoon eclipse unfold. Stayed out for just over an hour and was not disappointed. Pretty pleased with the photographs as a once in a lifetime record.
             Popped over to Henry Street this morning for a bag of aquatic soil and gravel for the waterlily plants. Something I should have bought yesterday.
Planted up this afternoon, needs the water to settle now before using the gravel.
Also planted out 55 wallflower plants in the sunflower border, this should give plenty of early spring colour.
Finished the day with a spot of pond dipping and was delighted to see three rather small dragonfly larvae.
Picture 1 - Wallflower border.
      "     2 - Dragonfly larvae.
   "  3 - 7 - Bloodmoon eclipse.

Sunday 27th September 2015

Another scorcher of a day. Warm and sunny all day with temp' again reaching a high of 22c this afternoon.
Decided on a couple of water lilies for the water feature so shopping at Henry Street was on the agenda this morning. While there also purchased 40 wall flower plants. Always makes for a good Spring showing. Will be planted in the sunflower border.
This afternoon completed the water feature project, looks good, pretty pleased with the outcome.
Good to find the dragonfly larvae, actually watched the Southern Darter emerge from the pond but not quick enough with the camera. Larvae now in a special clear plastic magnifier for inspection by anyone interested? Bought half a dozen of these containers at the Birdfair back in August.
             Celie popped over for a break from homework and finished de-seeding the sunflower heads for me. Managed 7kg this year, the most yet. Thanks Celie.
Picture 1 - Selection of moths from last night.
      "     2 - Dragonfly Larvae.
      "     3 - Sick Dove. Suffering from trich which is brought on by dirty feeders/water baths. Annoying this as re-fill water baths each day and clean the feeders regularly and replace every year.
Pictures 4 & 5 - Celie de-seeding sunflower heads.
       "      6 & 7 - Water feature now finished.

Saturday 26th September 2015

Weather just brilliant, warm and sunny all day with temp' reaching a high this afternoon of 22c.
Spent day working on the top pond project, almost recovered from my abseiling adventure of last week!
Project looks good, think the bath could do with a couple of plants and perhaps a feature of some kind on the cobbles? Not wanting to dwell on my fall only I did find it difficult today. Must remember I am not 28 but 68!
                 A good night for moths, nothing new but good to see still have a fair variety each night. Looking at channel mice was my entertainment tonight. Two of them eating together again but insisted on having their bums to the camera.
Picture 1 - Starting to lay the cobbles to the water feature.
     "      2 - Love my bum...
   " 3 & 4 - A couple of moths from last nights collection.

Friday 25th September 2015

Another glorious day, warm and sunny all day.
Day spent in the garden. Created a Hibernaculum for the frogs next to the re-sited bug hotel. Bet the fox appears tonight and destroys it? May have to cover with chicken wire.
Created the habitat using a spent growbag, covering with leaves then a layer of sticks and a final layer of twigs and leaves (used cut shrub stems).
As a form of relaxation I made a start on de-seeding the sunflower heads. About 25% done but must get finished before the heads start to rot.
Picture 1 - Base of the Hibernaculum, a growbag.
      "     2 - Finished, over to you now frogs.

Thursday 24th September 2015

A cracking day, warm and sunny all day.
Thoroughly enjoyed a day at Tylney Hall with Nigel and Lyn celebrating our respective birthdays. Magnificent building, gardens, lakes and the 60 acres of woodland. Went for a two hour walk around the ground before we settled down for lunch.
There is recorded history going back to 1561, in that time it has been used as a home, hospital during the two world wars, a school, offices for the Clan Line Steamers Shipping company and now a hotel since 1986. Just loved the place and so close to home.

Wednesday 23rd September 2015

A pretty good day. Warm and sunny most of the day.
Another lost day having helped with the weekly shop this morning then the Doctor this afternoon. My kind of day, not.
Did enjoy a few pints at the Holiday Inn (only pub left in Whitley now) tonight with Gordon and Mark.
Met some chaps who I worked with when working for Motorglass back in the eighties. Very much a reminiscing evening.
Looking forward to visiting Tylney Hall tomorrow to celebrate our birthdays with Nigel and Lyn.

Tuesday 22nd September 2015

Mild but showers today.
Collected camera this morning from John Lewis (only company with this camera in stock).
As you can imagine rest of the day was spent reading instructions and charging battery. Much the same instructions as the HS10 so will soon have the camera in action.
Tonight enjoyed a meal at the New Inn with Lulu and Clive celebrating our birthdays. 
           Am writing this blog on the 25th as once again internet stopped working at 7.30pm last three nights.

Monday 21st September 2015

Not good, wet most of the day. Sun made an appearance late afternoon into the evening.
Decision day today, do I buy ones self a new camera for my birthday? Over last few days have been researching the latest bridge camera from Fuji which incidentally has had tremendous feed back and reviews by photographers and camera magazines. Going into town this morning it was pretty clear no such enthusiasm by retailers. One shop even told me this particular camera came out in 2012? Retailers it seems are not happy promoting bridge cameras? Feeling slightly dejected on reaching home I decided to have another look online as I did appear to be getting conflicting stories. 
The camera has been out for a couple of years and yes Fuji are spending more on researching the SLR/DSLR range of cameras. These are not for me. My current HS10 has given me nearly 4 years good service but is showing signs of wear so decision made, I ordered online the Fuji S1 camera and will be collecting it tomorrow from guess where? John Lewis! The only retailer that could offer one from stock. Excited or what.
Rest of the afternoon getting to understand Picasa more. Getting to enjoy my photographs more now as has been some time since I had a reliable computer to work on.
           Only garden wildlife news today is of a Great Tit roosting tonight and Big Ears out again for supper.
Picture 1 - Big Ears.
      "     2 - Great Tit roosting.
      "     3 - Happy Birthday Clive.

Sunday 20th September 2015

Another cracking day, less sun but still pretty warm for the time of year.
Noticed the bug hotel was leaning very heavily against the fence pulling the arris rails away from the fence. Created another position and started moving. Managed 50% of the move before my ribs and thigh said, enough for today. 
Sadly, did disturb a mouse nest so did the decent thing and re-covered. Just hope the cats leave alone until the mice have dispersed to new quarters. No sign of life in the hedgehog box that was all part of the bug hotel complex so have re-positioned. If rain keeps away for a while  I hope to finish the move tomorrow. Then I can start on the pond project, hopefully?
A good night for moths, I actually photographed some that were resting on the lodge/shed last night under the search light.
Pictures 1 & 2 - Spiders, Autumn has started.
       "      3  - 6 - Selection of moths from last night.
       "            7 - Big Ears out tonight for ones supper.

Saturday 19th September 2015

A cracking day, warm and sunny all day.
Cobbles  were delivered early this morning, not easy to deal with as still suffering.
Day spent cutting down the sunflowers, de-heading & de-leafing leaving just the stems and heads to dry out in the coming weeks. The stems will be cut into 150mm lengths and ultimately used in a bug box. The head of course for bird seed. 
Can't wait to re-start the pond project but must be sensible. The project if it works will be creating a water feature comprising of the original tin bath and watering can that were found in the garden some 40 odd years ago. The cobbles will form part of the feature.
             Squirrel still very busy collecting acorns, collecting out of the guttering today. Not seen its mate for a few days now so would suspect a cat or even the fox has had something to do with it.
Good to see flocks of goldfinches flying in and out of the silver birch tree today. Just need to see the Jays and Woodpeckers now then all the garden birds have returned after ones summer holiday.
              Finished the day with a bbq and a couple of NQB, love it in that area of the garden.
Pictures 1 - 4 - Sunflower harvest.
      "            5 - Start of pond project.
      "            6 - Tufty collecting acorns from the guttering.
      "            7 - BBQ.