Tuesday 31st October 2017

My word, temperature dropped somewhat last night/today. Dry but mostly overcast.
Birds a plenty today. Where did all these blackbirds appear from. Loads of them. On the list today were the wren, male & female chaffinches, blue tits, great tits, dunnocks, jays, gold finches, starlings, doves and pigeons.
The two hedgehogs and a fox appeared last night. Hedgehogs are still eating well so hopefully no hibernating issues.

Looking forward now to our Yorkshire holiday. Disappointed but decided to cancel the Lake District part of this holiday.

Monday 30th October 2017

Another warm and sunny day. Was a much colder night however.
A day in the garden. More leaves mown and spread on the wood stack. Did a complete weed on the front garden, a job last carried out three years ago. The mulch had done a good job suppressing the weed growth.
One moth in the trap last night, not one I had seen before. A rat was picked up by a trail camera at the front of the house. After the hedgehog food under a grass box I guess. Hedgehog comes in under the fence.

Image 1 - Moth.
     "    2 - Starling, just love the winter markings.
     "    3 - Ratty.

Sunday 29th October 2017

Another stunning day. Warm and sunny most of the day.
Day in the garden. Repotted my Chinese banana plant after outgrowing its original pot. This particular variety is hardy and has survived three winters so far. Grew from seed.
Cut back all the hellebore plants, new growth already showing. Tomorrow I guess will be another day of leaf clearing?
                       Lots of blackbirds appearing now and this afternoon starlings appeared after a three month lull. Looking beautiful in their winter plumage. Chaffinches, greenfinches, the wren, Jays and magpies all busy today.
Just the one hedgehog and one fox out last night. Another brilliant image from the trail camera.

Saturday 28th October 2017

Making the most of this stunning weather. Very warm and sunny all day with temperature reaching 19c at lunchtime.
Enjoyed a walk at sunrise at Fobney Nature Reserve, not colourful but looked very dramatic as mist covered the canal and reserve. Always makes for good photographs.
              Day spent in the garden. Morning was taken up with mowing up more leaves from the front garden and drive. Shredded leaves spread on the wood stack.
This afternoon I insulated the door to the alpine house with bubble wrap, hopefully all the plants will survive another winter?
The two hedgehogs and the one fox were photographed by the trail cameras last night plus a rat coming under the fence from next door. Been the worst year for a long time, don't like doing it but think the time has come to purchase more poison.
Squirrels really making a mess of the lawn, holes everywhere, digging up mostly acorns today. I think they are actually digging them up then re-burying them.
Mice busy in the wood stacks, was watching them on the monitor earlier.
Hopefully will post some photographs tomorrow.

Image 1 & 2 - One of the wood stacks.
     "     3 - 7 -  Fobney Nature Reserve.

Friday 27th October 2017

A cracking day. Very warm and sunny all day. Temperature reached 19c at lunchtime. Summer weather?
Wildlife today is all about a wren. Enjoying a cuppa this afternoon and a wren appeared just in front of me. Feeding on insects in the acer pot grown tree.

Image 1 & 2 - Wren.
     "           3 - Tufty digging up the lawn where a monkey nut was buried.

Brilliant video clip of two hedgehogs and the fox together by the silver birch tree. The pair of jays spent a lot of time in the garden today, mostly in the silver birch tree.
Did not put out any monkey nuts today after yesterday's sighting of the squirrels burying them as fast as I was putting them out.
Interesting to see the squirrels today digging up the lawn for the buried monkey nuts. Holes all over the lawn.

Thursday 26th October 2017

Mild, mostly overcast. Sun did make an attempt to show but very hazy.
Day in the garden. More leaves mowed and spread on my wood stack. Finished the insulating of the alpine house and brought in alpine plants that spent the summer outside.
The twin hedgehogs were out last night as was one fox. Mice busy in the wood stacks. The squirrels spent all day burying acorns, monkey nuts and walnuts. Buried in the lawn, pots, the borders and in the mulched leaves on the wood stack I only did this morning.

Wednesday 25th October 2017

A superb day. Very warm and sunny all day. Just how I like it.
Very busy for garden wildlife today. White and a red admiral butterfly most of the day. Bees and wasps, seen very few wasps this year. A dragonfly but sadly unable to see what type.
Jays and blackbirds seem to have settled in again. Mice in the wood stacks, one hedgehog and one fox in the garden last night.
All good.

Tuesday 24th October 2017

Very little sun but overcast and very warm.
Another day doing very little but enjoying the wildlife around me. Bees and flies in the morning sun, spiders, moths, a red admiral at lunchtime resting on the albelia, jays, magpies and the pair of squirrels have returned.
The trail cameras picked out the two fox cubs but only one hedgehog last night.
All good stuff.
Was a pleasure to show David, Christine and friends around the garden this afternoon. Suffice to say they were somewhat surprised, in a good way!

Image 1 - A fox cub just entering the garden from under the fence.
     "    2 - Spike at its evening food bowl.
Video  1 - Hopefully showing two hedgehogs.
Image 3 - Spider.
    "     4 - Bees and flies.
    "     5 - Red admiral.
    "     6 - Puma moth in the alpine house.

Monday 23rd October 2017

Mild, overcast with showers on and off during the day.
Managed to sweep more leaves using the mower, now spread on my log piles.
Nothing else to report today.

Sunday 22nd October 2017

Mild but overcast day. Thankfully no damage from Storm Brian, just a few more leaves down prematurely.
Day spent with Diane and Roger. Met at The Springs at Beenham for mid day dinner before moving onto their home. I last met Roger 50 years ago who was just starting a fencing business which proved very successful.
What a house surrounded by 20 acres of fields which he owns. Roger and Diane are all things wildlife, creating a haven for foxes, badgers, deer, pheasants, kites and all manner of other birds. While we were there today we experienced large numbers of kites flying above and resting on fence posts, and also a fair number of deer bouncing about the fields. So wish I had my camera with me.
In the evening badgers, deep and foxes eat together on the lawn on food such as chicken legs and wings. I will be returning one day with my camera and also to set up a few trail cameras to capture the goings on.
Was so good meeting up again and experiencing their home and garden/land.

Saturday 21st October 2017

Mild, sunny, showers and my god the wind, thanks Brian.
This morning cut the lawns and mowed up the fallen leaves. A job I will carry out every day now, collect as they fall.
This afternoon I made a start on insulating the alpine house with bubble wrap. Probably have a mild winter now?
Images today are a selection of video clips captured by the trail cameras over the last two days.

Friday 20th October 2017

Mild but breezy with showers. Storm Brian forecast for tonight.
Stayed in today and caught up with computer work. Have decided on a December holiday in Cornwall so booked a couple of events and received an order for my 2016 books so ordered those.
Due to hospital appointments have decided to cancel the November holiday to the Lake District.
All photographs today are courtesy of the trail cameras.
           Enjoyed a night out in town with Nigel and Lyn. Had pre-booked the Botanist but oh dear, just had to walk out for the loud music which was at an extreme volume. Enjoyed a meal at the new Greek restaurant in the Oracle.

Image 1 - Close up of foxy.
     "    2 - Foxy posing.
     "    3 - Foxy plus two eyes.
     "    4 - Foxy and spike.
     "    5 - Foxy licking up spilt hedgehog food.

Thursday 19th October 2017

Miserable day, mild but with showers all day.
Good day for a hair cut.
No photographs today other than trail camera images.

Video 1 - Foxy and spike out last night.
     "    2 - A jay.
Image 1 - Foxy stalking.
     "    2 - Foxy aware of the camera flash.
     "    3 - Coming into land.
     "    4 - Hedgehog twins, one at the food bowl and one at the water bowl.
     "    5 -          "           "    enjoying a meal together.
     "    6 - I'm behind you.
     "    7 - Foxy licking up spilt hedgehog food.

Wednesday 18th October 2017

Dull and overcast with rain late afternoon into the evening.
A very interesting day at the Royal Mint factory. How little I knew about our coinage heritage.
Learnt so much, will never look at a coin again in the same way. Fascinating history. Sadly unable to show photographs of the factory floor due to copyright rules. Photographs here are from the exhibition.

Tuesday 17th October 2017

A much cooler day with temp' at a maximum of 14c this afternoon.
Regaining my confidence a little so risked a short walk at Fobney Nature Reserve at Sunrise. Pleased I attempted the walk, just magical, loved the atmosphere. Very little water in the scrapes so very few wading birds. Good to see a deer bounding along however.
          A visit to Henry Street today, boring purchase, salt for the softener! Christmas display looks good though.

Images 1 - 6 - Fobney Nature Reserve.
      "          7 - Spike after a good supper.
      "          8 - Feral cat v hedgehog.
Video 1 & 2 - Fox cub and fox cub with hedgehog.