Monday 20th June 2016

What a morning. Still raining on waking until mid afternoon when it was a complete change. Very warm, sunny and a pleasure to be outside again.
On the wettest, soggiest day and night of the year why were there more moths about than any other night this year? Strange.
             Blackbird chicks still with us and as I type the adult is still feeding. Only seeing the male however.
The young pigeon arrived this afternoon and once again all other birds fled. Can't get my head round this one.
              My state of the art mower and trimmer arrived this afternoon, nice bit of kit. Really am part of the Gtech family now. Have all their products now except for the ebike. Great products.
Fixed up another shelf in the shed to support the two battery chargers.

Picture 1 - Snail.
    "2 & 3 - Moths.

Sunday 19th June 2016

Very warm and sunny, that is until the heavens opened at 7pm. By jove didn't we have some rain and still raining at 1am when I went to bed.
A brilliant morning for an early morning walk at Fobney. Wild flowers at their best right now. Wonderful to see the grey wagtail again at the weir, not seen for some while. Apparently there is a pair nesting in the pumping station.
The three resident cormorants were out sunning ones self on the cormorant pylon and the heron of course doing what it does best, stalking fish.
           Arrived home from the walk to see the adult male blackbird busy feeding the two chicks under the shrub. Thankfully survived the night. Still feeding late into the evening so some good news there.
Also good to see was a young great spotted on the feeder this morning. 
            The afternoon went really well again hosting the annual afternoon tea party for the elderly. Good to see them again with two we had not met before. Bless them, taking a keen interest in that is wildlife in the garden. Being rather frail it was a credit to them that they ventured into the garden let alone walk to the end and back. Not one had seen a dragonfly nymph before or even knew this was how a dragonfly developed. Somewhat surprised whe on the first scoop from the pond there were five of different sizes.
Another good day.
Pictures 1 & 2 - Tea Party.
       "     3 & 4 - Young great spotted.
       "     5 - 10 - Fobney Nature Reserve.

Saturday 18th June 2016

Very warm, little overcast but at least dry.
Day spent helping at the WhitFest held on the recreation field in Long Barn Lane. Very well attended, very well organised, was a good afternoon. The pop up museum was as popular as ever with  further information gained from locals who continue to unearth some very interesting facts. All documented ready for the permanent exhibition. 
            Arrived home to find two very young blackbird chicks by the back door. Much to young to be out so can only assume they fell out of the nest in the bay tree. Advice is to leave well alone as parents will know where these chicks are. Kept an eye on them in case cats thought they were in for a free meal. As at 9pm there was no sign of parents but the chicks had hopped under a bush. Not sure if they will be about in the morning with foxy and cats on the prowl at night?
The lonesome young pigeon arrived again this morning and late afternoon. So noticeable all other birds including adult pigeons fly away on its arrival.
Good night for bats appearing later tonight at 9.30pm. Machine registering at 45.8 so pretty sure they are pipistrelle bats.

Pictures 1 - 15 - WhitFest. 
      "  16 & 17 - Blackbird Chicks.
      "           18 - Bat watching.
      "           19 - Young pigeon.

Friday 17th June 2016

After last nights storm today stayed very warm and dry.
Today not the day that was planned. Due to illness Jane and Colin were unable to visit, get well soon Janet.
My Gtech state of the art lawn mower failed to arrive as promised. To be fair they did ring me to advise.
           With the annual visit for afternoon tea by the local Care in the Community group on Sunday I spent some of the day making room for fourteen guests to sit and creating an area for the wheelchairs and zimmer frames!
             All about blackbirds today, a pair are busy nest building next door taking moss today from the lawn. Another pair are busy feeding young in our bay tree. The two pairs are nesting very very close to each other, unusual.
One of the young squirrels spent a lot of time ground feeding from spilt bird food, were two young but only seen this one for a couple of days now.
A wren is clearly nesting next door, not sure why our garden was abandoned this year for nesting?
             Apart from a few kept back for replacing the transplanted sunflowers took somewhat of a battering last night in the storm. Not sure how many survived, most snapped. What were not snapped were chewed by snails, hundreds of the darn things.
              Looking forward to helping out at the Whitfest later, helping to man the Whitley Museum pop up display. Has proved very popular this display, look forward to the day we are ready for the permanent exhibition.

Thursday 16th June 2016

A warm day with a little sun but by jove it is raining now like never rained before (18.00) after the loudest of thunder that even rattled the triple glazing.
Not much hope of moths tonight, left the moth trap out so bet full of water now.
Was a better day for moths however, again nothing in the trap but a few about the garden and shed. Blackbirds busy feeding young today, looks as though nest is two doors down.
                 With the forecast rain for today I cut the lawn first thing, well 25% cut anyway. Wire within the casing became tangled and so of course sparked a little and the mower became rather hot. Thankfully no injuries as the breaker was set. A five years old not worth repairing so have ordered a GTech battery operated mower. We have their sweepers and hedge trimmer and give excellent results. This inventor has come up with some great products.
Pictures 1 - 6 - 10 & 11 - Bugs, bees and moths.
       "                           7 - Young green and goldfinch feeding.
       "                           8 - Wren agitated by a cat (cat just out of photograph).
       "                           9 - Blackbird with meal for young.

Wednesday 15th June 2016

Very warm but also very wet at times. Garden did need it however.
Can't believe it took me all day to plant up the sunflowers, worked during the rain as ideal conditions for transplanting. Very leggy this year so not hopeful of a bumper crop.
         Good to see half a dozen swifts flying about the house this morning, a blackbird was well confused by the swift call, funny to watch but I appreciate not exactly fair.
A demoiselle flew into the conservatory this morning, second time this year I have seen them in the garden this year. Unusual as never seen them in the garden before.
Two moths in the trap overnight, really is a disappointing year.
Picture 1 - Damselfly on the window cill, taken from inside.
  "    2 - 5 - Moths seen today either from the trap or outside.
  "         6 - Confused blackbird re the swift call.
  "         7 - Demoiselle in the conservatory.
  "         8 - Someone doesn't like the rain?
  "         9 - A few of the sunflowers that were transplanted.