Warm day.
Another quality day in the garden. Today actually was hard work as fixed gravel boards to the base of the fence to stop cats, foxes etc digging forever larger holes. Have left one large hole for all animals to use.
More damselfly activity in the pond and a variety flying into the conservatory during the course of the day.
Have noticed a fair number of small magpie moths about the garden this year. In the ivy hedge and hydrangea shrubs in particular. Have also seen them in the moth trap.
Celie and Leilani rescued a mouse from a cats mouth this afternoon, appeared unharmed, placed it in the food store and it ran in an instant into the mouse house. Result.
Image 1 - Small magpie moth.
" 2 - Red damselfly on the pond lily leaf.
" 3 - Blue damselfly in the conservatory.
" 4 - An azure damselfly on the bird feeder.
" 5 - No trick, no lie. This damselfly flew on to my hand while sitting in the garden.
A very warm day.
Day spent in the garden, planted out a border of sunflowers and marigolds. Just hope they stay strong to withstand the onslaught of slugs and snails?
Trail cameras still showing just the one hedgehog and fox. Not sure what has happened to the second or third hedgehog. Bringing up young I hope?
Moth trap still yields lots of red tailed bees each night and very few moths.
Jay is a regular visitor now ground feeding under the bird feeder. Female pied wagtail still collecting food presumably for young?
A speckled wood butterfly has taken a liking to a rotten apple, loads of young goldfinches now appearing at the bird feeder. A gull appeared this afternoon, a first I think for this garden.
Image 1 - Pair of adult goldfinches.
" 2 - Collared dove.
" 3 - Speckled wood butterfly.
" 4 - Female pied wagtail.
" 5 - Gull.
" 6 - Magpie.
" 7 - Jay.
Hot and sunny all day and well into the evening.
Day spent with family from Yorkshire. Richard arranged to meet at Alresford Railway Station where tickets were purchased for the trip to Alton on the Watercress Line. A steam train trip pulled by the magnificent Black 5 engine. Two hours was allowed to wander around the engine sheds at Ropley Station.
Finished the day with a meal at a local pub to Alresford, a perfect ending to a perfect day.
Very warm but mostly overcast today.
A day of garden maintenance, steps to the hide replaced, steps to the lower part of the garden replaced and stile step also replaced. All had succumbed to rot.
Another good day for garden wildlife. A few moths in the moth trap, also a few red tailed bees. A mouse family have taken over mouse house in the food store.
Two foxes in the garden each night but only one hedgehog seen during the last few days, is the female giving birth I wonder?
The jay very busy again today taking away mouthfuls of food presumably to young? The female pied wagtail also busy again taking away mouthfuls of food.
Very warm and sunny all day and well into the evening.
A day not doing much after such a busy weekend. A chance to savour the wildlife, young great spotted woodpecker learning how to feed, adult Jay collecting food for young as was the female pied wagtail. Speckled wood butterfly on a rotten apple, a hornet drinking from the pond, lots more damselfly activity in the pond. A few more moths in the trap (no bees), plenty of bees on the hot lips shrubs.
Another superb day, very warm and sunny ringtone into late evening.
Day sorting out chairs to accommodate a few visitors this afternoon.
The ladies enjoyed their afternoon tea (a delightful tea as prepared by Lorna) in the garden in beautiful weather. It was a pleasure to see them all again.
The walk around the garden is always their highlight as all interested in gardening/wildlife. Wildlife did not disappoint. Looking in the pond a pair of damselflies were performing with the female laying eggs. Ladybird larvae were plentiful and the best result was a Scarlet Tiger Mouth with wings outstretched. What a result.
A good weekend.
Hot and sunny day.
15 hours on a steam train Black 5 and 2 hours to explore Dartmouth. A long time since I have done a 17 hour day.
It was one amazing trip. The weather helped in allowing one to enjoy the beauty of the English countryside. The Sea Wall was just magnificent.
Loved Dartmouth, last there in the early seventies but actually nothing had changed, a lovely coastal town.
Pretty damned tired on arriving home, no rest tomorrow as entertaining a few lady OAPs.
