Flown the Pot

Well, as of today our little one has apparently departed for the big wide world outside the safety of the chimney pot.




And cheeping has been heard down the bottom of the garden, so it looks like we got him or her safely to the fledging stage  . . .



We did get a few videos inside the pot - so for your viewing pleasure . . .

Feeding Time

Getting Moving!

And one final pic from the day before departure . . .

Robin Rescue

Leaving the house for our daily walk today and we noticed this little one, cheeping away on the path outside the french doors - it's far too baby to be out of the nest, although the parent birds were at least still feeding it:

It obviously wasn't going to survive outside on the path overnight, so we had to come up with some kind of safe haven for it, without jeopardising the parental bond . . .


Time to make use of the chimney pots we use as plant holders from time to time - a handful of straw and a few twigs, and we hopefully have a somewhere secure for it to grow up a bit.


And yes, the parent birds are still visiting to feed:

No Piglets Today

Off to Llanerchaeron today - all on the basis of this 'tweet':

Was poised to indulge my piglet-fetish - but unfortunately they weren't to be seen (a bit young yet I suppose).

Did enjoy the gardens though - and the fruit cage was just dripping with redcurrants.

Then - almost as if to make up for the lack of piglets - this (admittedly rather scratty-looking) robin flew right up to us and positioned itself for the perfect photograph:

Bird Watching

Took a trip out to Ynys-hir on Sunday, joined the RSPB, and had a nice (slightly muddy) walk in the wind and sun, round by the coast, through open meadows and along woodland paths.

Saw lots of canada geese (with chicks), a heron or two, and some mallards - put a pheasant to flight on our wanderings - and had a redstart pointed out to us by some slightly more dedicated birdwatchers!


While we didn't get any pictures of the birds at Ynys-hir,  back at home 'garage-cam' has had a busy couple of months or so . . .

 

We've seen flaring wings, formation flying, and of course the mid-air 'hangers' - only a couple where I'm not sure of the species - the swallows are already stepping up the action, so expect more dramatic swooping pictures in due course . . .

Show Off!

Someone appears to be showing off for our camera!

Bobbin' along  . . .

. . . swooping on by . . .

. . . and as a final touch - the death-defying dive!

Snow CAT

Had a trip out today to the Centre of Alternative Technology (CAT) which was hosting a Christmas Fair (and free entry as a bonus!).


Although the rain was busily washing away much of our snow, CAT had benefited from a heavy snowfall yesterday, and there was still a good deal of ice and snow underfoot.  As such it wasn't really the day for looking round.



Managed a walk round some of the 'displays' anyway - including the subterranean 'Mole Hole' - and were greeted wherever we went by some very friendly robins.  Unfortunately they weren't very good at standing still.

The Christmas Fair itself had some good stalls (although some stall-holders hadn't made it thanks to the weather) - got some locally milled wheat flour to make some bread, and this stoneware bunny (or given the size of its ears, maybe a hare) caught my eye . . .




Did eventually get one decent robin shot as well:

Chandeliers and Stumperies

Had a couple of days away over the bank holiday weekend visiting family, including a visit to Ickworth House near Bury St Edmunds.  Unusual house - built around a central 'rotunda' - particularly enjoyed the rather fine selection of chandeliers . . .

Was also rather taken with the concept of a 'stumpery' - the various tree stumps created some fantastic shapes . . .   

The tour of the gardens was also enlivened by the stalking of a robin, to see who could get the best close-up shot - almost as though we were some kind of bird paparazzi!

Early Birds

Found this little chap wandering round the back garden this Easter weekend. He (or she I suppose) is a little early this year (last year's chick wasn't seen till early May). It can't really fly yet, but seems to be managing ok at the moment.

Speaking of early birds I saw the first Swallow of the year the same day, although it's still pretty quiet on that front at the moment - no swooping gangs round the house just yet.

Finally something I meant to blog earlier this year, a rather bold Robin, enjoying the retail experience at the Coed y Dinas store in Welshpool:

Greenhouse Number Three

We decided last year to invest in a second greenhouse (a little larger than our existing model) especially as it was going cheap in Focus. We're planning to put it at the top of the garden in the sun trap near the wood store.

However a couple of weeks back we were offered a third, even larger, greenhouse (8 x 10 ft) for free - if we'd deconstruct it and take it away. There were a few panes of glass missing but not many, so we thought it was worth a go.

It took an afternoon and an hour or two the following morning to get from that to this.

Now we're at the stage of putting it all back together again. Well, Martin's been doing the work with a little help from his Dad . . . We've got the foundation's in, and the frame up - we'll need to wait for the right weather before putting in the glass itself though.

The Robin has been loving the construction work - all those nice juicy worms digging in the blocks turned up - he's even fatter if possible!

Bittersweet October

Was trying to find a nice literary quote online to sum up how October was going, and came up with this.

Bittersweet October. The mellow, messy, leaf-kicking, perfect pause between the opposing miseries of summer and winter.

(Carol Bishop Hipps, In a Southern Garden, 1995)

It just seemed to fit the autumnal experience - one day warm, the next decidedly cool. Leaves everywhere. Sunshine and showers (unfortunately a lot of the latter round here recently). In fact it's been so damp we have tiny mushrooms growing on the drive! And here's the photographic evidence to prove it . . .

The garden is beginning to wind down now for winter, the summer flowers are dying back, although a few autumn specimens can be seen - miniature cyclamen, primroses . . .

. . . kaffir lilies . . .

 . . . and some of the fuschias are still putting on a good show.

The cabbages and sprouts are also recovering nicely from their earlier caterpillar infestations and putting on some growth. The bunnies aren't so evident now, at least they don't venture into the garden quite as much as they did. And the swallows are long gone.  Otherwise the birds are in fine voice, with the Yew Tree acting as bird central; the nuthatch appears to have taken up residence, and there always seems to be something flying in and out.

I was peering through the branches earlier and got a photo of what appears to be a one-legged thrush (although I might be wrong).

Martin also got some good shots of fat robin having a bath . . .

Doubtless October will be over before we know it, and it will be time to get stuck into the accumulated firewood, and light the Rayburn. Halloween is dominating the shop displays at the moment, but it won't be long before Christmas takes over . . . how many shopping days does that leave us?