Wildlife in April

A busy month in the garden, lots of our usual visitors and a few new ones too. The strange little bird that appeared this week http://cumbrianretreat.blogspot.com/ has been causing lots of folk to scratch their heads. The best and most likely suggestion came from Dave, who has a cracking website http://www.garden-birds.co.uk. He thinks it may be a leucistic Siskin ie. one who has weak pigmentation. On close inspection, it looks very similar to a juvenile Siskin, but it is too early for that, so we think he is probably correct.

The list for April looks like this:

Rooks
Stock Doves
Starlings
Blackbirds
Dunnocks
House Sparrows
Blue Tits
Great Tits
Coal Tits
Siskin (Including the leucistic one)
Greenfinch
Goldfinch
Robins
Collared Doves
Pied Wagtail
Bullfinch
Nuthatch
Wren
Great Spotted Woodpecker
Jackdaws
Hen Pheasant
Brambling
Linnet
Reed Bunting
Sparrow hawk
Swallow (12th April)
French Partridge (pair)
Red Poll
Possibly a tree sparrow, but not sure!

In the field behind the garden:
Many of the above, plus
Flock of Whinchat
Wood pigeon
Buzzard (flying over)
Geese (flying over)
Curlew (flying over)
Hare.
Cock pheasant

Stumped

The birds are beginning to catch us out. We thought we had a visit from one of our male linnet today, but closer on inspection we discovered that it is in fact a Redpoll




Another new (we think) visitor appeared this morning, but for the life of us, we can't work out what it is. Photos have been sent to our senior Twitchers (Mum and Dad), but they are stumped too. Photos have also been sent to an ex colleague who is very well clued up - awaiting a reply. Any ideas will be gratefully received!


Not wishing to be outdone by all these birds with bits of red, Hattie has been sporting a red bandage for the last few days. Animalintex may be intended for horses, but past experience has proven it to be very good at removing thorns and grass seeds from Spaniels feet too.

A Good Day for Twitching

It's very hard to concentrate here. For the last couple of days, we have been trying to sort the shed and garage, but the birds keep distracting us!
Twice daily we are getting a visit from Monsieur et Madame Partridge, also twice daily but not always at the same time, Mrs P our hen pheasant visits. The swallows (many now) give us near constant fly past air displays and today, we discovered that our little coal tit is nesting in the dry stone wall adjacent to our drive. These are alongside all the usual Goldfinches (I counted 13 this morning), Siskin (normally 6 - 8), Chaffinches (uncountable), blue tits, great tits, black birds, rooks, stock doves, collared doves, sparrows, dunnocks etc. etc.
Just to add to the list, while we were having (another) coffee break, a group of Whinchats landed in the field just the other side of our fence. Then something landed briefly on the fence as we were having supper tonight. We didn't get a good look, but think it may have been a tree sparrow. Then, not even an hour later, the best visit of the day....

You will probably need to double click to see her, but Mrs bullfinch paid us a visit too. All this and newborn lambs playing wacky races past the fence: Who needs TV?

Progress in the garden

For a relatively small plot, we seem to have rather a large number of tree stumps. Our predecessor didn't seem to like trees, but believed in cutting things down, not digging them out. That's OK, but if you want to mow the lawn, or plant something else, it kind of gets on your nerves when there are always stumps in the way.
You may remember Compost Corner http://cumbrianretreat.blogspot.com/2010/03/good-day-in-garden.html. Well that was only one of seven stumps in that end of the garden.
After a busy day of digging, troweling, scrabbling with hands, sawing, lopping, swearing, pushing and pulling; Here are the other six...........
And here is where they came from. Mowing the nettles and buttercups will be so much easier now!
And if all that activity wasn't enough, Husband also found time to give the shed a coat of paint. Those who have visited may remember the 'Suffolk Pink' patch on the wall. Not really Husbands taste, and having removed some very twee trellis and an even more twee fountain (that wasn't plumbed in), it was all looking a bit grubby. Grubby isn't allowed in our garden!

Hutton in the Forest

Friends to stay for a few days has given us an excuse to visit another local tourist attraction. This time we headed to Hutton in the Forest to visit the woodland walk and walled gardens. The house is open to the public - but not at the moment.
It was another lovely sunny day, perfect for sitting admiring the view. At least that was what Husband and Iain thought!

The woodland walk was really interesting, with a leaflet to tell you what various trees were as you stroll through about 3/4 of a mile of paths. Husband, Iain and Christine contemplate the leaflet as they leave the dovecote.

The wall gardens were also really interesting - though it will be worth a return trip a little later in the year to see them in all their glory.

The Early Bird Catches the Worm

We are both suffering with colds at the moment. Husband isn't sleeping well, I sleep like a log and then wake early coughing and spluttering. Not a good combination.
To spare Husband the delight of listening to me, and to allow him to get a bit of sleep, I have taken to getting up a little earlier than normal. Wildlife O'Clock it would seem.
This morning I was treated to the usual display of countless Goldfinches, Siskin, Chaffinch etc. But sitting quietly (yes I can do it)I also had a visit from one of the many local Great Spotted Woodpecker





As well as a Hare scurrying past in the field (look through the Bamboo)


Later in the morning, we had another visit from a Linnet. In fact we had two males in the garden together.

Oh and we have some new Neighbours....

They seem to be eyeing up the veggie plot!

And then this evening - a visit from the Partridge Family

Pink Daffodils

A good day in the garden today. The veggie plot is finally ready for sowing. Husband take the lead - he's good with vegetables!

Starting with Beetroot - it's one of his favourites, so a good place to start. Hattie enjoys the sunshine and has a roll around on the lawn as Husband contemplates the first row.




A little later..........
Depending on the success of our efforts we should have: Lettuce, rocket, beetroot, parsnips, carrots, broad beans and spinach. Space has been left for leeks. Runner beans are sown and in the cold frame (bean trench finished complete with two year old Race Horse Pooh), tomatoes, peppers and courgettes are also in the cold frame.

In between veggie gardening, other bits have been weeded too (our predecessors seemed to think cutting things off at soil level constituted weeding!). A few fresh daffs were also picked to brighten up the table as we have friends coming to lunch tomorrow. We have one bunch of daffs in the back garden which are different from the rest. A creamy white flower with a salmon pink trumpet. It makes a nice change from the mass of traditional yellow daffs that are all over the rest of the garden.

How Many Swallows Make a Summer?

On Monday we saw our first Swallow of 2010, sitting on the power lines behind the house. Every day since then we have seen the same (presumably) little swallow, flying around the house and sitting on the wires. We had come to the conclusion that he had arrived early, and was hoping to find a lady friend. Sheer delight this afternoon, when sitting in the back garden having a cool beer after a hard afternoons graft (more of that later), we were treated to our very own 'Spring Watch' display of Swallow #2 arriving on the wires, some distance from our first one. What followed must be the Swallow equivalent of a mating ritual, with lots of swooping and zooming around at low level. A few minutes later, and here sit the happy couple............-
All we hope now is that they nest nearby and that we will be able to watch them raise a family.
But back to today's achievements...
This morning was cool and busy - food shopping and chores. This afternoon was however sunny. Looking out of an upstairs window after lunch, we suddenly had a moment of inspiration. We have been trying to decide where to plant runner beans, as the back garden is far too exposed for them. An area at the side of the house had been identified, but looking at where the early afternoon sun was, our minds were made up. The beans will go here:

Yes that's right, where the trees are.

We had already planned to take those three silly little conifers out eventually. Just not today.

Why waste a good idea on a sunny afternoon? By 5 pm this is what it looked like

And we were drinking beer in the sunshine in the back garden, watching swallows!

Catching up with the veggie plot.

More dry weather gives us chance to spend a bit of time in the garden.
Yesterday saw phase 2 of compost corner.



Hopefully now that both of the Tardis are on slabs, the local rat population will not be able to get into them (one less to worry about today thanks to the trap!)




We have been conscious that we are getting plenty late enough to get the veg plot planted up, but before we do, we really want to extend it a bit. The 'plan' is to take any turf we dig up and transfer it to the 'ex' hexagonal patio. The lawn is already uneven, full of moss and buttercups - in fact typical Hill Farming, permanent pasture - exactly what it used to be, so the fact that we are planning to turf the area in a very haphazard way doesn't really seem to matter much!

At the start of today it looked like this....

Lots of folk have asked what we have in the middle feeder - I am sure you all think I am mad when I tell you it is Hattie hair, for the birds to nest with. Well here is my proof! This little Coal Tit has been busy helping himself for days...

And here he is with a mouthful...

By the end of the day, the veggie plot is nearly twice it's original size, and now has many barrow loads of nicely rotted (retired) race horse manure incorporated into it, and the ex patio is now less than half it's original size.

Isn't it amazing how a hard days work looks such a small amount in pictures?
One other notable event today - we sat outside for lunch for the first time this year!

First Visit to Cumbria

We have had visitors for a few days. My Goddaughter Emma, her little sister, Rosie and their Mummy Clare. Entertaining a 6 year old and a 3 year old is a great way to get to see some of the sites North Cumbria has to offer.



Eden Ostrich farm, on a beautiful sunny day

There's far more than just ostrich here.



All that sun and fun on Saturday, a bit of culture was called for on Sunday. Keswick Pencil Museum filled the morning nicely



Followed by a visit to Whinlatter forest for a chance to throw stones in the stream. It was another glorious sunny day too.


Monday was even more clear, sunny and still. We woke to find the first Swallow of summer in the garden. What a day for a boat trip! 20 minutes in the car took us to Pooley Bridge where we caught the steamer to Glenridding. The lake was flat calm and the views breathtaking


The Girls seemed to enjoy the ride too

Clare, Emma and Rosie made their way back home to Northamptonshire in the early evening, hopefully they will have enjoyed their first visit to Cumbria (and slept all the way home!)

It's a shame they didn't stay an hour longer to watch the private air display we had as two hercules came up through the valley, skimming the tree tops as they went.

Hanging at Last

It's taken a while, but the delay has been in part waiting for the arrival of a new track. An imminent visit from my mate Clare, my God Daughter Emma and her little sister Rosie has prompted us to finally hang the second pair of curtains in the sitting room. I don't think toddler and new curtains sharing the same bed is a very good idea!!

A little light relief as we watched The Estate rounding up some of their ewes this afternoon. Who needs a collie when you have a quad and a bag of nuts?

Spring is Here / Windy High Pike

Another poor forecast for the day, but Phil, Jayne and the boys are determined to fit in another walk - ideally up a fell. Local to home, soft and grassy, and offering alternatives to the summit if the 'Storm Force' winds that are forecast are too much.... High Pike it is.

But first. A Notable Event. Spring has definitely sprung. The first Daffodil in the garden has finally started to bloom. OK, so I know you have all had flowers for ages, but we are at nearly 1000 ft, and this is Cumbria.

After a leisurely start up the old miners track, we all stop for a breather after a more strenuous section above the old mine workings. Hattie makes the most of the chance for a bit of fuss from Josh.

The boys are really enjoying the opportunity for a bit of messing around in the snow. Jonny gets more than he bargained for though when his 'Snow Angel' turned into a smacker from Hattie!

Jayne and Phil pause briefly at the summit. It was incredibly windy here. Not a place to stop for long.

Having managed to stay dry for virtually all of the walk, Phil, Jayne, Jonny and Josh head back to Lincolnshire and hopefully some better weather.

Windy Buttermere with Phil and Jayne

Friends are staying for a few days over Easter and are keen to experience some Lake District walks. The weather is awful! The forecast is for storm force winds on the tops and persistant heavy rain - possibly clearing from the west. So heading for a low level walk in the west seems like a good option, and a circuit of Buttermere fits the bill.
We have had an awfull lot of rain in the last few weeks, as well as heavy snow fall last week, which has now all but melted. Consequently, water levels on and around the lake are a little on the high side and at times it was windy enough to buffet you nearly off your feet. I think we're glad we stayed on the low ground today!

Sour Milk Gill is in full spate as we start our anti clockwise circuit of the lake.

Haystacks and Fleetwith Pike at the Far end of the lake

Did I mention it was windy?

Phil, Jayne, Jonny and Josh demonstrate the strength of the wind as we near the end of our walk.

Another New Visitor

We haven't seen any Brambling in the garden for a while, so we were delighted when one returned to the feeders Yesterday. This morning we thought for a minute that we had another visit, but on closer inspection, this was no Brambling. This was a male Linnet!

You'll need to double click to enlarge the photo to have any chance of ID, but I promise he's there!

A Friend In Need

We had a phone call on Monday evening from our friends North of the Border http://cumbrianretreat.blogspot.com/2010/02/north-of-border.html

Richard's flock of 900 ewes have just started lambing, and there has been a mix up of dates with the Night Man. They thought he was starting on Monday, he thinks he starts on Thursday, and he's working elsewhere till then. Does Mrs B fancy a couple of nights lambing????

I've never worked nights. I love working with Sheep and I know Richard wouldn't have phoned unless he was absolutely desperate. So plans for curtains go on hold (again!) and off I go, in the worst March weather imaginable, to spend 12 hours a night in the middle of nowhere with 900 ewes, quite a few lambs and a 17 year old student to help me!

My home for the next two nights would be sheep pens - with a very smart (?) caravan to warm up in should there be a lull in the proceedings.

And this is what it was all about.


Now I'm off to bed to count sheep.