Finally the rain let up

What a relief.   At last it stopped raining, the land dried up, the sun came out and so did the tractors. Over the last week virtually every field in Goathland has been cut for hay or silage; farmers and contractors working until the early hours to get it all in before the rain returned (last night). 

Do you see what I see?

 
Top of the pole - yes, here she is in the middle of the garden at 6:30 one evening this past week.
This is "fat wol" who is slightly larger than "thin wol" so we're guessing she's a she.
Barmy bird, I suppose she fancied a different perch and because it wasn't raining she could come out from under the eaves - and get a better look at the martins.... But so far no more martin predation.

House martin vs owl (bad owl!)

On the back of the house we have artificial house martin nests, previous natural ones having been so frequently destroyed by grey squirrels that the martins simply gave up.  It's taken several years for the martins to become familiar with and start using the artificial ones although blue tits have, for years, used one in particular as a winter roost. This year of the five nests three are in use and broken shells have been seen on the ground below the sites and more recently the little black and white heads have been seen poking out and the whole brood is heard chirruping away.  Two weeks ago one of our resident tawnys was seen swooping up towards one of the artificial nests battering its tail on the window, the fledglings fell silent and the worst was feared but the next day they were as noisy as usual.  The owl has tried at least three times, that we know of, and each time has been defeated by the concrete of the nest. The martins have grown and fledged in the last couple of days, last night one of the youngsters got totally confused and flew in through the open window did a couple of circuits of the room before perching on a lampshade which was either rather hot (the light was on)  or not ideal as the small bird fell to the floor and lay panting.  It was carefully gathered up, checking briefly for any injury - none visible and it held on to fingers very tightly but its tail was only half grown and there was still some fluff on its back so it was obviously a youngster - before being launched into the air out of the open window.  It took to the sky with a chatter and was soon lost in the swooping crowd busy munching the evening midges.

Destroyed house martin nest

There are, or rather were, two nests at the front of the house.  The newer one this year has been hit by an owl strike, at least that the concusion we've reached.  This was the sight earlier this week.

nesting material

The bottom of the nest completely ripped out, the soft nesting material still in a cup shape but 6 metres away in the middle of the lawn and under the destroyed nest one solitary dead nestling, there had been three little heads so we're assuming that two went for owlet supper.  The remaining nest is high up in the apex and so far remains active, we think because the roof shape here and lack of guttering are preventing the owls from gaining access.

dead nestling

The grass in the fields is so high that the owls are struggling, their usual hunting areas are still covered and this is pushing them into new (for us anyway) and unusual hunting patterns, whether now that they've discovered this easy prey they will repeat the patterns next year remains to be seen.  But just in case we're going to put up some more of the artificial nests at the front giving the martins the option of natural or concrete.  Then all the fledglings will have to contend with is the sparrowhawk who puts on an amazing upside down acrobatic display taking the martins in mid air.


(20 July)

weather and buntings

1 June
Late frosts and scorching heat - what a spring, drought and hosepipe bans looming.
The reed buntings are back nesting at church end for the second year. On Wednesday on the way back from Pickering I saw a small flock of males and females on the common darting in and out of the sieves and perching on the tops of the very short newly emerged bracken.  And today there are reports of a large number of lapwing near Sillas.  It's been an odd spring, the bracken is only just beginning to show and now on the first of June the hawthorn  is only now in full flower but all the apple blossom has gone over and the elders are no where near so the elderflower fizz will have to wait.  The scorching heat of last week has passed and we've had a couple of days of rain for which the garden and farmers are truly grateful, everything has begun to grow again.  the rain has meant that the owls have been taking it in turns to occupy the wires, they've been nicknamed Fat Wol and Thin Wol - for pretty obvious reasons, Thin Wol has a paler more creamy front with very definite speckles whilst Fat Wol is darker all over and usually likes to sit a bit further out so you see her feet more clearly. One evening this week there was obviously confusion over the timetable as both were present for about 15 minutes which gave us a lovely opportunity to compare and contrast.

And next the cuckoo

Wednesday 16 May
Martins yesterday and today cuckoos, probably just one bird so far.  It was heard in Greenend earlier this week, then in Darnholme and Mum heard one calling this morning.  Although I've not heard it yet I have seen it!  There was a male flying in and out of the oaks across the field.  The oaks are still to bud up yet, never mind come into leaf which made spotting the cuckoo that bit easier.
The owl arrived back onto its wires today as well.

Snow - in May

It's freezing! My poor tulips look as if they're getting a good dressing down and are busy inspecting their shoe laces. Even a fleece layer wasn't enough to protect the outdoor tomatoes or the gunnera - the toms are a gonna but it was only the leaves on the gunnera which will survive and put out some more leaves from the (so far) undamaged crowns.

On Monday Mrs Bossy Blackbird did as was bid and brought her new babies for us to see, but they weren't quite ready and one of them got a rather too close inspection from three curious dogs who just about terrified the life out of it but did, in fact, leave it undamaged, not even pinked (well done Hebs). I carefully moved it from the middle of the dog yard into the shrubbery but it was all in vain, later on the birds giving a real yammering and there was a sparrowhawk plucking the baby blackbird spreading feathers all over the lawn. As if one wasn't enough she (yes it was a female hawk) came back later for another go but I think went away empty taloned. In the evening we were watching TV and a large shape kept swooping past the window in the evening gloom - then the picture went fuzzy, a quick glance out of the window showed a tawny owl perching on top of the satellite dish!

Spring

At last!
Aconites in flower under the hazel and the garden is perfumed with witch hazel - beautiful. Today the sweet peas have gone into the greenhouse and I've sown the first of the annuals. Yesterday I cleared the big flower bed (working off boards but still) and lifted the fleece off fatsia. Whilst I was working in the garden yesterday I heard the owls calling for the first time during the day.