August

27th. A cool breeze exists today with a wind speed of 7.8mph being recorded at midday with a temp of 15*C. Again bird numbers remain low with a surprise visitor appearing late on yesterday. My first juvenile Woodpigeon of the year turned up with an adult.

Another gadget I purchased while at the Birdfair is a better bracket which fixes my digital camera directly to my birding scope (hence the phrase digiscoping). This new bracket will allow me to take the camera on and off much quicker so that I can swap between observation and photography smoother, quicker and without the chance of damage to the camera. A pic below should give you some idea as to my set up which give some of the images on the site.

26th.  Fresh back from the British Bird Watching Fair at Rutland Water ( I will be adding the report of this in the "And on the 7th day" page)and all seems well in the garden. Our cat Ferly has now been allowed back outside after her captivity in the house during the breeding season. She has already had several run ins with the problematic cat that has taken to hunting in our garden taking full advantage of Ferly's absence.

The birds are now most definately skulking with hardly any visits from the Blackbirds. Starling numbers have also decreased, which has made it easier on the sultana purchase costs! Dunnocks are still well numbered with 3 or 4 always somewhere near as they forage in the woody edge for grubs and insects. Magpies are only early morn visitors as they look for any uneaten mealworm from the evening before. Robins have now started their song as battle for winter territory begins. There are two at the moment but that can rise as the cold sets in and as most likely young birds are in search of winter feeding and these will also be loined by the odd migratory bird that is in need of food.I love the Robins winter flute like song, some see it as a sad lonesome tune but I think it is quite the opposite as it makes the winter that bit more bareable. I have been very lucky the last two or three years as a Robin has always found a song post near to my window which overlooks the garden. I will no more mention winter as it seems rather premature as the daytime temps are still reasonable.

Whilst at the bird fair I was bought, amoungst other things, a professional weather station that I have already begun taking readings from. It is superb as it now gives me rainfall amount over several periods, Wind speed, air pressure values and a very accurate, unlike humidity readings, dew point readout.

13th. The weather remains changeable as light rain, cloud and a cool mind in dominant, although this has been interspersed with nice warm sunny spells. As I write this at 12:40 the temp is a miserable 14.2 deg with a cool blustery wind in evidence. I hope that a little better weather is not far away as my Wife and I head to the Bird Fair held at Rutland Water in Leicestershire from the 18th. This is a huge event with all kinds of selling, lectures, advice, holidays and much more to be found. Bill Oddie is a big crowd pleaser and will host a few witty events. We are lucky enough to have tickets to see Ian Wallace give a lecture this year so that will be a real treat. It really is a fantastic break where you can realax and be educated without much fuss. Who knows I may bump in to one or two of you ......particularly near the light refreshment tent !! If you would like more info on the fair please click here.

The bird numbers remain low with the exception of the Collared Doves whose numbers have crept up to 12 as they fight for the right to feed on the sunflower hearts even if this means standing on one another. The other noticable point is the passage of birds through the area in readiness for the upcoming migration of our non resident birds. I have seen several Willow Warblers passing through with other birds, mainly Long Tailed Tits, and one little possy have at least four willow warblers amongst them. They gleaned next doors Silver Birch tree before being urged on by the Tits in the extended party.

1st. White Rabbit day...although I forgot to utter the words. The weather has now changed to wet cool and very windy. The max temp today reached a sad 15 deg c which was accopanied with heavy downpours of rain. The garden is very greatful of the extra water as it was looking a little parched and in need of a natures finest ....which she duly obliged with.

Bird numbers are falling at the moment in the garden as the food in the wider countryside becomes available. The garden still has lots of variety including Starlings, Greenfinch, Goldfinch,Mistle and Song Thrush, Blackbirds,Chaffinch and a more sinister visitor in the shape of four Magpies!. The Magpie gets some really bad press but I really do like the creature. I find then very attractive with the irredescence in it's feather and "bother Boy" attitude. I realise the Magpies tendancy to take young birds and eggs, but I simply think that the garden would be a poorer place without there presence. A young Mistle Thrush was feeding on sultanas at about 06:30 this morning as I looked out, it stuck around the garden for quite a while before heading off into another garden.

I had a water butt rigged up in the garden to keep the pond topped up but it really did not fill quickly enough to quell demand so I have now rigged a water diverter to my house downpipe and collect this in a water butt instead. I then ran a short length of hose to a timer and out of this I ran another hose directly to the pond. The timer has been set up to let water flow from the butt for 2 mins every 12 hours. It seems to work a treat with this setting but  will monitor  the top up to empty ratio I get from the butt. It is only a 100 ltr butt so it will not hold much in reserve but I am hoping that the surface area of the roof will keep the smallest amount of water running into the butt.

Swift numbers, along with Swallows are very high around the garden skies as I can look up most times and count 30 Swift and 6 -7 Swallow. We have lost the nesting House Martins in our local avenue this year but they are nesting in a church nearby so i do get thodd passinf buzz now and again although My wife has said she really misses thier calls this year and i would agree.

The Humming Bird Hawkmoth is proving a real devil to photo as it is really flighty when approched. It has been at least six times to the garden feeding on various flowers inc Great WillowHerb....time will tell as I increase my readiness to take the pic I would most like to get this year. The frogs are now regularly seen around the garden particularly at evening time where they venture out in search of food. I have noticed that the frogs do have a real taste for mealworm and that one frog sat and ate about four in quick succession. Here is one of our welcome residents in his finest pose. The pic was taken by my wife.