May
Weather Stats
Max Temp = 19.7 deg C Min Temp = 2.7 deg C
Max Wind 22.3 mph Max Rain in 24 hr Period = 21.2 mm
Max Rain in 1 hr Period = 5.6 mm Total Rain For Month = 103 mm
Diary
20th. The rate the birds are eating the food I shall be a very poor man in retirement. At present the Sarlings,Blackbirds,Mistle Thrushes and Song Thrush are eating their way through about 2 1/2 KG a DAY of sultanas. The Tit family along with the Robin and Grey Wagtail are demolishing the mealworms also at an alarming rate one which I hope will soon slow a little. After the initial rush of young in the garden it has all gone quiet with no juvenile Starlings being seen or heard and our Blackbird fledglings all deciding to leave this garden and seek cover elsewhere. I have not seen our young Blackbirds for a couple of days but I presume all is well as the female is still cillecting food to carry away.
A good day is in prospect today according to my weather station and as I write this at 08:30 the sun is just breaking through the thinning cloud. I am greatful of the rspite from the rain as with the heavy downpours came a quite vicious gusty wind that has damaged my Bird Cherry (prunus padus) quite badly. I foolishley allowed the tree to split into two trunks which has caused the tree to have a weak spot which has now been found. The two trunks have been split in two with the split tearing away one of the trunks and creating a 300mm split line right down the middle of the main single shaft. As soon as I spotted this I sadly had to release some of it's strain and cut away one of the trunks. I have now baded together the single trunk left in the hope that it will recover. The recent thinking is not to apply any wound dressing at all to the cuts as this is thought to help disease penetrate and grow into the tree. I hope she recovers as I planted that in 2003 at which time it was a 2' whip. It has now grown to about 18' and has started to produce fruit for the birds.
17th. What a difference a couple of weeks can make. Weather, Allergies, new birds births,death and plenty of birds! First off the weather has taken a steep downturn as a cool breeze coupled with cloud and persistant rain have took a hold. It has sruggled to reach 10 degrees in the last couple of weeks and has not really had time to dry up in between showers. A little respite was found on Monday as the sun broke through in the afternoon but no real warmth was felt. My allergy to what I suspect is to our cat has been driving me mad, with it also bringing a couple of asthma attacks for good measure. I have ordered a good quality Daikin air purifier so I hope that this will aid my nights sleeping. I suppose the advantages to being up at 04:30 in the morning are that the dawn chorus can be sampled in all it's glory something that I would recommend everybody should try at least once every spring time. The song is so strong it is amazing to hear such a relaxing song at such an ungodly hour!
New birds have been spotted in the form of our summer visitors the Swifts. I first noted them locally on the 11th with larger numbers being seen by the 12th. I have counted up to 20 in small parties since and I wondered if any of these were the same ones I spotted in Mallorca in April. A Goldcrest also came to visit early morning on the 14th with a passing tirade of song as it flitted around the Silver Birch gleaning insects.
Whilst the early morning taste of the dawn chorus occured I also was amazed to see that one of the Blackbird chicks was out of the nest and on the decking outside the back door. When light permitted I carried it back to the nest to where it seemed more than happy to return. Considering that the eggs hatched about two weeks ago I thought it odd that these were out and about. I then spotted another one so i again returned it to the nest. This one was keen as mustard to leave and again it hopped out of the nest and onto the floor. I thought it best to leave it but kept an eye on them. Mum kept feeding them using gentle calls to detect where they were. I helped out by using mealworms which the female now actively takes right at my feet. On my return from work on the same day (14th) I was saddened to find that two chicks were dead in the ivy and one was sat at the top of the ivy in the heavy drizzle. I removed the two dead chicks only to find that they has blood on them around the body area but they were intact with little signs of attack. This situation is puzzling but I guess I will never really know the reasons. Theses few pics show the extent of how young they actually are.
Other young birds are now visiting with young Greenfinch, Pied Wagtails and Sarlings all making use of the available food put out for them. The Pied Wags are not really visiting the garden but they have chosen to bring thier young to a neighbours roof where insects are being found. The Grey Wags which are still taking food away with them are less regular considering the amounts of food that they have taken. I would gues that this slow down is due to some or all of the young being lost. Lets hope there chance at another nest it more successful.
A few pics I took on Monday whilst the light was better show how popular the mealworm has become!
1st. The lovely warm weather continues with a nice daytime temp of 19.7 deg c being reached at 17:18. Whilst sat in the sun it feels very strong but out of the sun the wind can make it feel very cool indeed and this has been bore out as the windchill has dipped to as low as -2.6 deg C.
More good news as the fears for the Mistle Thrush young have been swept away as I witnessed this morning, at about 06:45, both parents carrying food away to feed to the new crop of youngsters. I would of thought it not long before we see one or two of their young within the garden. If I remember rightly it should not be difficult to spot them as they have been very vocal in the past as their appetites seem to be insatiable and even plenty of food in thier beaks does not stop their noise level.
Another first for the year as a new fledgling in the shape of a Robin watched me as I went to the top of the garden. I saw mum also keeping an eye on me. I walked to where I store the mealworm and threw some on the ground where it did not take long for the Robin to spot them and hoover them up! Another first for the year was the appearance of a Willow Warbler in next doors garden. If about it always visits the Silver Birch next door and this time was no different. I had not spotted it but it's wistful song gave it's presence away.