April 2008
Weather Stats This Month
Max Temp = 16.9 deg C Min Temp = -3.5 deg C
Max Wind 26.6 mph Max Rain in 24 hr Period = 21.7 mm
Max Rain in 1 hr Period = 6.7 mm Total Rain For Month = 147.1 mm
Diary
30th. A
short update to end the month. The first Pipistrelle was seen over the
garden on the evening of the 29th. A Willow Warbler passed through the
garden at about 07:00 this morning and I was also visited several times
today by a pair of Lesser Redpoll which is a good sign as I hope they
will hang around. The pair of Long Tailed Tits are still coming for
mealworm as are 1 Pr Grey Wagtail, Blackbirds and Dunnocks. The Robins
have gone strangely quiet with no food been taken and not many visits
although this could well be due to sitting on eggs at the moment. The
Hedgehog is still a nightly visitor where again mealworm are very
popular.
27th. A new daytime high was achieved on the 26th at 15:22 as it reached 16.9 DegC. Looking at the weather forecast it looks as though this will be the highest temp likely to be recorded for this month. Looking back on April last year we had highs of 20.5 DegC and a total rainfall of 28.4mm. Wow what a difference a year makes!
The lovely warm was enjoyed later in the afternoon and we ate our dinner outside as I had taken the cover off the table and chairs for the first time this year. I was hoping for our first House Martins for the year and they did not fail to show. Two were noted silently hawking insects which I am sure would be top priority after such a long journey back home.
I
also forgot to mention that on the 25th I went out to the shed at the
back of the garden to lock it up only to notice that a hedgehog was
doing it's best not to be seen. Quite comically it failed as although
it's head was stuffed up tight between a bucket and some wood planks
the rest of it's body was all out on show. Even better was to follow as
again I noticed a hedgehog late on on the 26th and on closer inpection
this turned out to be two!
24th. The weather again is throwing up some more usual temps for the time of year with a high of 16.7 degC being recorded back on the 22nd at 17:00. The next day also remained warm with 16 degC again being reached. Today it reached about 12.8 degC but a cool wind has been present making any time out of the sun feel a lot cooler.
Mandy and myself are still waiting to see "our" House Martins return from Africa but as of yet they have not been seen. We have seen and heard Willow Warbler and Swallow which is always very nice. As like the last entry mentioned it has been great in the garden with all the activity of late and on the 22nd evening the Bullfinch pair returned briefly to feed. They were not to pleased by the fact that I have removed the seed trays on the bottom of the feeders to discourage a couple of Feral Pigeon that are coming to feed. Another couple of visitors arrived on the 19th and took sunflower hearts for quite some time. I wonder if this is the same pair that brought young to the garden last year, and if so I hope we see them regularly although, as of yet, no more sightings have been noted.
This fabulous full breeding plumage male certainly lights up the garden.
In
anticipation of our holiday away I ordered a large seed feeder with 10
ports and a massive 2 1/2 KG seed capacity and standing 36" tall. This
should help keep the food availability open at all times when we are
away.
18th. The
garden has been a great place to be at the moment with all the new
growth and all the promise of what is to be later in the season. I have
moved a few plants a while ago including the Himalayan Honeysuckle,
Guelder Rose (compactum) and a Dogwood. They seemed to be struggling
where they had been placed so the recent move will help them be more at
home. All the plants I have moved seem to have survived even though it
may stunt there progress for a year ot to but I think in the long term
it will be beneficial. The weather is not budging much on temps with
snow, hail and rain all having a substantial impact in the garden. The
daytime temps have not really got above 5 - 6 deg C with the odd
showing of 8 deg C. I remember last year as we set off to Mallorca it
was superb weather with lovely temps of 12 deg C. This seems such a
long time ago!!
Our trip to Lesvos this year has meant I have tried in vane to get to grips with the camera but the light is poor and weather very changeable but as soon as the sun has showed I have dived out to get a bit of practice in before the camera is well used on our holiday.
This House Sparrow which was taken a little while ago is now and again visiting the garden with another Male Sparrow. they sometimes do not stay long but today they both fed from a feeder and the floor so things are looking good for this species.
As you can see from some of these pictures the mealworms are without doubt the star attraction.
This Coal Tit, along with his partner are now regulars as they flit around whether it be feeding, fighting, carrying the cats hair away for nesting material ot just dodging the aggressive attention of the Blue Tits.
This Great Tit was also interested in the mealworms but was very wary of me being close with the camera. It is often the case though as the breeding season progresses the need for food for young takes precedence over waryness as I usually end up feeding them from my hands.
this
was a great surprise this morning as I ate my breakfast. It was nice
and peaceful in the garden and a very rare visitor to the garden chose
this as the day to pay a visit. Not only this male but a female also
fed on the hearts and stayed for some time before finally moving on. I
hope they will be back as they really are a regal bird and one which is
always enjoyed when the visit.
The great news for me on a personal note is that I am now allergy free!!!! I have been suffering for about 5 years now with allergy symptoms that include itchy eyes, blocked nose, lethargy, constant sneezing, swollen eyes and glands and wost of all, in the last two years I have also gained allergy related asthma which I would not wish upon anybody. As many suffers can understand this also has a detrimental effect on any other members of the household who have to try and sleep etc around my noisey existance. I have spent hundreds on air purification systems for the house and countless amounts of money on potions, anti-histamines, eye drops and almost all anti-allergy products out there. I visited the doctors and was advised to keep a diary as I was unsure if it was an allergy to our cat or whether it was tree or grass pollen causing the problem. The allergy was starting around February and carrying right through to mid August. At times I thought I had the chest of a sixty a day, 80 year old man but for now I am 95% free of any allergy symptoms. The culprit is strangely Mealworm!!!. I don't think it is the mealworm themselves but the dust created by the eating, fouling and breeding that takes place in the bran which they are delivered in. This dust becomes very fine and I am in regular contact with this dust as I decant the mealworms on delivery into my own containers. Contact is also made when feeding them or just when scattering them about the garden.
So
for now I can't begin to tell you how pleased I feel as my life has now
become a lot more bearable. I still feed the mealworms but I use a dust
mask and make sure I always wash my hands immediately after any contact
with them. Mandy also feeds them now and again to help with the amount
of contact I have. Normally most people would not be troubled with this
issue but I use upto 4 kg a month of the mealworm so contact is heavy.
All I can think of is bring on the summer months once again!!!!!
8th
The garden is responding well to the warmer temps that have been
evident of late. The plants have taken full advantage of this and the
birds are also making hay while the sun shines, so to speak. So far the
nesting tally has reached Robin,Blackbird, Long Tailed Tit, Carrion
Crow and Woodpigeon. The most surprising thing was on the 5th as the
Robin was seen carrying mealworm off to feed it's new born.
I managed a few pictures in the evenings after work but I really must set up a better "scene" as the background and perches do the subject no justice.
A number of the Tit family showed as the mealworm was flowing but the Great and Blue tits were a little shy.
Another visitor to the garden which has not been seen for some time decided to bring a little song with her male friend for company. The female here was a little more open to photographing so i duly obliged.
All comers took advantage of the late evening sun which when out for any period was quite warming to the skin. This Woodpigeon sat for some time before having a good stretch.
As the light failed in the garden a fast moving object caught my eye. It was searching out peanuts!!
Sadly it seems that this may be the last of the dry weather as the forecast is set to turn unsettled conditions with rainfall being the main ingredient.
The
birds of the garden can sigh a sigh of relief as the garden is now down
two cats. the first one being ours which has now become a house Cat
during the breeding season and the other is a neighbours cat which has
now lives elsewhere as a house move has occurred. I could almost see
the birds brow being swept.
2nd.
Having now changed to BST the weather seems to have decided that it
needs to get it's act together as spring is in the air! The Dunnocks,
Blackbirds and Great Tits have begun taking nesting material away. The
day time temps have stayed quite high for the garden with regular
double figures being attained.
Plants are already responding to the longer and stronger light levels with Lesser Celandine, Marsh Marigold and Primrose all flowering well. I hope to get a few pictures of the plants in flower and bud soon but I am just to busy enjoying the length of the evening light to bother.
A note for the diary as our Cat has now become a house cat for the breeding season which she has adopted to very well already.