March '11

Weather This Month

Max Temp = 16.6°C   Min Temp = -5.1°C  Mean Temp = 5.1°C

Max Wind = 21 mph   

Day's Of Rain Over 2mm =8   Rain 24hr Max =  7.8mm     Rain For Month = 39.6 mm  

Diary

30th. Spring is most surely in the air as the Sycamores are starting to leaf, the frogspawn is hatching and the daffs are out. I have spent a great deal of time in the garden over the last week or so as it had become a battle ground due to me being out of action most of last year. I have added a few sleepers around the garden to stop the cats pouncing technique. This way the cat cannot see it's avian target and whats more it has to go up and over now rather than just straight out. I am sure this will help. The chicken mesh in the woodland edge area also has been very successful. This has been set at about 9" off the ground all round and 2" hole size of the mesh allows birds to dive in and out of it and hedgehogs to wander underneath it whilst making it impossible for cats to lay in wait. It is hardly noticed once foliage is present.

Like others plenty of Queen Buff tailed Bumblebees have been present in the garden looking for nest sights. I wonder how last years faired under the decking.

The weather stats above show a very very dry month indeed and looking back it has been the driest march since my records began back in 2006. The nearest other dry March was in 2007 with a total of 71mm. Strange really as February this year was another record, but in the wrong direction as it became the wettest Feb at 219.4mm.

20th. Another event today with the Spring Equinox being an event that heralds springtime. The equinox is about 23:15 tonight whereby the day and nights lengths are equal. Whilst Saturday was a beautiful sunny affair and giving us the warmest day this year at 11.4ºC, today has been grey overcast and damp. More spawn has appeared with at least a bucket and a half now in the pond, this being the most we have ever had. The hedgehog also comes every night to be fed and I can almost set my watch by him at present. I missed out on taking a photo of his dropping the other day and I regretted this as I stepped in them instead!

I have had to send my Zeiss telescope eyepiece away for repair under warranty and after 6 weeks and two poor replacement units being sent in it's place I am still no nearer bringing this disastrous saga to an end.

19th.  Just a quick note of a reminder for those interested that a supermoon is due tonight and it could be quite an unusual sight.

Read about the Supermoon HERE

9th.  A very unexpected treat today in the garden as Mandy told me of this years first in the way of frog spawn. It is quite a clump and at 17:00 today Mandy counted 18 frogs which were acting quite frisky. I think this is the earliest we have had spawn in the pond, which is surprising as temperatures over the last few days have been well below zero. I wonder if spawning is as much to do with light levels as temperature. The sunshine that arrived on Saturday afternoon and stayed with us until yesterday has now really given up it's task as on my way to work at 07:15 a touch of snow was evident which eventually gave way to heavy rain for a time.

I am keeping an eye on the nest boxes but as yet only interest has been shown in the Blue Tit box at the far end of the garden and the only one with no camera inside!