There are five new photographs on the Photo page, starting from number one.
Azalias at Llanhydrock in Cornwall. Lindsay.
BABY BLUE TIT. LYNNE.
Wintertime in Woking. Bec.
All that swimming tires you out! Jacqui.
View from Maddi’s kitchen.
The Wrens nest got raided by a Magpie this morning. I saw the Magpie leaving as I went to see why the nest was not there. I thought at first that it may have been the Lambs that had knocked the nest off of where it had been built. It wasn’t built in the best place, that’s for sure. It was facing Southwest where we get the wind and driving rain from, and it was so obvious that I was surprised that it hadn’t been had by a Magpie before. I nearly moved it around to a slightly different position last night, but the bale of hay was facing the wrong way. The intention today was to build a few bales in front of the bale with the nest on, to then move it around about nine inches over a couple of days, then the Wren would not have noticed. It is to late now.
It was the first time that we had the opportunity to show a Wrens nest on the webcams. For years a Wren use to build it nest just above head height out side the Farm House Kitchen door, but the entrance hole was to small to allow us to get a camera into it. We have moved the camera to the other end of the haystack to where a Robin is nesting. The nest is getting on for a foot inside of the hay, between two bales, so it is difficult to see right into the nest. Hopefully it is far into the bale so that the Magpie doesn’t see it. I don’t know how long that the Chicks have been hatched, so that may well fledge at any time. As it gets darker, although it will be in black and white the infra red lamp should make easier to see into the nest. The reason I was showing the Wrens nest was that the eggs had not hatched, so we would have been able to see them for a good time.
I cant believe just how dumb the Geese are. This Morning as we were feeding the Horses we saw them walking towards the Observatory. It is not particularly far, but in between is the sand school. Why they would want to cross it I cant imagine. Once in the sand school, he area in between to the Observatory is where Branston and Lady graze. Not the safest place for Goslings. After I had a cup of coffee I went to see where the Geese and Gosling were. I found them near the Observatory trying to get into my neighbors field. There is a wire fence in between the wooden rails. The Gosling could have got through, but no way were the Geese going to, as much as they were trying, unless they had found a gap to go underneath. The problem would then have been they would never of had found their way back through. The only way then that they would have got back to the Lake was to cross the stream. With six foot banks either side of the stream it would have been a little difficult for the Goslings. At least the Goslings managed to make it through to another day. It is the longest that any have survived. Going back onto the island of a night must have a lot to do with it.