Hot news!

This news is hot off the press!  There are Pheasents nesting in our garden.  At least we think they are Pheasents.  It would be nice if it was Esmerelda because I have not seen her for about a fortnight but I think ducks eggs are blueish and these are a buff colour and speckled.  I have tried googling for pics of Pheasent eggs but the results are inconclusive.  Anyway, there is a little scrape in some dead leaves behind my summerhouse and there is a clutch of about 7 or 8 eggs in there.  I forgot to count in my excitement and I don't want to go back round there and cause more disturbance.  I will keep an eye from a distance now and see who goes round there!

Other recent highlights have been my first Common Buzzard and Marsh Harrier sightings.  It's quite exciting sitting in your garden with a cup of tea and seeing Harriers go over!  Quite addictive in fact, I got nothing done at all on Friday and very little on Saturday.  I just sat gazing skyward. 

Last week I had a friend to stay who kindly brought her Bat Detector with her.  We sat out one evening at dusk and discovered that there are at least two types of bat in our garden.  It was hard to say which type, the frequency guides are a bit vague to say the least.  Just about everything seems to be between 40 and 60.  However there were big ones and little ones so undoubtedly two types, maybe more!  Further research and investigation is needed but I am not sure where to start.  I have reminded hubby yet again about putting my bat box up.  Oh the frustration of being useless at that sort of thing, you have to wait till someone else gets their act together. 

The really good news is that Hoppy is much much better.  He seemed to get really bad and then the next day start walking better.  He barely has a limp now.  He is not visiting as much this week and when he does is often alone or just with one or two females.  I have not seen the little one with the bare bum for a week or so.  I can't imagine it is them nesting behind the summerhouse or I would see them in the garden feeding.  What I need is one of those nests cams.  Or better still Simon King.  Or Charlie Hamilton Jones.  I wonder if I rang them they would pop over here and check it out for me?

Most of last week was spent at Hickling trying to see Swallowtail butterflys.  Unsuccessfully.  Honestly its so frustrating.   They tell you in the centre that they are up.  You go out on the reserve full of hope and its full of Peacocks.  And raggedy ones at that.  One little Swallowtail is all I want.  Not much to ask for really.  Maybe tomorrow....