Diversions

It's been so quiet recently in the garden that there really has been nothing to write about.  Thankfully I am noticing a few small birds returning, Blue Tit, Coal Tit, Great Tit and Chaffinch.  Still nothing larger though, Jason the Jay has vanished, I can hear Pheasents out there but no sign of them yet.  I keep sprinkling a trail of seed into the garden in hopes they will pick up on it.  I put a whole loaf of stale bread out the other day and it just sat there going mouldy until the lawnmower picked it up.  Mind you I should not be surprised because that lawnmower has eaten just about everything else!

I have seen a grass snake a few times along the fence line.  The first time I was on a morning nature trail round the garden with the Grandkids when Dylan and I both shouted 'snake' at the same moment.  The second time he was in just about the same place so I am intending to put a few more mats about to attract him.  I have one sad little Tesco's value brand rubber car mat at the moment but as the Hairy Hubby has finally tarfelted the Summerhouse (hoooooray!) there are lots of offcuts of tarfelt so I will be liberating some of them tomorrow and dotting them round the garden.  It will be interesting to see if I find anything but beetles.  I know some people find beetles riveting but they are not my favourite wildlife.  Especially after finding one in my sleeping bag on a school trip at the age of 8, but that is another story.

My excitement recently has been volunteering at Wing and a Prayer.  Mostly I am cleaning out birds but I have been able to handle several species including, House Martin, a ducking (awww) lots of pigeons and Doves and also Crow and Herring Gull who were a bit scary.  Last week the young Herring Gull had got so big I asked the owner to get her out of her cage incase she bit me fought me too much and hurt her broken leg.  I have also hand fed some baby blackbirds and seen a House Martin Released. 

It's not all happy though.  There is a viral infection in the area affecting the local population and also some of the birds in The Haven.  Last week when I was there a little blackbird, one of the ones I had hand fed, was fine one minute, collapsed 10 minutes later and was dead within another 10 minutes.  It was so shocking how fast he went.  I know he was fine when I arrived because I had a little chat with all the birds before I started work and he was chatting back to me. 

I have managed a bit of seawatching this week.  Sadly I missed out on what I have heard was a seawatch bonanza last weekend but never mind (actually I do mind)  I just am not familiar with what is good conditions for which place yet.  It is a different style of birding round here to what I am used to.  At least that's how it seems.  I have had contact from a couple of local birders via a Yahoo group so fingers crossed I may have some birding buddies in the area before long.  Lord knows I could do with some contacts.