Nature Diary #10

Flowering dogwood

I’m sorry for the lack of a blog last week – I blame it on the hot weather! I did go out for a couple of walks but it was so hot that all of ‘nature’ was being sensible and keeping a low profile! I went on one longer walk and the only bird I saw was a lone buzzard spiralling slowly above the sun-baked fields. I was trialling my new walking boots, which seem to be quite comfortable, but will need a bit more ‘breaking in’ before I feel confident of doing a long walk in them – I had worn through the soles of my old ones!

Last week, whilst weeding in the greenhouse at the organic market garden, I disturbed a vole’s nest. It was a little cup of grasses set in a slight hollow on an overgrown path that I was clearing, and I hadn’t realised what it was until I’d picked it up. Luckily, the babies all looked to be semi-independent as their eyes were open and they were covered in fur, but they were only about two inches long and scuttled away into a more overgrown bit, so I hope their mum found them again. I hate disturbing any nests like this, even if the occupants will grow up to be a nuisance (such as rats), as I worry that they will starve to death if the mum doesn’t come back. ☹

On a more positive note, I was planting out runner beans for one of my gardening clients, and lightly digging in a top dressing of farmyard manure, when I came across a glorious blue oil beetle. I was particularly excited as you only tend to find them in areas that have been organically cultivated and this client always used to use a lot of chemicals on his plot. Over the last four years that I’ve been gardening for him I’ve managed to wean him off most of them and it has obviously paid off. The only other place that I have seen them is on an organic farm in Cornwall (where I took the photo).

Blue Oil Beetle (about 2" long!)

My walk early the other morning was very interesting: I walked out to the lake at about 6.30 and, on the outward journey I didn’t see much of interest apart from a hare running at top speed away from me! Once at the lake I walked as quietly as I could, stopping frequently, and was rewarded by the sight of the female mallard and her offspring. There are four of them (I must have missed one last time I saw them) and they are now nearly the same size as mum but lacking the markings on her wings. Further along, I heard a bird song that I was completely unfamiliar with – I think I heard it once last year in the same place, at the far end of the lake where the reeds grow quite densely. I took a video, which is very boring to look at, but gives you the song and then, after a bit of a grapple with technology, I sent it to my daughter who has a bird song identifier app on her phone, and found out that it’s a reed warbler! https://youtu.be/yhAgnyRm98c

I then walked along the field edge on the far side of the lake and came across five hares playing, so took a video of that, too! It’s at full zoom so it shows up my unsteady hold of the camera! https://youtu.be/Cehv9k6vaJg

Deceased mole

Sadly, on my way back home I came across a dead mole, which wasn’t there on my way out. This is the second dead mole that I’ve seen in a week, which is a bit strange. Apparently, the young moles disperse overground at this time of year and, I’m guessing, perhaps with the hard, dry ground they have been unable to dig new runs and/or find food. I find them quite fascinating, even though they are the scourge of farmers and gardeners alike!

There are a few new goings on in the hedgerows with the dogwood in full bloom, this year’s crop of sloes beginning to show themselves and a mullein beginning to poke it’s spire towards the sky – I’ll try to remember to photograph this again when it reaches its full height.

Mullein

Potential sloe gin!

Yesterday, when I was again weeding the greenhouse at the market garden (it's a bit like the Forth Bridge, being a never-ending occupation!) I was joined all day by a very tame robin who would dart in to the space I had just weeded and pick up any tasty grubs that I'd uncovered. It must have still been feeding young as it made frequent flights out of the greenhouse carrying beaksful of wriggling grubs! Today I am making soup out of the remains of last week's veg box to make way for the new veg box that I 'earned' yesterday - I shall be so healthy with all this fresh, organic produce!

We have suffered another poultry fatality which is quite a blow, coming fast on the heels of Mrs Speckles’ demise. Bandit, my beautiful, young Copper Blue Maran cockerel was found dead yesterday morning! He had been ill a few weeks ago with an upper respiratory infection which had been treated successfully (we thought) with antibiotics. He was almost back to full health, taking an interest in his girls, eating well, but still lacking his crow and then he just died. He was barely a year old and I never even took a photo of him to share with you. We are now down to just 4 hens, only two of which lay eggs on a regular basis. Time to re-stock or give up?