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[Shadyglade]

Sounds like they are coming out of hybernation a bit early?

[CLKD]

All seen on the roads ............ after a car had squashed them 

[CLKD]

Sadly our beautiful female collared dove was attacked by something, probably a sparrow hawk - feathers every where 

However: neighbour's dog found a large hedgehog around the garden in the week and we have seen large poo on the patio.  I opened up the 'houses' this afternoon, 1 hasn't been used other than by woodlice, the other has a hollow in the straw, probably a small cat  .  Now 'airing' in this lovely sunshine B4 we put them back into position.

Bees ........ ++.  Birds ........ ++ investigating the nesting boxes 

[Kernow]

I think I live in another country...
My hedgehog box similarly taken over by woodlice, no sign yet of any hedgehogs out of hibernation but it's still been so cold.
Rooks nesting high in the trees, found one in the garden couple of days ago so long trek up to the Bird Hospital..they're used to us taking casualties up there
Squirrels playing total numpties on the bird seed but the dogs do an admirable job of blistering up to the feeders and scaring them off (for about 5 mins).
Goldfinches, chaffinches, long tail tits and blue tits dominant at the mo, and my lovely Robin wakes me with glorious singing every morning.

[CLKD]

Apparently the cuckoo has been heard, apparently it kept people awake 'all of last Summer' ..... well, nope not 'all' ...... except when he was courting the female.

DH saw a siskin taking moss off a wall opposite the kitchen window earlier so maybe they will nest close by.  Currently a robin is trilling and bees are floating round the hellebores and hyacinth flowers.

[Taz2]

Sadly our beautiful female collared dove was attacked by something, probably a sparrow hawk - feathers every where 

Sorry about the collared dove - I've got fifteen at the minute on my feeders if you wanted one! How did you know it was a female by the way - I didn't think there was a difference between the appearance of the sexes the same as with robins and wood pigeons?

Siskins are lovely. Ours have returned to the forest now but the dunnocks and black caps have stayed this year and are busy in and out of the ivy. Wood pigeons are sitting on their latest clutch of eggs. That doesn't always have a happy ending sadly. Having lots of trouble with slimy algae in the pond which was only dug last year. As for the cuckoo I wonder if it's one of the BTO tagged ones. It would be interesting to find out?

Taz x

Taz x

[CLKD]

It's on about plastic/recycling on The 1 Show.  Big Plastic Pick-up ...... I try to do my bit, our family have composted for over 100 years.  I put more cardboard etc. into our compost heap than into the recycling bins.  But so much food and magazines come in plastic  . 

This particular dove was peach/bronze and grey ........ and was jumped regularly by her loving mate, so I know from watching them bonding over the years which was which.  They were almost tame and would sit close by so probably an easy catch if she had her back turned.

I haven't heard the cuckoo yet and have no idea if it's tagged.  There are products on the market to get rid of algae etc., duck weed is our problem.  Any blanket weed is easy to remove, I use a bamboo cane or old wooden spoon - it goes onto our compost heap ;-).   Lots of spawn earlier but no tadpoles yet.

Hedgehog on the night camera, seen running around the patio; we have ordered a 2nd one to place outside the hedgehog house  .  The hog was having a Very Good Scratch 

[CLKD]

Does anyone have bee 'houses' ...... none of the instructions state which directions these should be situated in a garden nor how far apart each one should be.  Not on the boxes.  RSPB didn't give e-mail info., told me that I needed to 'phone their Office, well nope, actually.  I would like more info. so that I can make decisions whilst in the shop. 

We have honey bees as well as various types of bumble every day ..........

[Taz2]

It looks like none of the tagged cuckoos are back yet... https://www.bto.org/science/migration/tracking-studies/cuckoo-tracking

As for bee houses - do you mean the solitary bee ones? I've got  a few around the garden for mason bees and other solitary ones. There is info here about where to place the boxes for each species of bee http://www.bbc.co.uk/breathingplaces/bee_home/

Taz x

[CLKD]

  I'll have a read later.

Latest News Flash - a gold-crest scuttling through the trellis after spiders ........... 
As well as 7 small hedgehog poo in various parts of the garden - I can feel a late night on the patio if it's fine later ;-)

[CLKD]

All ready to buy lots of bee 'houses' to put round our garden, got the garden centre 15 miles away and they didn't have a single one!  e-mail pending !

[CLKD]

Apparently the Floor Manager couldn't find the products I was searching for either, hidden behind advertising hoardings apparently.  Too late, we are going to make our own 

Tadpoles  and 2 hogs on the night camera eating the Jacobi Jayne hedgehog grub.

[CLKD]

Gold crest here
Saw 2 cuckoos on Thursday ...........

[Taz2]

Can you report your cuckoo sightings? Were they both in the same area? I only ask as BTO are having trouble with the new bird trackers they fitted last year and have lost touch with some of the tagged birds. Selborne was the first to arrive back (they think) last week so any other sightings would be brilliant especially as it's so difficult to actually spot them. I've only ever seen one although I've heard quite a few over my lifetime.

Taz x

[CLKD]

I'll try to let them know.  The most I saw was 7, in the same field, years++ ago. [sent an e-mail with details]

Blasted cat from next door got a bird this afternoon; ran off with it then returned shortly after for another but I was ready  .......

Tadpoles ;-)