So slow

What with one thing and another, it has been a messy week.

Firstly, we changed estate agents as the original one had not sent any suitable viewings. They had sent one who obviously wanted to stay close to the railway station, where he already lives! Our new agent arranged for three viewings, one of whom got lost somewhere. The trouble is that our postcode covers four houses, three of which are a terrace about 300 yards away and we are on a corner/roundabout with a large expanse of grass in front.

Bird-wise, it has also not been too exciting. This weeks list, accumulated over three sessions, is -
Great Tit 3
Long-tailed Tit (2)
Garden Warbler 2
Reed Warbler 3
Blackbird (1)
Robin 1
Dunnock 1 (1)
House Sparrow 10 (1)
Chaffinch 1
Greenfinch 2

Sunday 27th saw my last, official 'guided walk' at the park. Dave Barnes has been put forward as a replacement as he has accompanied me for many walks over the last two years. We saw all the usual birds; 90+ swans and geese, plenty of singing warblers, young grebes, swans , geese, coots and moorhens, parties of fledged jackdaws and tits ... and a lone rook.

It has been so hot of late that there has been little in the garden. It is now two weeks since any rain fell - and that was 11mm in a thunderstorm. At night the temperature barely falls to 12C most nights (one night was 16C) and during the day it reaches >25C in the shade and >40C out of it. The light winds just manage to take the edge off the heat.

Leaving the kitchen door open at night (naturally we close it when we go to bed) allowed me to spot a Hedgehog on the lawn, hoovering up the fallen bird seed. The picture was taken after Jen's mum's poodle had given it a rude poke.

Hey ho, better get on with repairing the bathroom tiling. Then it's the big one - packing all my books in anticipation of a buyer!

Mixed blessings

My eldest grand-daughter, Erin, turned 6 this week. Being summertime, the request to attend the now obligatory BBQ rendezvous chez No.2 son was forthcoming.

From my side of the marriage there were just three: grandfather (me), grandmother (ex wife Ann) and my partner, Jenny.

Chris and Ann getting away from the throng.

On the other side there was a grand gathering of 7: Ali's mum, dad, brother, sister, brother's expectant wife and two children.

Susan (Ali's sister), Jan (Ali's mum), & Ali taking a breather from "dishing up".

I spent much of the time entertaining the four children in the garden, with football using that huge blue thing above, playing tag, pretend fighting and pulling faces.

Birthday girl, Erin, talking to Jenny.

The next day

Having been summoned to go to Aylesbury, I got on my bike after an early breakfast to join Dave Short and another trainee, Bill, to check out and ring a few Barn Owls and Kestrels in the Aylesbury Vale.

The first three boxes contained Barn Owls: three were ringed in the first, there were two and an egg in the next and the third was deserted (reason unknown). A couple of Little Owl boxes were also checked, one empty, the other with a bird sitting. We tackled another four boxes containing Kestrels: six good, evenly fed young in the first box, four and an egg in the next (which I ringed), then two of very different sizes and one egg (which they were cuddled up to) in the next and in the last there was just the one chick and four very cold eggs.

The one I enjoyed most was the single Buzzard Chick (see photo). While we were climbing to this nest, a pair of Red Kites (the female was visibly bigger than her mate) circled nearby and the female Buzzard kept watch, mewing all the while. Later, she was joined by the male but he soon slid off west.

Common Buzzard chick (DNS)

Afterwards, we went looking for Swallows in various farm sheds and barns. On one farm we found eight nests (there may be more) and ringed one brood of five that was ready. There four young lady onlookers/assistants as we did them. Some broods will possibly be ready at the weekend. Another species which we ringed was House Sparrow - four in a box on a stable. There are also some Stock Doves and Collared Dove nests that we (Dave) are following up and the following day (today), Dave rang me about a Spot Fly nest!!! And another!!!

Not much doing

Apart from sallying out to get a few 'early season' Reed Warblers, everything else has come from the garden.
Having 'mended' (a euphomism in reality) a 30' net and put out more food for the blighters, visitors were always quick off the mark. However, as I have to ring on one side or the other, there is plenty of airspace for those that intend to keep their freedom.

It wasn't all bad as I managed over 50 birds of 9 species in 5 mornings. Top was 15 Starlings, all 3J's. Next came House Sparrows with 12, 2 of them new adults and a retrap juv from 2 weeks earlier. Then, in third place, Great Tit with  7 new youngsters and 4 adults that were all in their 2nd CY. Of the 5 Blue Tits, 3 were adults, all new. After that, it's 3 Blackbirds, 3 Greenfinch, 2 Goldfinch and singleton Dunnock (a retrap) and a heavyweight Wood Pigeon.

Many of the "baby" Starlings were extremely noisy and living up to their nick-name of "flying shit"; hands under the tap every time! This one in particular was a so-and-so. And it was well and truly entangled in the net ... and a fidget.

Quiet, at last!