A Little Wild Area

Away from birdwatching I've been busy revamping my veg patch and workshop. Both were beginning to show signs of decay and in fact the workshop was disappearing under the weight of the old apple tree and tons of ivy!

Workshop/garage after stripping of the greenery and cladding

New cladding and chippings down!

The old raised beds have been replaced with new sleeper beds and have been planted up following the Square Metre approach. The polytunnel has a new location against the fence and a splendid new compost container built.

New raised beds and polytunnel relocated!

I'm particularly pleased with the wild area under the old apple tree. For years this was the chicken run, but since the fox visited us it gave me an area to develop as a wild flower meadow. This summer it is looking really good with a wonderful display of Ox-eye Daisies, Red Campion and other flowers.

I shall cut it in August and then a couple of more times in the late autumn and hopefully it will be as good as this year.

On a birding front, the Cuckoo is calling from down by the river and a pair of Mistle Thrush have  breed somewhere in the immediate area. The Blue Tits have left the box by the study while we were away and I discovered Great Tits in one of the boxes in the garden.

The warm weather continues. Happy Days!

Week beginning: 07/06/2016: June: Summer is here..... but for how long?

A week into June and having just returned from Spain (more about that later) it is good to see that we have brought back some sun with us. Sadly not the variety of birds seen in Spain.

Monday 6th: 09.15 to 10.32. Walk along the bank at Burwell Fen. The grass long and wet but very pleasant to walk through. However Max, with his little short legs found the going hard. Annie loves the long grass and is forever in and out of it. Occasionally you hear her taking a long drink from the river.

Little to report bird wise. Little Owl on Tubney Fen and a Short-eared Owl in the meadows towards Burwell. The usual waterfowl and a high flying Hobby.

Number of Species seen: 32

Tuesday 7th: 08.55 to 10.15: Wicken Fen from Upware
Another hot day! I really enjoy this stroll past the narrow boats and over the horse bridge. I've decided that the naming of boats is a real art form and should be celebrated.

Reed Warbler were present throughout. Many feeding noisy young that followed them around. Cuckoo could be heard calling from a number of different locations and Chiffchaff and Blackcap kept up a barrage of calls. A Garden Warbler seems to in a well established territory in the trees by the bridge, calling constantly.

House Martin and Swallow present in good numbers by the lock gates but where are all the swifts? A nice family party of Canada Goose attracted Annie's attention!

Number of species seen:36