A Day off Work

Initially written on the 8th May.
Picked the right day to be off as the sun has shone brilliantly all day long. Took 'the small dog' out for a walk in the Dene and stupidly didn't take my binoculars with me. The birds were singing their hearts out and without trying I saw great spotted woodpecker, goldfinch, blackbird, blue and great tits, wood pigeons, robin, crow, collared dove, housesparrow, swift and housemartin and mistle thrush. I heard a chiff chaff and woodwarbler. The 'west' end of the dene is sorely neglected by the local authority as opposed to the 'east' end. Trial and mountain bikes have killed off all forms of vegetation, there is litter everywhere and the burn itself is blocked at one point with driftwood, bottles, old bike parts, and general rubbish. I intend to write to the council and ask them what they are planning to do about it. All councils have a duty to increase biodiversity and this is hardly achieving that. The Dene is a gem and should be given priority but as usual, the local authority seem to fail to see what's under their nose!

Monday 5th May

Very excited as my friends the Housemartins are back from their long journey from Africa. They don't nest on my house but on a neighbours and they have been visiting the same nest for at least 4 years. I know that Summer is not too far away when they arrive with the promise of at least a few sunny days. I love to sit and watch them and am always amazed by how they zoom onto the nest without any hesitation. They usually have 2 broods and sometimes there can be 6 of them all on the nest at the same time. The nest is the usual cup shape but this one has two cups. My bluetits are still here but seems to have decided to nest somewhere other than the boxes I have. I was very hopeful for a week or two, when they were flying from the apple tree up to the box to inspect it but it seems that it is not their des res sadly. They both still come to visit every day and the female sits and flicks here wings in a most provocative way which makes the male dash to the feeder and bring back a morsel to feed her with. He is forever attacking himself against the french doors or the hut window. I used to worry in case he stunned himself as I could here him banging against the window even when I was in another room. Starlings have nested again as usual in the eves of the house and I am fairly certain some house sparrows are in a tree a couple of doors down. They too visit the garden feeder most days along with some other 'common' birds although a pair of goldfinches have dropped in a couple of times recently.

International Dawn Chorus Day 4th May

I woke at 4am on a rather damp and grey morning and by 4:30 was on my way to Hauxley Nature Reserve in Northumberland to help with International Dawn Chorus Day. The drive was uneventful until I spotted a barn owl just before the entrance to Druridge Bay Country Park and then another less that a quarter of a mile further on. I slowed my car and drove parallel with the owl as it skimmed the hedgerow looking for breakfast. Amazing! About 20 people turned up and were lucky enough to hear a variety of birds from blackbirds to whitethroats followed by a rather nice breakfast supplied and cooked fresh by The Fenton Centre. Expert in bird song Geoff Sample rounded off the day with a short talk. Two firsts for me that day on the lake was a Scaup and a Pink Footed Goose. Mmh no camera!

A Start

Where to start is the question and why bother anyway? A combination of reasons. I enjoy using my computer and surfing the web. I enjoy recording my thoughts and what I get up to. A diary, whether it's a paper one with a fluffy pink cover or an electronic one, it doesn't matter. What matters is putting it all down in words. Words that others can see, even if they are not truly interested. The purpose is to make me think not others. I have looked into my distant past and searched out my predecessors. I have found out their names and birthdays, their occupations and addresses. This has given me a small insight into their daily lives. But what of their thoughts? I have no idea. I can only guess. I know they worked hard and some of them couldn't read or write but what they felt, I can never know. I want my children to know and understand me and how I think and feel and although I talk to them, even if they are not that interested at the moment, putting these thoughts down in words on paper (metaphorically speaking), they can 'listen' to me when they want to and not when I want to talk. Mmh getting a bit heavy! Well, it's my first time after all and I am not too sure what I am going to put here, but this is a start to find that wild heart a home.

A bit more

Firstly the name for my blog is the title of a John Denver song http://www.john-denver.org/Default.asp?id=18 great lyrics. I thought the title very appropriate and I can identify with the words too. Sadly I lost my husband in 1996, quite suddenly. One moment he was here and the next gone. We have two incredible children, girls. They were quite young at the time and since that terrible day, my pride in them has grown. They are both well balanced, caring individuals, who are strong and self-reliant. Would they have been this way had their father survived as they grew up? Who knows. All I know is that their father would have been (is) very proud of them both. They are individuals and like most siblings, not at all like each other but both have qualities that makes them - well - them. The youngest is presently working in London and due to start university in September. The eldest has just moved back home for a while and is working full time near the Metro Centre. We currently have 5 cats, 1 dog and a goldfish. I never wanted quite so many pets but somehow they just sort of happened. 4 of the cats are moggies ranging from pure black to almost pure white with some tabby patches and the 5th is a Persian, all fur coat and no knickers type of cat. The goldfish speaks for itself.
I have listed wildlife and photography as some of my interests, nay passions. I plan to have plenty of input in these areas. So what next? Read on.