The End of No-Tails Youngster?

No-Tail back in the garden again today, but on his own. I have a a horrible feeling that the pigeon taken yesterday by the sparrowhawk was his offspring, as for months now I have only ever seen No-Tail together with his youngster.

Time will tell.

Unusual Co-operation Between Jays and Magpies

WOW!!! Amazing sight this afternoon. A pigeon was leisurely flying along the middle side lawn about three feet up. when a sparrowhawk spotted him and suddenly swooped down on him. They flew the length of the middle lawn with their bodies interlocked, they briefly landed on the lawn before taking off again and flying through the arch on to the top lawn, where I lost sight of them.

As this was happening two jays and six magpies flew along above them, screeching loudly. Although I was unable to see the pigeon and sparrowhawk, I knew they were still there as the eight aforementioned birds were still flying back and forth and making a fearful noise.

I chose to stay indoors and to not disturb the happening because from bitter experience I have learned that the poor preyed upon bird always dies. Even if you are outside when it happens and you scare away the sparrowhawk, shock sets in and very quickly kills the poor creature. Another point to think about is that the sparrowhawk will carry on hunting and yet another creature will lose its life.

Although I did not like what happened, I was spellbound at the speed and hunting techniques of the sparrowhawk. It was also astonishing the speed with which the jays and magpies came, there were there in an instant, and I found it interesting how the jays and magpies worked together, as the magpies don't tolerate the jays in the garden usually.

Return of No-Tail

Pleased to see the return of No-Tail the pigeon and his offspring feeding together on the lawn today. They have been sporadic visitors to the garden since mid-July. I hope we will see more of them from now on.

Went across the road today to collect some of natures jewels, they were beautiful shiny, wonderfully self marked conkers, the seed of the horse-chestnut tree. The road was covered in crushed conkers and I thought of years ago when I used to collect them for my siblings, make a hole through them with a skewer and then thread string though. Those long years ago most children played conkers and it was sometimes hard to find any, as they had already been collected. I shall keep mine for a few weeks to admire them, then I will put them outside for the squirrels to find. Conkers are inedible, unlike the seed of the sweet chestnut tree, these are delicious and can be eaten raw, roasted or used in many recipes, including Christmas stuffing. Do make sure you are using the right type of chestnut if you are going to eat them.

The hops are turning dark brown and the bright red haws on the hawthorn are already being eaten by the wildlife. Sloes have disappeared completely, they were devoured very rapidly this year.

A Warm Autumn Day Bringing Changes

During the past two months I seem to have spent much time gazing out of the windows. From my seat in the lounge I have watched both foxes and badgers feed at night.

This morning the warmth of the sun has brought many beautiful butterflies and dragonflies to the garden, with dozens of ladybirds, both British and European, climbing up or resting on the sun warmed surface of the bungalow outer walls.

A small green caterpillar slowly making its way down the patio window, became lunch for a tit. Dozens of bees and wasps have banged into the patio windows. The hornets have left the garage, the bees have moved on from their nest in the bedroom wall, (the noise they made at night keeping the nest at the right temperature was amazing, of course it was the same during the day, but much less noticeable).

Fox, Great Tits and an Angry Robin

The garden has become very overgrown during the last few months. The fox continues to call for food every evening, but sadly there will be no youngsters this autumn. A few months ago the fox den was discovered by some youngsters, who tried to dig it out, despite my catching them, they returned on two further occasions. This was enough to make the fox leave her den. It is September now and although she does still turn up for food sadly there is no sign of any young.

This morning I spent a very happy half an hour watching a small flock of great tits in and around the pond area. They searched all over nearby plants and shrubs for food and both drank and bathed in the pond. One area of the pond is quite overgrown and I noticed any tits venturing into that area soon came out. I couldn't understand this until the quick exit of a great tit was followed even more quickly by a robin shooting out. The robin took up position on a nearby plant and thereafter defied any great tits to come near that area. I think he/she must have a home there.

Badgers and Plums

A trip down the garden resulted in finding the plums both ripe and over ripe on the tree, glancing down to the border beneath, I saw it was totally flattened and there were no windfall plums, I also became aware of a very strong smell. I think the flattening of the area and the lack of windfalls together with the strong smell, leads me to think of a badger. It pleases me to think the badger must be having a feast nightly. The reason I think it is a badger not a fox is because the strong smell is definitely not fox and therefore must be badger.

The Spider Living in the Mallow.

Directly outside the patio window a mallow has self seeded and grown, we have left it there because it has beautiful purple flowers and attracts many bees and other insects, it now has an added interest because a spider has made this plant its home, and over the last few weeks it has feasted well, catching many and varied flies and other insects in its web. The only creatures to escape are wasps and bees, who are much stronger than the others, they are often caught but able to free themselves by just struggling, however I have noticed they always tear the web in leaving. This presents no problem to the spider who always has it repaired in a very short time.

I noticed on the plant, one of the leaves was pulled down and the edges drawn slightly together, watching I realised that the spider sits and waits underneath this leaf, and it is from here that he is able to rush out and quickly deal with any disturbance of his web.

Muntjac Deer

I felt privileged to watch the muntjac deer on the bank this afternoon, he was very busy cropping the lower branches of an apple tree and munching on the plants.

Many people find these creatures a nuisance, but I enjoy every moment while watching them in the garden. They are sturdy little deer just fifteen to eighteen inches at the shoulder when fully grown. they are also known as barking deer because of the noise they make --- a little like a small dog!

During summer they are a reddish brown in colour and in winter a greyish brown, with darker markings on their face, a vee shape in the male and a diamond shape in the female.The males have short straight horns on top of their pedicules. They have no set  breeding time but like us are able to reproduce all year round. The fawns are very pretty and very tiny,they are born after a seven month gestation and have rows of white spots along their back for their first two months.

Muntjac are not native to this country having been introduced to our parks in the early twentieth century, they originate from south-east China and Taiwan. Many escaped from these parks and set up wild populations in our countryside, they are now frequently seen in our gardens.

Papworth Hospital, its Memorable Staff, my Garden and the Lane

For my friends and followers who are aware of the cancer which has lived with and within me for the last four years, I have some very exciting news which I would like to share with you. I have been looked after by an amazing oncologist Dr. Suzie Harden at the Papworth Hospital, she has looked after me unsparingly during this time, I believe that I have had the best possible care and treatment. Sadly a couple of months ago she had to tell me that I had a regrowth, I was quickly sent for a CT/PET scan (eyes to thighs) and a brain scan. When I went for the CT/PET scan it was explained to me that the two scans would be merged together to give a clearer picture. I had not heard of this before and found it very interesting.

When I returned for the results my wonderful oncologist, explained that there was definite regrowth, shown as a hot spot and smaller looking hot spots on the mediastinal lymph nodes, now for the exciting part, this exceptional lady had found a surgeon willing to see me with a view to operating on me. His name is Mr. Coonar, he also works at Papworth Hospital and is such a special person that I knew as soon as he agreed, that I was in immensely capable hands and looked forward to the operation with great joy and happiness. Mr. Coonar was going to remove the right upper lobe of my lungs and I hoped the previously troublesome lymph nodes. The operation was carried out on 15th July by the great man himself, he removed all he intended and now I am feeling very positive and am sure my cancer has gone. Of course I realise that there will be checks for the next five years, but as I said I am feeling very positive, having been operated on by the brilliant Mr. Coonar.

I would also like to pay tribute to the medical team at Papworth who have also been there for me the whole time, in particular Dr.Chris Johnson. He is such a kind, caring person and one who takes the time not only to listen but also to explain.

One last tribute must go to all the Doctors, Nurses (especially oncologist specialist nurse Georgina Howell) and all the other Papworth people who had a hand in my care. Many, many thanks to everyone I have mentioned for the truly caring way I have been looked after.

Many memorable hours were spent enjoyably exploring the huge and very impressive grounds of Papworth Hospital pictured below.

Meanwhile ...... our garden has not looked such a wilderness since we moved in. However the fox still comes nightly, sadly all but one of the squirrels have deserted us, but I am hoping they will soon find us again. As always birds still fill the garden:- goldfinches, thrushes, blackbirds, wrens, robins, dunnocks and of course magpies who are still first on the scene when food is put out. Interestingly No Tail and his first and second partner appear to have left us, it will be interesting to see if they return.

Bees are especially abundant, although the Jasminium Beesianum has finished flowering and is now covered in berries, there are still plenty of other flowers for the bees to forage in, the tall yellow flowers are the favourite at present surprisingly the bees often overnight in them. The pale pink jasmine is also over now, but the white jasmine is still happily flowering. The fuschias are giving a good show, this makes me happy because the bees like them during the day and the moths enjoy them at night. There are many wild cranesbills still in flower in the garden, I know these are considered a weed, but I like them, they attract both bees and butterflies and I wouldn't have the garden without them.

Perhaps best of all are the spiders webs, there is a wonderful one which is like a misshapen box, with wing like structures coming from each side which attach it to nearby twigs. Underneath one of these extensions is a round hole, the entrance no doubt, and caught up in the extensions are many dead winged creatures, an assortment of moths, flies and even a ladybird.

It is so good to be home to be able to look out of my own windows on to the garden, walk the lane again, to smell the fresh air, feel the warm summer breeze on my face and enjoy the flora and fauna again.

I walk the lane progressing a little further every day. The river is running low, a sure sign of lack of rain. The changes in the wild flowers from a month ago are great, with the exception of patches of great willow herb, yellow and purple thistles all in tall groupings and very eye catching. These apart there are no flowers to be seen. However the biggest surprise are the stinging nettles they are higher than my shoulders! The alder tree is laden with small tight bright green cones and last years catkins, the tree is also decked out in fresh green leaves and very attractive. Alders are only a small tree but are greatly attractive to wild life, and if you have a wet enough area to support one, it would make a great addition to a wildlife garden

It was a pleasure to see hawthorns with their branches bowed under the weight of the still green berries which are held high above the branches in their thousands. I shall take much pleasure in watching the berries slowly change colour, to a palish pink round the edges and gradually changing to a deep red all over. At the same time I will see that they are slowly changing position on the branch and to note that when they are at their deepest red they will no longer be held aloft, but instead be hanging from the underside of each branch.

Already the hazel bushes are bereft of nuts, but the ground underneath is littered with broken, empty shells, from the feasting squirrels I would guess.

The oak trees are a sight to behold, never have we seen so many acorns on trees before, they are still very young. The jays are going to be very busy in a few weeks time and I can see there will be many young oak trees sprouting in the near vicinity.

Perhaps the greatest surprise of all are the hops, they joyfully and abundantly scramble along a  large stretch of the lane, their rough stems and prettily shaped leaves give them away as they lean thickly and heavily across hedges and bushes and stretch longingly up into trees. They cover every plant densely soon they will have thousands of hops hanging from their autumn selves and slowly turning their own autumn shade of brown and giving off their very own distinctive aroma. Then there will be a strong temptation to gather some and carry them home to hang in doors.