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Hi Elle,

I think Laddie is more interested in his stomach than in the eggs!

My little bird is very busy trying to feed all those little beaks! I can still see 3 eggs that have not hatched yet, but they were not all laid at the same time, so we'll see; still, 10 out of 13 is not bad!

Do you have any nests near your house? I mean can you see them?

Just come back in from terrace - I could fall asleep there !

Hello, Pigale!
You may well be right about Laddie and his stomach!
No, we don't have any nests in our garden.....nor nearby so far as I know.
There are several nests in our local park - and the resident heron is a menace and constant threat to the ducklings!
However, we do have fox cubs who live next door....they come into our garden to play!

Hi everyone,

Elle, are you OK? Weather here still warm but has become a bit mucky - the slight breeze is welcome.

The recent heat has made a big difference with Nature and grass AND weeds are growing like mad; it is quite normal for this time of the year and mowing is a weekly job at present; This past week has seen a lot of 'Spring cleaning' in the garden, even though the real weed clearing will be more thoroughly done at end of May - It is nice to try and destroy the roots after it has rained overnight, and It does not grow quite as much afterwards, particularly if we have a dry Summer.

Did you work in your garden this week-end?

Good afternoon, Pigale!
Yes, all fine at our end, thank you!
Our garden is very strange.... we still have loads of daffodils blooming - they and the bluebells make a nice display!
Our usual after winter battle with the lawn - if I can dignify the grass with such a word - is finally showing progress.
The rain and the dog made a fine mess of it, but it is coming good now.
We spent a lot of time yesterday working in the garden, although it did get very hot.
We now have a huge bag of weeds etc to take to the tip!

Hi Elle!

I seldom take anything to the tip (greenery-wise that is); There is a smallish part which my husband turned into a fire-area and everything unwanted on the compost is burnt - great to get rid of brambles, ivy, blackthorn (?) and the rest. Also great in Autumn for burning leaves - with the number of trees we have to deal with, there is no way that the leaves can be put on the compost - it would look like the Everest !

Just returned from shopping at Super U and it is now starting to rain a little - good for the weeds ! strange to see clouds after a very bright week!

BTW has doggie totally recovered from the anal gland problem? Do you still take her to the vet every now and then?

Hello, Pigale!
Here, we are discouraged from garden fires and asked to take garden waste to the recycling tip.
Or alternatively - for a fee - we can have a "collection" by the Council.
Needless to say, we avoid that and take it there ourselves.
But we have a small garden in comparison to yours!
The dog's anal glands are now declared free from both inflammation and infection , thankfully, and she is down to a three -monthly inspection (and expression) now!
We too now have black clouds circling overhead.....I think it could rain.
I must go out in the garden and put away all the tools before it does .....

most of our birds are feeding broods the Robin has two separate nests and has a beak full of mini mealworms every few minutes the Blue tit first brood have all fledged and they are starting again.Norwich Cathedral has a Peregrine falcons nest yet again with 4 fledglings. The weather as been dreadful for the past few days pouring rain and chilly but at least our fruit trees are looking very healthy.Our cats are far to lazy to catch birds the magpies actually take food out of the cats bowl whilst he sits there

Hello, Doglet!
How nice o hear from you! I am glad that all is well with you.
Your birds and fledglings seem to be doing very well.
We see more of the squirrels and the foxes in our garden than we do of any birds.
Our two squirrels come and knock on the kitchen window if I am slow in providing g their "breakfast"!
I know a lot of people consider squirrels to be "pests" but ours give me a lot of pleasure as they are so tame!

Hello Elle and Doglet!

Really nice to hear from you again Doglet !

I have yet to see a squirrel myself - apart from on TV ! We do not have any around here except in the farms all around, but I live a bit too close to the village for them to venture so close.

Elle, are your squirrel the grey ? There are plenty of red squirrels in my garden and of course they concentrate in the area not far from the oak trees. but they like fruit too and I have seen one carrying a small nectarine ! I had a plum tree on which I grafted a vine peach tree and the result is what we call brunion - a private garden version of nectarine. Delicious but does not give a lot of fruit yet; Last year, the squirrel ate more than me!

Yes, Pigale, they are grey squirrels, but very friendly.
I have never seen a red squirrel "in the flesh " so to speak!
Did I tell you that our elder daughter is getting a dog? A golden retriever puppy in July.
You used to have a retriever, didn't you?