1st February
Snow arrived today providing a good opportunity to think about next year’s Christmas cards.
2nd February
John had seen so many tracks in the snow yesterday we hoped the trail camera would have captured images of the track makers. Of the dozens of clips recorded, only one was not showing the ponies, however the one was well worth it. The ponies deserve an appearance on the blog too. It would seem as though a fox too has been testing the ice on the big pond.
3rd February
An exciting day for Clare - she saw one male and three female Redpolls at home then in the afternoon went to Liddells for the first time this year, to say hello to the ponies and check her bees. One colony has eaten almost a whole box of fondant, the other hardly any. It is strange how colony behaviours can differ under what appear to be similar circumstances.
4th February
Clare’s bird-watching at home is going some way to making up for all that she is missing elsewhere - today the Redpolls were joined by several Siskins. We saw them in the garden a couple of times a few years ago, but none for a long time now. All these birds are proving to be a significant part of Clare’s recovery.
The trail camera may well have captured the fox that was testing the ice. It is walking away from the big pond and is at the southern edge of the Pit Wood, heading north.
John and Robbie worked on the seating for the story-telling circle (which should probably be called the story-telling semi-circle). The large logs will be turned over and sit on supports between the uprights.
Robbie with mel and without Mel
We were delighted that amongst the numerous videos of pheasants feeding - we’ll spare you those - we found two clips that are worth putting on the blog. On the first one, watch the top right section of the frame. The first clip was recorded at 16.20, the second about half an hour later.
6th February
John worked on the seating for the story-telling circle. We’re just waiting on a story-teller now. And the story-teller’s seat….
7th February
The trail camera has triumphed again. John is sure this is a youngster as it has a ‘chubby babyface’, and he reckons that it is a buck - if you look closely you can see the beginning of two buttons on the top of its head which will become antlers.
8th February
As well as felling more trees in the Pit Wood, John and Robbie dismantled and removed an old covered pheasant feeder from that area.
Before
Feeder in kit form
Feeder gone
10th February
There are buds on one of the Small leaved lime that we planted on the Wetland and Snowdrops are out on the Meadow. We usually include a photo of Hazel catkins in the Spring and have had to use the same old established tree each year. This year we are delighted to see catkins on one of the new hazels for the first time.
Small Leaved Lime in bud
Snowdrops on the Meadow
Hazel catkins
12th February
We are fortunate that Robbie’s trip to New Zealand has been delayed so he is currently available to help out. We are also fortunate that he loves helping. We reckon one hour of Robbie’s work equates to at least four of ours. John put different fronts on some of the open fronted bird boxes which had never been used. Any homeless robins, wrens and spotted flycatchers will know to whom to complain. Robbie logged, brashed and worked on a bridge over the channel into the big pond.
A few minutes logging in Robbie time
Letting light in and opening the view in the Pit Wood
First heave your poles
Then wield a mell
Maybe walking across the poles would be a bridge too far.
Before
After
13th February
The trail camera is not ideal for picking up small birds, however we are pleased that it has captured a Yellowhammer near the pheasant feeder, and thus provided another opportunity to draw on the charms of BBC Radio 4’s Tweet of the Day. It’s always a delight to see images of a hare.
14th February
John and Robbie opted for a non-romantic way to spend St Valentine’s Day - chain-sawing and road-building. They have made more potential seats, not just for the story-telling circle but to use in different places on Liddells.
Before
After
Before
After
We are not entirely without a romantic streak - here is gorse in flower on 14th February
15th February
We don’t know about ‘Nature red in tooth and claw’, this all looks a bit black and white to us.
18th February
Juno’s second birthday. A fox appears to be about in the early hours. Hal, Beth and Juno came over to fulfil a long held plan to plant a tree for Juno. We chose an Aspen, which comes into flower in February. Its botanical name is Populus tremula because the leaves are forever trembling. Some of you may know the line from Tennyson’s The Lady of Shalott, ‘Willows whiten, aspens quiver’; the tree was favoured by sufferers from “shivering disease”, who would pin locks of their hair to the trees in the hope that one shivering would cure the other. This is a new tree to introduce on Liddells. If you would like to see more photos of this event, you will find them on the Celebrations page.
First dig a hole
Make sure the tree is upright and tamp down the soil (John is either bowing to the tree or practising for a knighthood)
Make a label
Attach label
Prepare ground for snowdrops
Water snowdrops
Record the result for posterity
20th February
John and Robbie felled some of the Spruces behind the shepherd’s hut.
22nd February
Wall repair along the road. Another Corsican Pine felled in the North East Strip. Tim and Jane saw two Peacock butterflies out on Liddells - this is unprecedentedly early.
26th February
John worked on the bridge on the Wetland and is particularly proud of his half-lap joints. So proud that he clearly took time off to be artistic with the camera. He also altered another open-fronted nesting box.
Half-lap joint cut…
…and assembled. What a fine half-lap joint
John’s shadow side
We’ll see if the titmice are tempted
27th February
John noticed droppings underneath the entrance to the bat box today. We will move the trail camera so that it will pick up any movement in and out. We leave you with the cliff hanger (which in the case of bats will of course be upside down) - are we bats to think bats might have taken up residence……