What an Unusual Day!

There are a pair of Chaffinches living at the front of our garden. The cock bird sits on the telephone wires (they are redundant as we have underground cable now) and cheeps continuously all day long. This morning he started before 5am and is still going on at 9pm. Just outside the bedroom window - we were up early today!!! Video Clip below, you need sound on.



We went for a morning stroll at Dimmings Dale in Staffordshire and had elevenses at the Ramblers Rest - well recommended. The owner showed me his new raised beds for his salad crop. Quite impressive. I also spent some time photographing wild birds.

On our return home I checked out the pond. I counted 12 frogs in residence and photographed one handsome amphibian sunning itself on the flags at the ponds edge. This area of the pond was becoming somewhat overgrown with Iris, so I cleared it back and this has encouraged several frogs to use this facility.

Rosie saw a squirrel dash onto the patio, come face to face with a cat and do a quick about turn and run. The cat, one of our neighbours, just took a few laborious steps in the direction that the squirrel ran off in and returned to the patio to rest.

Well blow me, Rosie saw the squirrel again, perched on the raised beds. She came in and picked up a few peanuts and went out again to feed it. I followed and took a few photographs of the critter

This is the first time that I have seen our local squirrels interact with humans other than running away. The squirrel was recovering nuts, taking them away to hide them, then coming back for more. Rosie was no more than 6 feet away from it at times.

Having clipped our hedge and done our neighbours side as well (big hedge) I am feeling quite fatigued. Rosie must be of a similar disposition, she has spent all afternoon mowing the lawns.