in the elephant grass

Good to see that something can eat miscanthus other than power stations. A female roe deer who didn't sense us as we approached.

there's nothing like a Dame

this tall plant in our paddock is called dame's violet. It is related to mayflower, honesty and the stock family and has a lovely gentle scent. I have no idea where it came from (it is a native plant) but the name apparently refers to Damascus and not to women.                                                 

Spot, the rabbit

Both the rabbit and Spot remained stock still for 5 minutes, each waiting for the other to make the first move thus creating the first standoff of hispanic origins in Venterdon history. Rabbit is relying on Spot proof glass barrier (he does occasionally try and hurl himself through it thus demonstrating that the lurcher is no brighter than the fly).

Still no nuts

Our walnut tree, planted on Good Friday 1999, in keeping with everything else this year is way behind and is only now coming into leaf. This is the first catkin (male flower) it has ever borne, unfortunately whereas previously it has only produced female flowers this year there are none to be seen. Still no walnuts!

wending in the willows

the Inny at its greenest, and a female wide bodied chaser (or libellula) freshly emerged and drying off in the sun

sparrow fence

It turns out that sparrows are well know for bullying martins. On the advice of the RSPB (see link) we have made a sparrow barrier out of odds and ends. We shall watch developments with interest.

martinville

Somewhat later than usual the martins have returned. Looking back through the records on this blog they are at least two weeks and up to six weeks later than usual. Recently they have taken to arriving and then disappearing for a few weeks, no doubt to fatten up for the breeding season. I am not sure that these two have decided to nest here. They spend a lot of time chattering to each other and flying around just like a married couple looking for a new home to start a family. Almost immediately a male sparrow appeared on the guttering above which does not bode well for a peaceful few weeks.

flowers about

some images from two walks today, bluebells, ramsons and hedgerows.

brimstone and fire

Apart from a few small whites there really are very few butterflies around at the moment. I don't know whether they are simply late because of the cold weather this Spring, or absent because of last year's dismal weather. However, there are some brimstones in the woods. These are very fidgety butterflies. When a male and a virgin female meet they perform a spiral dance up into the canopy, whirling around feverishly before falling to the ground (in a swoon?) to mate (see link). In this photo the female is above the male who is obviously much more yellow. It makes a very attractive sight in the yellowish light  under the emerging canopy.

white wing

I thought I saw this young rook before we left when it was struggling to fly. I have never seen markings like this on a rook before and I don't know whether it is some form of partial albinism or the result of an injury, but it is very striking. As always somewhere on the net there is more information (see link) !

Home again

 Alaska was stunning with its beautiful blues, whites and greys but there is something incomparably beautiful about the green landscape of England and especially Cornwall as it blossoms in late Spring.

dear Spot
I don't know what the weather has been like in Cornwall but here in Alaska it has been simply perfect, as you can see, and even the orca has taken to sun-bathing. See you soon.

Seward

dear Spot
the one thing a big fierce bird hates is a little fierce bird, bald eagle meets crow.

ossum journeys 2

dear Spot
train across the Kenai peninsular.

the trees in the bottom picture were killed in the great earthquake of 1964. You in particular will appreciate the joke the guard told, that they are called silent dogwood because ...... they have no bark (ha, ha!).

ossum journeys

dear Spot

we have just completed a train journey across the wilds of Alaska. On the way we saw moose, bears, a porcupine up a pine tree (very appropriate), and best of all, a golden eagle. None of these is very common in Cornwall!

Glad to hear Meg is still visiting.

some sunny day

we are off on our annual adventures on Saturday so Spot will lose his secretary for a couple of weeks. We will be sad to leave the apple trees in full blossom and the forgetmenots looking very bright, and the equine students practising for Duchy College open day

more Cornish walls and hedges

The walls can become covered in moss and lichens, another effect of our our cold damp climate

old walls

we are surrounded by old cornish hedges and walls (they are much the same sort of structure). Hedge trees grow on top and in these walls and reach enormous sizes given the precarious nature of their base.

bluebells

the bluebells are just reaching their best, some one or two weeks later than usual

duck watch

anxious duck keepers out early this morning to check on the new arrivals, picture taken by Jo at Farrier's Lodge. Those ducks don't know how lucky they are.

spring continues

bluebells in the woods at Kerney Bridge, and the lovely double mayflower found locally

new on the block

one of the two baby mistle thrushes that have now left the nest and are being fed by the parents on the ground. The feathers are subtly different from the adult plumage in that the head and back feathers are tipped with white creating a patterned effect (which I have exaggerated in picture below).

the ramsons are out

Carletta took us for a walk on Thursday at Old Solomons Farm where the ramsons are out. Ramsons appear to be flourishing everywhere locally in this wetter cooler weather.

and now we are four

 where are we, I can't bear to look

Elizabeth this is Jemima, Francis, this is Cloe, Cloe Elizabeth, Francis, Jemima, no this is Cloe, that is Jemima. Wait a minute, this is .....

come on in, like ducks to water

well, this is the life

hiding

If I can't see you you can't see me.

hole in the wall gang

When our neighbours were strimming their boundary hedge wall this robins' nest was accidentally uncovered.

 The robins seem relatively unflustered by the nest being exposed, and the youngsters were only interested in being fed.

The nest site is now discretely hidden so with any luck the brood should survive the constant predations by magpies, rooks and jackdaws. Yesterday I saw the sinister shape of a sparrowhawk wheeling about but it was immediately harried and chased off by an angry and very assertive mistle thrush nesting in the vicinity.

herald moth

This is a herald moth which I found on our garage ceiling. I am not quite sure why it is called a herald moth. It might be because it reappears in April, heralding Spring, but I think more likely it is because of the smart 'tabard' it is wearing. You can also see in the top photo that it has rather dainty black and white ringed legs.

taking a break

This brimstone settled for long enough to be photographed. Despite the brilliant yellow appearance of the male when on the wing they look quite greenish when the wings are up.

Taking a breather (it wasn't that hot but motherhood is hard work)