I think it's Mrs B who leaves things in the water dish. And I think it has something to do with nest building. A Mrs B did this with moss last year. These threads... I actually thought it was my hair, but it's not hair. It's some plant fibre, but I don't know what. Mr B is now singing, well, one of the Mr Bs. Again, two males seem to eye each other. Remember the wrens the other day? I saw two great Tits in aerial pursuit yesterday. They were really aggressive. And still no sp

So, the sparrow. I think the bird was hoping to form a sparrow community here, but as no other sparrows took up the offer, he seems to have gone. I am a little sad as he is a very nice little bird. Sometimes, i find it hard to take birds seriously. I mean, all that falling off things before remembering what wings are for and the sort of jumping around as though with their hands clasped behind their bats, like somewhat ashamed but active podgy school girls. The alien-ness of h

I visited the ruined church and noticed that the spring had made itself a channel. Perhaps a person helped by moving some large stones, but there was certainly a notable channel carved by the water. It struck me that this might be good water to attempt some conversation with, so i squatted in the pool and scuffled my way in to see where the water bubbled out. I did not get any messages from the water, but it was kind of fun. Also fun, the wonderful bark of a conifer and then

Falco is busy feeding. Actually he has three jobs: getting food; singing his space; and distracting me from finding the nest. He is consequently a fairly constant companion in the garden. He will even look at me. Later the same day, he was engaged in the same activities, while two wrens frantically chased each other around the garden. It was quite something!!

...of the fox in the night time. That, in the picture is fur. Fur that reminds me of the fur that flies when my cats fight, which happens very rarely in any serious fashion. I was thinking of neighbour cat and the fox and wondering whose fur it might be. I raised it up and held it to my nose–––––––FOX!!!!! Wow! So little fur and so intense a scent! No question. I dropped the fur but the aroma hung around my nose like... well, like a bad smell. When I discussed it with Leanne,

This is a bit of a cheat because the sound happened before the moon. I wanted to photograph the moon, but it was cloudy so at dusk i sat in the wood at Cottesbrooke and listened to the birds. At a certain point they became silent. I returned to the car and there, to the north east, it looked like sunrise! But it was the moon! I drove to a place where I could see it better and the skies cleared just enough.

I mentioned that Mrs B had been foraging close by... well, here she is again. I think she must be preparing to nest because she is so hungry. You can see in the video one of the males following her. Maybe they have not yet... well... Big news: for the first time a house sparrow is in the garden. Poor lonely thing sings and sings but I can't hear anyone replying! Today, I am procrastinating again. Not applying for the job. Not working on some AI task or evaluation. Not rewriti

...where the robins are nesting! That is the nestbox I put up... last year, I think. And the female has built her own nest inside it! The male is taking her food. I am not going to film the nest and in fact I am trying very hard not to look at it. But when the male has food he stands outside and they speak to each other very quietly! I have seen them both out of the nest together - and I think the female is one I have seen before with like a lightning bolt on her chest. Asymm

Skulls are always interesting. This, according to the county recorder, is a badger sow's skull, as it does not have much ridge crest. He did not mention this scrape, which looks like someone gave the skull a nibble. Rather more than a nibble. Maybe the skull was just scraped by stones in its passage from some underground chamber to the surface during some recent communal excavations. A lot of teeth had got lost along the way. Check out the huge holes for the canines! Badgers

In the hedge, puffed up and not fleeing. A coal tit. I stood and thought. I remembered little Squirrel Nutkin and the One-Eyed Squirrel. I remembered the blackbird Blossom. Do nothing, I thought, don't make the bird's last hours worse. The wind was blowing and once the tit lost his grip and was swung off the branch, scrabbling back uncertainly to cling on again. Don't think you are the saviour, you'll only make things worse, I thought. And so I left. It rained heavily. The ne

The observing crow reminded me that i hadn't been up to the rec recently. That was enough to persuade me. I loaded up my Next bag (quality plastic - it's been in use for a few years... though the actual food is in another plastic bag inside that carrier) with cheesy biscuits and peanuts and put on the anorak and off I went. Hood up as it was raining. Legs quickly soaked. In the Driveways' place, I didn't see them, but I left some food and by the time I had spotted the Unbrave

I find these funny! Still, that's a nice picture of Mr B and two more nice pictures today. Mrs B came and sat with me on the green box, but I couldn't move so I did not take a picture of her.

Perhaps the collective noun should be a scramble? In one place I saw about eight chasing each other! They must have been siblings but they looked full grown. This one tried to hide under the bark of a tree! A hare had been resting near Kairos. He ran off, of course. I saw a fair few muntjac and spent time watching a swan and geese.

This is a very meditative video. I went for a wander after training with Leanne. Better than job applications or paper revisions...

So, today I must apply for a job. Or, rather, I must pass two tests in order to be allowed to apply for a job. Tests! I am scared of the time pressure of tests. I am scared of failing. But, I realise that when I face real pressure, I sort of distance myself from the emotion and deal with it well. Pressure, I mean, not disappointment, grief or shame. In those latter cases, I do not cope well. Other people's emotions, I can handle, largely. But my own, another story. Then there

I know: it's not like I was away for months. Even so, there's this "getting back into the swing of it" thing. And the swing of it, well, maybe, having some distance from it, one can determine whether that past swing was one you really want to get back into. Working was actually good. I actually enjoyed it. I was not bored or frustrated or anxious or resentful. What a change. But it was special work. Or, rather, special people. I know that not much work is really like that. Th

Well, the work was good. And now I predict the "after the Lord Mayor's Show" feeling! I felt appreciated which was lovely. But more to the point, I was working with people who are talented, dedicated, friendly, warm and impressive. The big boss said, when I expressed thoughts of this nature, "And we keep picking you." There is no higher compliment. And now... ah... I must deal with the rewrites of two papers, chase AI work and apply for actual jobs. I looked at properties on

...now you don't. A trip home... I'd been away for five nights. Got back at about 5:30pm to leave at 10:30am the next day. Here's what I did: a load of laundry, vacuumed the whole house, mopped downstairs, refilled the handwash containers, watered plants, unboxed many things and disposed of the packaging, prepared clothes and food to take away for the final night away, cleaned the bird bowls, fed the birds, cuddled the cats, slept eight hours, and ate toast with slices of tom

A while ago, I learned that herons can be flying about at night. Goodness knows why... or if indeed this is actually true. But, as it happened, this one did show up when it was very dark. I don't know how all the artificial light impacts the fish and the heron. Let's see if we can find out... Not entirely conclusive. it seems that when they have chicks they may well be active around the clock. Other news from my evening wanderings... Well, this not-heron looks funkier at nigh

The geese came out of the water in a four and then a three. When the first four landed the second three changed course to join them on the grass. As I watched them, I noticed that one of the geese took on the role of guard, keeping a wary eye on me. Soon after, a second started to look around. And then three. That was the signal and all seven turned and went back into the water. What I saw, enacted before me, was both a quorum and seven individuals. Each goose was simultaneou