Saturday 31st March 2018

Another mild but very wet day.
This morning visited the succulent/cacti centre to purchase six replacement plants for the alpine house. Six plants did not make it through the winter.
This afternoon planted up the six said plants.
              Good to see a greenfinch on the feeder this morning, not seen one for a few weeks. The female blackcap spent a while eating an apple on the lawn. Dunnocks also in the garden as was a heron. The heron was being bombarded by two crows. Is this the reason I have no frogs in the pond. I am aware herons do take frogs as well as fish.

Good Friday 30th March 2018

Lousy day, mild but very wet all day.
Day spent with Emma, Phil, three sons and a daughter! The planned farm visit was cancelled due to the farm being waterlogged.
Still had good fun however, the children made sure there was never a dull moment!

Thursday 29th March 2018

Mild but a wet and miserable day.
Out this morning for lunch with Sis and family at the National 🌵 and succulent centre. 
Being out most of the day and also very wet meant there is not much garden wildlife to report.
Did check out the trail cameras this afternoon. A pair of foxes have been eating together in recent days.

Wednesday 28th March 2018

Mild but a mix of showers and sun most of the day.
A day in London. A visit this morning to the Bank of England and banking area of the City. Learnt so much from the Blue Badge Guide, they really are a mindful of information. What interested me most was the history of gold bars stored in the underground vaults. The weight of these bars is something else. Even using two hands I struggled to lift a bar.
Enjoyed lunch at a local pub, The Griffin, before a guided walk to Brick Lane and Spittafields Market. Can only imagine now what it used to be like in this area as now there is a huge refurbishment program in progress. Old warehouses, offices and shops that have any history attached have to be refurbished in a sensitive manner.
Was a very informative and interesting day out.

Tuesday 27th March 2018

Mild but showers most of the day.
Today I made another attempt at connecting up my IP camera. Sadly no results, I'm no good at modern technology but I am thinking this us a router issue. Other known IP camera enthusiasts are posting amazing images so pretty sure it is not a product issue but a connection issue?
In the meantime I have left the box fixed to the bandstand so at least birds can check it out.
Blackbirds busy nest building taking grass and moss from the lawn.
The female blackcap appeared on the fatball feeder again. 
No sign of frog spawn, think another year of no show. I just do not understand this. Plenty of other activity in the ponds.

Monday 26th March 2018

A lovely Spring day. Mild and sunny all day.
Out most of the day and evening so sadly no garden wildlife to report.

Sunday 25th March 2018

A lovely day. Temperature reached 14c this afternoon.
Day spent in the garden. Buddleia shrubs all pruned, speciality bulbs I purchased at the Ideal Home Show planted, alpine house tidied and time spent relaxing listening to the music created by the bird chorus in the garden.

Saturday 24th March 2018

Mild, drizzle start to the day but soon cleared up.
Busy day.
This morning helped at the Canal trust wildlife event at Fobney. Over 200 people registered, it was a success story big time. Organisers were well impressed, first time in holding such an event.
The pond Dipping was hugely successful with some great results. Amazing as this was the first time this particular pond was 75% full of water. Been dry for so long.
               Late this afternoon called on Julie and Darren to celebrate the girls respective 16 & 18th birthday celebrations. Only stayed a while as was also celebrating Lulu's birthday at a local pub to where they live.
Stressful part of the evening as suffered a burst tyre from a deep pot hole in a lane that was still covered in snow.
Was good to get home.

Friday 23rd March 2018

Mild and sunny most of the day.
A day in London visiting the Ideal Home Show. Have come to the conclusion that we actually live in the ideal home?

Thursday 22nd March 2018

Another cold and sunny day. 
Rested today after yesterday's marathon day out. In London tomorrow so needed to rest my back.
Checked out the trail cam' SD cards. No great surprises, the one fox and hundreds of cats. I'm officially at war with the cats now, so many of them.
Feeder cam' did show the female blackcap feeding on currents. Was more surprised at seeing the bird in this part of the garden.
Photographed the first bumble bee of the season, at last I think Spring has at last arrived.

Wednesday 21st March 2018

A cold and sunny day.
A long tiring but very interesting day. A day visiting the JCB manufacturing factory. I was amazed at at modern manufacturing methods using all the latest technology. Every part of any JCB product is manufactured in the U.K, some achievement and still owned by the Bamford family. Photographs show the exhibition area, sadly unable to use camera in the factory.

Tuesday 20th March 2018

Cold with sun most of the day.
Ladder work today. Made changes to the nest box made for the squirrel of woodpecker. I originally made it with a half open front. Not good when it rained or the wrong type of snow. Have now filled in leaving just a sizeable hole, also created a roof overhang.
The starling box was not good for monitoring as a spider had covered the lense with a cobweb. This now cleaned up.
               A fantastic evening out at the Windsor Theatre to see Islands in the Stream. Absolutely brilliant. I have always loved Kenny Rogers and Dolly Parton music, they did not disappoint.

Monday 19th March 2018

Bitterly cold, windchill factor. Today's sun helped with the snow thawing process.
Snow cleared from lawn and borders but still thick at bottom end of garden that is mostly in shade.
Checked out the six trail cam' SD cards this morning, foxy out as expected. Goldcrest also and really good news was seeing a song thrush. 
This afternoon the song thrush appeared again and I was able to rake my own photographs. 
Crows and magpies busy taking twigs from the silver birch tree. Crow taking twigs over the house to the tree in front of the factories. The magpies building in next doors fir tree.
Starling still roosting, wonder if it will nest in this box?
               A few day trips planned for the rest of the week now. Dolly Parton/Kenny Rogers musical, JCB factory and the Ideal Home Show. Looking forward to all these trips.