Feb 13th

Unfortunately, I seem to have caught the Saturday-morning lay-in-itis! 

I left the house at 7.50 a.m. - really late, but Llandaff Fields hadn't yet invaded by dog walkers. The sun was up, although not visible behind the clouds, and it felt a bit milder than yesterday because the wind was coming from the West. 

The top inch or so of the ground had thawed slightly - and the ravens I saw on the ground, in the middle of the big field, was poking it with his beak.

There were a few soft calls, and when I got to the ravens field, one of my young pair was waiting in the big sycamore. He cawed, came to the ground, got a scrap - and flew straight to the enclosure. He sat there on a fence post while I had to walk up there from the spinney. He did call loudly, but although there were what I can only assume were answering calls, no other raven turned up, at that time.

I walked back, having met Jack, the Westie, with Alison, and while we were walking towards the spinney, my bold raven turned up. He is the only one who lands on the ground facing me. He got a few scraps, but was a bit nervous of Jack, whom he'd not encountered in my company before.

Alison and I walked round the spinney the 'no more food' way, but on the grassy bit near the footpath, the bold raven came to the ground yet again, facing me. So of course I kept feeding him. His companion also appeared, again waiting patiently until my bold one had eaten some scraps, then filled his crop, then flew off. Then she took two scraps and went away as well.

I walked back through the big field, and in spite of the now expected flock of black-headed seagulls on my left, near the toddlers' playground, two ravens flew in when I was in the middle of the big field. 

One was from the quarry pair, and one from the young pair. They cawed, got some scraps, keeping their distance - then the bold one came again. 

The other two ravens retreated a bit, but there was no dust-up between the three, who got the rest of the scraps between them, the bold one taking off first, then the other two.

Hopefully I can get out earlier tomorrow - this lay-in was a bit shameful, really - and can investigate a bit more of which ravens turn up where, and why ...