March 4th

It was as cold and grey as yesterday - with the wind coming from the North West, for a change. There was a hint of watery sun when I left the house at 7.05 a.m. I had not heard any raven calls earlier, although the robins did sing before dawn.

There were no raven calls when I got to the big field, nor were there any ravens. I checked the treetops - not a raven in sight.

To make up for it, Bas was rushing around, chasing the seagulls, investigating other dogs and again enjoying himself. 

Karen and I did wait for a bit at the enclosure in the big field while Bas was otherwise engaged - but no calls, no ravens ... and we know they don't mind too much having Bas around. 

I observed a couple of ravens flying high across the big field towards Pontcanna Field, therefore I assumed the ravens had found a good food source there.

So we went back, but after I'd go the papers for my neighbour and myself, I went out again, trying to see if teh ravens would come later. 

I was at the enclosure in the big field around 7.45 a.m., and in spite of other dogs rushing around (Bart, Duffy, Archie - all very boisterous), the ravens did come. 

The quarry pair arrived first, then the young pair, then the bold pair. All made brief cawing sounds as they landed, and got duly fed their scraps. They stopped moving towards the scraps when a lone raven flew over us, also going towards Pontcanna Fields like those I observed earlier.

Once that raven was gone, they resumed picking up the scraps.

Once I'd got rid of all the scraps I went home, frozen through and through, my fingers feeling like a collection of little icicles.

It looks as if we're in for more of the cold tomorrow.