Well, the rain hasn't stopped, it went on all night and this morning. At least it felt a bit milder than yesterday. With the thick grey clouds there was of course no glimpse of a dawn sky - but it was noticeably lighter when I left the house a 7.45 a.m.
There were raven calls earlier, coming from Pontcanna Fields, but they were out-called by the songs of the robins and blackbirds.
Once I was in the big field, I had not heard a single raven call at all. Nor had I seen one single raven, never mind a pair.
I made my way into the ravens field - no calls, and not one raven either! I walked all the way round the enclosure, throwing scraps - not one raven turned up. Walking back to the top of the big field and the enclosure there: still not one raven! And of course no raven calls.
Then I saw one pair of ravens in the middle of the big field - a place I'd not seen them before. I went up to them, slowly, but they took off. Then, I threw a couple of scraps - they only came back once I'd walked much further away, but didn't really look for these scraps.
First, Cally (nice black Lab), and then some more dogs turned up, one of the Bas - so that put a stop to any further raven encounters: the dogs were chasing each other all over the big field - it was lovely to watch.
Why were there no ravens today?
It can't have been because of dogs - I met the first one (Cally) towards the bottom end of the big field, none were in the ravens field. Cally had not been to the top of the big field ...
It can't have been flocks of seagulls - there were none.
It can't have been the time of day - this is when I usually come, plus/minus 15 minutes.
Was it the rain? But the ravens were there yesterday.
I am puzzled.
Tomorrow, the prediction is for no rain. I'll get to the ravens field at exactly the same time as today, then we'll see what is going on ...
