Feb 2nd

Picking up from where I left off, I went out today, at 7.25 a.m., to see what the ravens were up to. 

The weather was terrible - not cold as such, but raining and blowing a penetrating gale from the West. So - no dawn to speak of.

Unsurprisingly, there were no ravens to be seen when I got to the big field, although I did hear some calls from the boundary to Pontcanna Fields.

The first raven I saw came from the clump of Horse Chestnuts at the corner of the avenue and the ravens field, flying to the sycamore next to the spinney. He came to the ground - one of my young pair, looking a bit bedraggled. His companion had flown to the enclosure. I fed him on the ground, and then both in the enclosure.

While we were thus engaged, they suddenly both stopped eating, cawed loudly and assumed this juvenile begging position. 

The reason was that first one raven came flying across, circling back, and then a second appeared, both then flying off to the allotments. I wonder if that was my bold pair.

I went back to the big field, the 'more food' way. One raven followed me, as always first flying into the sycamore, then to the ground. As soon as we were both right on the field, the quarry pair turned up, skittish as always. 

Both pairs suddenly took off. What might have scared them were two rather large flocks of little black-headed gulls, who first circled over us, then settled further down on the big field - literally spread across the whole field, from one footpath to the avenue.

And then Archie turned up, jumping up to greet me. He's a black, young and bouncy lurcher. So his owner, a nice young lady, and I went back out of the park, chatting about Madame.

Hopefully the weather will be better tomorrow.

Feb 1st

No ravens - not just me not being up to scratch yet - I also had a problem with the electricity in the house.
Getting an electrician and waiting for him put paid to any plans I had.
Sorry.

Sunday, Jan 31st

I've stayed inddors today, not being well.
Sorry, ravens.
Better day tomorrow ...

Jan 30th

It was freezingly cold this morning. No songbirds to be heard, but there were some raven calls around 6 a.m.

I left the house at 7.55 a.m. The sun was just coming up, the sky was clear, and there was a thin sprinkling of snow on the ground everywhere. 

Did I say it was very cold, well below freezing? It was ...!

No raven calls or ravens as I walked from the first field to the big field, but as I came to the spinney, there was one, in one of trees, calling. His companion then flew to one of the big sycamores to the left of the spinney. 

As they were flying to the ground in the ravens field, following me, a lively spaniel turned up, rushing at them, chasing them, barking, ears flapping. So they retreated to the safety of the trees and only came to the ground once that dog had gone, and I was well on my way to the enclosure. 

They were the young pair, showing all the behaviour I've seen previously.

There was one behaviour which I noticed today for the first time: when I look at one of these ravens, he starts wiping his beak, against the ground or against the post he's sitting on. Some sort of displacement behaviour, I believe.

Going back the 'more food' way, after these two had flown off to hide their food, the first ravens to turn up in the big field were my quarry pair. The were as skittish as always, and still kept their distance. 

Then, the bold pair turned up. The bold one always is so keen to get all and any scraps! His companion always waits until he goes to hide his booty - and she seems to erect the feathers on her head when she is alone and other ravens are around.

Then a third pair appeared, from the toddlers' playground.

All got their scraps, until I had run out. There were no scuffles, but I noticed that one of the quarry pair seemed to have a tiny spot on his chest where he must have lost a few feathers.

They all stopped following me when Bas turned up, rushing up to me: what a lovely sight!

More freezing temperatures tomorrow, perhaps some snow, but some sunshine to start the morning with: the ravens won't mind, I'm sure!

Jan 29th

Just like yesterday, the songbirds, such as robins and blackbirds, were shouting their hearts out at 6 a.m., but not one raven called. It was still night rather than pre-dawn. The ravens only started calling about an hour later. 

I left the house at 7.30 a.m. on the dot. The rain had stopped, but the dark clouds still hid the light of dawn. The wind, from the North West, was strong and cold.

I heard the first raven call when I got to the top of the big field. He was sitting on one of the bigger trees in the spinney. As I entered the ravens field, he first flew to sit on a branch of the huge sycamore to the left, then he came to the ground. His companion had meanwhile flown into the enclosure.

It was my young pair, both still quite shy, still waiting for me to move on before picking up the scrap.

 

After I'd been round the enclosure, throwing scraps, and was on the way back to the big field, just approaching the spinney, a single raven flew over us, rather low. 

First one, then both of my young pair flew up and chased this intruder away. Well, they tried - he came back a few times, but in the end they did get rid of him. 

I went to the big field the 'more food' way. My young pair did not follow, but to my surprise, after I'd walked on a bit, my bold pair turned up! 

As with my young pair, they were still a bit uncertain because there was no Madame with me - but then the bold one just went on scoffing the scraps.

The quarry pair now turned up as well. They also got their scraps, and as before, they were very skittish. There were no scuffles between the two pairs. 

This time I got rid of every single scrap, but interestingly, the ravens did not follow me, begging. The reason was that this flock of black-headed sea gulls turned up again, circling over. 

I am taking note of this, because with the days lengthening, and the breeding season approaching, I expect to see changes in the behaviour of the birds, as well as in the way they partition the time they spend in the various playing fields here.