March 6th

HERE IS THE UPDATE, AS PROMISED!

A clear sky overnight meant there was again frost on the ground, but the wind had died down, so it did feel really mild.

The sunrise was a bit watery, but the dawn was magnificent, with soft colours. The robins and blackbirds sang loudly about an hour before sunrise - and there were some soft raven calls coming from Pontcanna Fields.

I left the house at 6.35 a.m.. The streetlights were just switching off, nobody in the park except me and the ravens. 

Some calls came from the quarry side as I got into the big field, and when I reached the top, calls came from the ravens field as well.

March 5th

It was indeed even colder this morning! The ground was frozen and there was frost on the grass, but the perishing wind had died down somewhat.

It was a slightly subdued sunrise when I left the house at 6.55 a.m., and in the hour before dawn the robins and blackbirds were subdued as well. The ravens did not call either.

There were no calls when I got to the big field, but I saw one raven sit in a treetop in the spinney, another was sitting in a treetop at the toddlers' playground, both were watching. 

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.

March 3rd

What a change to yesterday! 

Today was grey and grim, the sun hidden behind thick clouds. The robins and blackbirds did sing about an hour before dawn, which is shortly before 7 a.m., but the ravens did not call.

I left the house at 7.05 a.m., and as I got into the first field, the biting, icy wind from the East was horribly noticeable.

There were no raven calls at first, but when I arrived at the top of the big field, I heard cawing behind my back: the quarry pair came flying in to the ground. Then more cawing came from the direction of the toddlers' playground - the young pair arrived. Lastly, just as I was starting to throw the frist scraps, the bold pair flew in from the ravens field, also cawing. 

A flock of seagulls were on the ground next to the footpath, but the ravens were not bothered.

March 2nd

Another icy but dry and sunny morning.

I left the house just a couple of minutes before 7 a.m., having heard what can now really be called the 'dawn chorus' about 45 minutes earlier. No raven calls, though ...

Again, though, ravens called as I entered the first field, and I could make out one raven swooping across from Pontcanna Fields to one of the trees at the toddlers' playground. Just as yesterday, this raven, followed a bit later by his companion, flew to the ground at the top of the big field: one of the young pair. Today, they did not caw to me.

Then the bold pair arrived from the ravens field, just as I was starting to throw the scraps. I am now assuming they watch to see if food is forthcoming before they venture to the ground. Only the companion of the bold raven cawed - and only after he'd left with his first haul of scraps.