March 23rd

No rain as yet, this morning - but quite dense fog. And it was still cold, sufficiently so that I was still wearing gloves.

The bird songs early in the morning were much quieter, and there were no raven calls.

I left the house at 7.50 a.m., and as I got to the first field, there were ravens calling from behind my back - from the road. No more raven calls, however, once I got to the top of the big field, and not one raven was to be seen. I did throw some scraps into the enclosure in the big field, but no raven turned up.

Then, into the ravens field, I saw one lone raven poking the ground inside the enclosure there. I walked up, but the raven did not show any interest. I walked round the enclosure, throwing scraps, and the raven - I assume he was one of the young pair - kept his distance from me but did walk to pick up one or two of those scraps.

March 22nd

It is still quite chilly here, so I still needed my gloves when I left the house today at 6.45 a.m. 

It was the Spring Equinox yesterday, so the sun had already well risen - at 6.09 a.m., actually.

There were no ravens to be seen or heard as I walked up the big field to its top. I threw a few scraps into the enclosure there, but none came.

However, as I got to the spinney, one raven came swooping towards me, settling on a tree: one of the young pair. He came to the ground when I threw a couple of scraps, then his companion also came.

I walked on, to the enclosure, and they both flew past me, quite low and close, to get into the enclosure before me. There, they got a few more scraps as I walked round.

Sunday, March 21st

Tired, but woke up at the usual time - for Sunday, that is ...

It was cold, but dry and sunny. I went out about 7.10 a.m.

No ravens at all, at first - not surprising, since I was absent for a whole week.

At first, I threw some scraps into the enclosure at the big field - no ravens appeared.

Then, I walked towards the spinney, and one came flying to sit on a small tree, about five feet away. He followed me onto the ground as I walked on, throwing a few more scraps. There he was joined by his companion. It was the young pair, their behaviour, especially when I walked round the enclosure in the ravens field, made that very obvious. (See earlier notes about their behaviour, below).

March 15th/16th

For the next few days I won't be able to write about the ravens, due to some previous committments.

I'll be back writing here a.s.a.p., that is, in a few days, so don't worry!

Sunday, March 14th

It was again a cold, dry morning, with frost on the grass. There was another gentle sunrise, and the robins and blackbirds had sung their hearts out for an hour already. The great tits take over once the sun is up. 

There had been no raven calls, though.

I left the house at 6.45 and found Llandaff Fields empty of dogs and their walkers, until I got right to the middle of the big field. Then Otis turned up, full of bounce, very playful.

Up until then, there had not been one raven, either heard or seen. 

When Otis and his owner had walked off, I started to throw scraps into the enclosure - it was very odd, not having one raven around. There were no seagulls circling overhead, nor any other birds. The sky was as clear as can be - not even a cloud to be seen.