Nov 27th

We left the house around 7.45 a.m. - quite late. However, it was still dark. There was no sun - just rain, and more rain, and then some! It was cold, with an icy breeze, and the ground was beyond sodden.

I had no hope to meet any ravens, even the seagulls were huddled on the ground and not sailing on the wind.

It was about 8 a.m. when we reached the top of the quarry field - again having gone the 'new' route.

No ravens.

As we crossed into the little arboretum, first one, then the second came down from the huge horse chestnuts which line the alley going between all those smaller fields. It was light enough for me to recognise my bold raven.

I fed them a few scraps there in the arboretum, then in the lower enclosure, more on the way to our enclosure and in there as well. Both ravens took off intermittently to hide the food in the holes they make in the open field.

Again, the bold raven scoffed the most, but the not-so-bold one now keeps waiting until the bold one flies off to hide his scraps, so he can get some food as well. It is quite funny to watch the bold one come swooping back at speed to snatch even the meagre bits given to the other one!

While we were at our enclosure, two ravens appeared from the direction of the tennis courts - my ravens took off to meet them in the air, and some squawking ensued!

They came back soon enough - but this time, the bold raven took off to hide his booty after every couple of scraps.

We went back the 'no-more-food'-way, and neither raven followed us.

Tomorrow - more rain predicted! - we'll have to go out a bit earlier. This means I can find out if my route determines which pair of ravens comes, or if it is the time.

If its the route - then I'd expect to see my bold raven again.

If its the time, then I'd expect to see the 'young' pair, not in the arboretum but in the ravens field.

By that time Madame will hopefully have dried out totally.

Her coat is still somewhat damp ...

Nov 26th

Well - that was a bit of a dead loss!

We left at the crack of dawn, which is now about 7.15 a.m., and it was still dark because of the heavy rain clouds, which did bless us with brief, intermittent spells of rain. It also was pretty cold. Well, its November after all!

No ravens to be seen anywhere when we got into the park, the same way as yesterday. 

There were some calls coming from Pontcanna Fields. 

We trudged through the mud to the raven field, again using the same route as yesterday. 

No ravens.

When we arrived in the raven field, at the first enclosure, I could just about make out one of them sitting on top of one of the goal posts at the upper end of the rugby pitch, and then, in the gloom, I saw one at the foot of that pole. 

We walked up to our enclosure, and the ravens came to greet us. It was too dark to make out which pair they were, but after throwing a few scraps I was pretty sure they were the young pair. One of them did scoff most of the food - but neither went to hide it in holes in the open ground. They also were more timid than my ravens yesterday. 

While I was feeding them, two ravens flew over the raven field, from Pontcanna Field, towards the other side of Llandaff Fields. No reaction from this pair, though.

These ravens flying over us might have been my ravens ...

Having walked round the enclosure and starting to go back to the spinney, one raven flew onto one of the fence posts of the enclosure and made some lovely, soft groaks.

We left along the 'no-more-food' walk, and neither raven followed us.

Bas turned up as we came to the big field: lovely and full of running. He is truly a magnificent dog!

Plans for tomorrow: same walk as today and yesterday, but start much later, to get to the little arboretum about 8 a.m., when it is much lighter. 

Hopefully that is when  and where we'll meet my bold raven again!

Keep fingers crossed ...

Nov 25th

Yes! I was right!

I found my bold raven!

We left the house earlier, around 7.30. It was light, some sun already out behind the clouds. During the night we had lots of very heavy rain, but it was dry when we came out. The wind was very strong (up to 30 mph) and it felt perishingly cold!

We used a different route into Llandaff Fields, which got us to the fields at the foot of the steep slope with the old quarries. No ravens anywhere, no raven calls. As we came to the far end of this field, one raven came and sat in the top branches of the oaks lining the steep path going up to Cardiff Road. Then another came, also sitting in that oak.

The first raven then flew down, as we got closer, and sat on the derelict stone drinking fountain. He watched. as we crossed into this field, which is really a small arboretum, and he then came to the ground, as did the other raven. I gave them a few scraps there and then - and saw that these were my ravens!

They followed us across into the ravens field, and sat on the fence posts of the first enclosure, where I haven't fed them at all. Giving some more scraps I noticed that my bold raven was rather diffident at first. We then went up to our original enclosure - but on the way, Archie, Duffy and Otis came bouncing up, so the ravens fled to our enclosure.

There, I reassured myself that these were indeed my ravens: their behaviour was as I've recorded below. The bold one, while still a bit diffident, scoffed as much as he could get, and flew off a few times to make his food-hiding holes in the open field. He made these in roughly the same areas as before.

Two ravens flew over us, quite high, but my ravens didn't bother looking up.

We went to the spinney the 'no-more-food'-way, and the bold raven followed us to the grassy patch in front of the Parks Dept shed. He had done just that before, the young pair never has.

He got some more scraps. Then he had a drink from the big puddle and got on with the rest of his day ...

I'm so glad I've found him again! I believe he was rather diffident to start with because he'd not seen me or got anything from me for quite a few days.

I also think that he and his companion are getting upset by the increasing number of lovely, bouncy dogs, who try to chase them. This is due to day light starting so much later now, and us dog walkers always get bunched together during these months.

Tomorrow, we'll get out earlier and use the same route as today. I hope my bold raven picks us up where he did this morning.

Nov 24th

Still autumn storms - very windy, ground is soggy and muddy. We went out late again, reaching the ravens field around 8 a.m. Lots of other dog walkers around. No raven calls, and no ravens. 

But then, as we came to the spinney on the footpath - one appeared, flying onto a branch of the small ash tree bordering the spinney - and then the other came, sitting on another branch of that tree. I could see straightaway that these were the 'young' ravens, and not my original ones.

We went into the ravens field - they seem to be a bit more adventurous in the open, coming closer, to within three feet, to pick up the scraps - but only when we turn our backs! 

In the enclosure, they again kept mostly away, and still shy away when I throw a scrap. This time, one of them started storing scraps in his crop - neither of them flew off to make holes in the ground to hide the food. As with the original pair, one goes for all and any scraps he can get, the other waits for what is left over.

They both followed us, at a distance, to the spinney, still timid and snatching the scraps only when we turned away. They did not follow us as we walked round the 'no-more-food' way.

I don't understand why my bold raven doesn't turn up. 

There are two possibilities: either they do prefer the earlier time, when it is darker, or they have gone somewhere else. 

Tomorrow, I shall find out if they are where I saw them originally, near the steep slope of what we think were old quarries. 

If they aren't there, I'll try to get out earlier again, checking both locations on consecutive days. 

Nov 23rd

Horrendous weather conditions - as predicted by the Met Office: very heavy rain during the night, exceedingly heavy showers all day, and gals, with bursts up to 60mph. The wind is howling round the house, Madame doesn't like it one bit! And the sirens of the fire engines keep howling in the distance ...

We did go out, dodging the squalls, and got to the ravens field by about 8 a.m. This time, we did not romp in the big field: it was by far too muddy and slithery underfoot. 

No ravens in sight, just a couple of seagulls sailing on the wind. A few raven calls, very distant.

Just as we passed the spinney, on the footpath, two ravens appeared, landing in the big field. Again - it was that young pair, not my bold one and his companion. 

They did follow us into the ravens field, and picking up the scraps on the way to enclosure I noted that one of them has become just a tad less timid. He still waits until we turn our back before he picks up the food, but now comes much closer. Again, in the enclosure, they both kept their distance. Again, neither took off to hide their scraps in a hole outside the enclosure.  And again, they started following us to the spinney much later, not immediately upon our turning in that direction from the enclosure. 

However - they must have learned the 'no-more-food' and 'still-some-food' walk routine!  its possible that they observed us and the other pair while we established this rule.

We went round the spinney by the tennis courts ('no-more-food'), and first the one, then the other flew up and sat in one of the young trees lining the spinney where we walked. They did not follow any further, and if I want to indulge in anthropomorphism, I'd say the ravens sat in that tree as if to say 'thanks -seeya tomorrow' ...

But what on earth happened to my bold raven? What is he up to? Where has he gone?

Will we ever find out?