Dec 19th

The thermometer may have been lower this morning, but it didn't feel as horrid as yesterday: there was hardly any wind at all when we went out at about 7.45 a.m. 

It was much lighter than yesterday - the sky was clear, with a pale, greenish-yellow cast in the East.

We had heard some raven calls earlier - but none when we came into Llandaff Fields, nor did we see any ravens until we came to the spinney. 

There, we heard one raven call, and saw him sit on the highest tree in the spinney - and his companion came flying over from the allotment side, to perch next to him.

We entered the ravens field, and both came to the open ground. It was 'my' young pair - it was sufficiently light to make out the 'Roman' nose of one of them.

Again, as now customary, they came to within a yard an a half in the open field, but kept further away in the enclosure. 

Again, they wait until we turn our backs before they pick up the food.

We left the 'more-food' way, because I was hoping to encounter more ravens. My pair followed us, again flying rather than hopping, and after the first few scraps in the open field they called - and the other young pair arrived, from the side of the old quarries. 

All four kept their distance, a good four yards, in spite of Madame being on her lead, and in spite of the absence of any other dogs.

At one point, as we walked on back home, all four followed us, walking in a line four abreast, spread out. I loved that!

I think I can now assume that the ravens field is the territory of my young pair, and that the big field is regarded as place for all hungry ravens to come and get what is offered, like a sort of more communal, shared raven territory.

We'll see if the next few days support this. 

It will be cold - again! - and it seems to me that Madame, while enjoying her rolling-about on the frosty grass, is not so keen on being out in the cold as she used to be ...

Dec 18th

Now I know where the ravens are calling from, early in the morning!

When we left the house at 7.15 a.m., it was dark, with just some brightness in the sky to the East. Sunrise today was at 8.15 a.m., so the street lights were on, and I saw ravens sitting on the chimney pots of the houses further down the road. Might they be attracted by the street lights?

It was bitterly cold today, with a perishing wind from the North East, which caught us, both going to the ravens field and coming back. 

No raven calls in the park, and no ravens. We went along the Horse Chestnut Avenue, because there are some street lights, so we could see where to go.

No ravens in the ravens field - but two did turn up when we were already on the way back, and had started to go down the big field. They came from the direction of the old quarries, so must have been the second young pair. They kept well away from us. 

As we turned back to go home, having thrown them a few scraps, I heard a loud squawking. Two others had turned up, and were flapping their wings, trying to get at the scraps. It was pretty noisy!

So I gave them most of the scraps. 

As we finally made our way back, Bas turned up. He gave Madame a little kissie! Neither Karen nor I lingered long - it was too cold in the perishing wind. 

This dark morning showed that the ravens appear to prefer light, to see whats going on. The two ravens turned up as the dawn had got under way, which incidentally was around the time we usually get into the ravens field. 

And seeing the other ravens, calling, sitting on the chimney pots also is indicative: they sat on those chimneys closest to the street lights.

It will be even colder tomorrow - but we shall get out a bit later, when it is lighter, with lots of food!

Dec 17th

It was a bit colder this morning, but not as damp as yesterday. There were bits of clear sky visible during the dawn, so it was quite a bit lighter than the last two days.

We heard some distant raven calls, also magpies and jackdaws, before we left the house at 7.25 a.m.

Llandaff Fields was empty - no dog walkers, no ravens.

Once we got to the ravens field, one came from the Horse Chestnut Avenue, to check us out. 

As he got his first scrap, his companion came flying down as well. 

Having picked those scraps up, they flew immediately into the enclosure. They certainly were not the pair with my bold raven - but which young pair were they? It was still too dark to look for the distinctive 'Roman' nose which one of my young pair has got.

We had our usual feeding routine, and it was their behaviour in the enclosure which makes me uncertain about their identity: they flew towards the different sides of the enclosure as if anticipating where I'd go next. 'My' young pair hasn't done that. 

They did however keep a good distance, in the enclosure as well as later in the open ravens field.

Again going back the 'more-food'-way, they followed us by swooping into the trees at the footpath separating the ravens field from the big field, and then swooping down from there to the ground. 

Once there, they called - and two more ravens turned up - probably my young pair - but all four kept well away. 

The reason for that came bouncing up to us: big Bas!

The pair with the bold raven didn't seem to be too bothered by Bas, the rare times they appeared together in one field.

All in all, some little interesting details about their behaviour, but not much else.

Madame thoroughly enjoyed her romp with Bas before we all went home.

As for tomorrow - we'll have to get out even earlier, unfortunately, because of the appointment with the vet. So it will be truly dark for most of our walk. 

At least we can find out if ravens have good night vision!

Dec 16th

It was dryer today, and a bit colder - but the sky was as dark and grey as yesterday. No sight of the sun ...

There were some calls before we left the house at 7.30 a.m., but these were from magpies and jackdaws, no ravens.

As yesterday, no calls in Llandaff Fields, and no ravens to be seen until we were in the middle of the ravens field. We did come from the Horse Chestnut Avenue today, but the young pair definitely was not waiting for us in those trees at the crossing of the footpaths.

When we were in the middle of the ravens field, I could hear some calls from the direction of the allotments, but couldn't see any raven there. After I had let Madame off her lead, I saw that one of the ravens had flown to sit on top of one of the rugby goal posts - that gave him a good view.
As we walked on - he flew into the middle of the enclosure, where he was joined by his companion. It was the young pair again, their behaviour made that clear. 

After the usual feeding routine, we left by the 'more-food'-way, and again, they did not follow us for very long in the open field but flew to the trees at the spinney. From there, they followed us, flying,  to the top of the big field.

They made some pretty loud calls there, and so it was no surprise to see the other young pair appear from the quarry side of Llandaff Fields - and then, a bit further away, from the toddlers' playground, the third pair arrived. 

That third pair is the one with the bold raven - he is the only one who comes really close, who tries to get every scrap of food, bumping into his companion with intent - and he is the only one who picks the scraps up while I look at him.

The others all wait until Madame and me turn our backs.

After we'd run out of all the food, we went to talk to Toby and Cookie and their owners, who had been observing us and were highly entertained watching the four young ravens walk behind us, to get food from us. It must look quite funny!

Then Bas turned up, Madame and he had a jolly little romp, and that was a nice ending to our morning walk.

It is interesting that the other two pairs of ravens came today, under the same light conditions as yesterday. I think this happened because the first pair called when we were in the big field - they didn't call yesterday.

It will be even colder tomorrow, according to the weather people - so we'll see what happens then. I'll certainly take lots of food, especially as Madame seems to be getting quite fond of those scraps as well ...

Dec 15th

The weather forecasters had it wrong - it was by no means cold today! 

However, it was so overcast that there was not even a hint of sunrise, and a heavy drizzle was coming down. No wind to speak of, so it felt really mild.

When we left the house shortly before 7.30 a.m. it was so dark that the street lights were still lit.

We had heard no raven calls earlier, we heard none in the park - and there wasn't a raven in sight.

When we got into the middle of the ravens field, we heard the first call - it came from a huge lime tree, and I could just make out one raven sitting in its branches. He came down into the open field, and then his companion followed. 

It was the young pair, and again they ventured much closer, even up to a yard away - provided we turned our backs to them and did not watch them picking up the scraps. 

In the enclosure, they were again more diffident - I really do not understand why they keep so much further away when they are protected from Madame. 

Still, one of them flew onto one fence post and made this wonderful deep and soft croaking noise, fluffing himself up. I do like that!

We left along the 'more-food' way - but they did not follow us for long. Instead, one flew to the big puddle in front of the sheds - that's the 'no-more-food' way, to drink. 

They did pick us up in the big field, but did not venture as close as in the ravens field. 

No other ravens came, so we left them and went home.

I wonder if the darkness today meant that the other ravens were late getting to Llandaff Fields. 

We'll see tomorrow if they come when it is a bit brighter, drier - and colder!