March 29th

It started raining during the night, so the morning was colder than in the last few days, and yes, it rained!

We left the house at 7 a.m. BST (British Summer Time), which two days ago was still 6 a.m.

No raven calls, and no ravens as we walked along the quarry side and to the small arboretum. I did throw a few scraps into the enclosure in the ravens field, but no raven appeared. They must have still been asleep, and with the dark rain clouds it was not a day to be out and about.

March 28th - Palm Sunday

It was dry and reasonably mild this morning, the sun was up, but still watery and feeble, and we'd not heard any raven calls.

We left the house at 7.25 a.m. - but that is Summer Time: the clocks went forward today, so it actually was 6.25 a.m. according to yesterday's clock.

We had a long walk, firstly all the way round the quarry field and then the small arboretum, so that Miss Bonnie got some exercise, seeing that I cannot let her off her lead yet. 

This astonished the ravens, since we came to the enclosure in the ravens field from the far side, where the allotments are. But first one, then the other of the young pair did come flying in, sitting on the fence posts, then going into the enclosure to pick up some scraps. 

March 27th

Honestly - I was up by 5.30 a.m. - but when did I leave the house?

At 6.50 a.m.! 

Awww....

It is well-known that the more time one thinks one's got, the later one arrives where one needs to be!

It was again mild and dry, with watery sunshine. No raven calls when I got to the big field - but as I reached the middle, the quarry pair turned up. It seemed to me they were keen to get some food before the other lot arrived, and they did not call.

However,  I could see one of the young pair sitting on the top branch in a tree in the spinney - he was observing, and came down when I walked up to the enclosure. Then his companion arrived as well.

March 26th

Unfortunately, I only managed to leave the house at 6.55 a.m. ... in spite of a hint of a watery sun behind thin, grey clouds.

It was mild, with a touch of damp. 

Again, there were no raven calls when I entered Llandaff Fields.

Today, the quarry pair came flying in as I approached the enclosure in the big field. They started picking up the scraps, with their usual skittishness, and while they were doing so, I noticed two ravens, sitting on the top branch in two trees in the spinney, observing what whas happening, but not calling.

It took a few minutes before they came flying to the ground - it was the young pair.

Both pairs did not seem to want to hang about much today - in spite of Llandaff Fields being practically empty of dogs. So I got rid of the scraps pretty fast - they did eat them all - and went back home.

We'll see if I can manage an earlier start tomorrow ...

March 25th

Today, I managed to make it out of the house at 6.40 a.m. So it wasn't that much earlier - but as it was again a grey morning, slightly damp, mild, but without sun, that wasn't too bad, considering ...

There had been no calls, nor were there any as I got into the big field. Even at the top, past the enclosure, there were no calls, nor a raven to be seen.

Meanwhile, even the last handful of blackheaded seagulls have left and gone to their breeding grounds, so there were no huge flocks to scare the ravens off. The dog population also was exceedingly reduced this morning - just Jess, a young Border Collie, having a romp.