We left the house at 6.45 a.m. It was a brilliant morning: a clear blue sky, bright sunlight, and only a slight, cold Northerly breeze. However, it was so cold during the night that there was frost on the grass in Llandaff Fields!
We had heard some raven calls earlier, and when we got to the ravens field, two ravens flew across from the quarry side towards the allotments and Pontcanna Fields. They did not stop, however.
We noted that both enclosures in the ravens field have had their gates removed since yesterday, so anybody, any dogs, are now able to walk in and out. The ravens would therefore not feel as secure as they have done.
After Miss Sophie had been put through her training routine, and after we'd walked round the enclosure, throwing some scraps, one single raven appeared.
He sat on one of the fence posts, watching, and then picked up some scraps. Then, back on another fence post, he quorked while clapping his beak - so this was one of the young pair.
After picking up another couple of scraps, he flew off across to Pontcanna Fields, and did not come back.
Walking back, there was one raven in the first field. I threw a couple of the remaining scraps - but this raven flew up to sit on a branch straight away, so he was definietly not my bold raven!
So today confirms that it'll be early nights and early mornings for Miss Sophie and me from now on ...!
2 comments:
Hi there {{Yma}} - this is realwest! Sorry I haven't commented recently but am currently fighting off either a nasty cold, flu and allergies all at the same time!
Anyway, it was SO GOOD to read your recent posts - but I'm curious, why did they- whomever "they" are - remove the gates? Do you think that the dog walkers simply wanted some more space for their dogs to run or is this something that happens every year around this time. While I don't know much about the mating rituals, feeding of young, newly hatched birds and all, I would think that the Ravens would be anxious to pick up the scraps which you throw for them? Maybe it IS the gates that keep the Ravens away.
Anyway, gotta go drink some more orange juice, and blow my nose somemore!
And me with a PSA test scheduled for the 19th, results on the 20th, I'm nervous enough to not need this cold/flu/allergy in the first place!
But I do hope at some time in the near future, those gates will be reinstalled so the Ravens will feel safer! Also very pleased to hear that Miss Sophie is starting to behave somewhat better than when you first got her!!
Hi realwest,
I'm so sorry to hear about your cold/allergies, and hope you'll have shaken them off by the time you read this!
As for the gates - I believe they have been removed by the Parks Department workers, so that they can get their equipment in. It would seem their grass cutters didn't fit through these gates.
and as the grass in both enclosures is meant for cricket, it has to be cut very very short, every week - and then even shorter!
It seems the ravens are fine with that as long as I just throw their food into the top end.
Miss Sophie is now getting quite good at sitting with me, getting a reward for that - provided no other dogs turn up, and she doesn't spy any squirrels!
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